Lac de la Gaffe in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec, is where Lac de la Gaffe sits. The surroundings are northern bush. This is a pocket water of some 3 hectares, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Our Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean list holds plenty of bigger water. For a base, Saint-Honoré sits 46 km out. Saint-Ambroise is 51 km away, with Labrecque at 53 km. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Lac de la Gaffe

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Reported across Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean: northern pike, Atlantic salmon, lake whitefish and fallfish. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. On Lac de la Gaffe the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 16°C and January about -19°C. A short, intense season is the rule this far north. After early May the shallows warm and the fish move up. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about early May until roughly mid November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. On Lac de la Gaffe that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. If the gate is shut, Lac de la Pitoune at 0.3 km is the nearest alternative. Rules at Lac de la Gaffe are worth checking on the day.