Fishing Lac de l'Ecluse in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac de l'Ecluse lies in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, in Quebec. Height above sea level is 364 metres. Pont Rouge at 72 km is the nearest place to stop. It is 104 km to Saguenay, the nearest city. Others worth noting: Lac Margot 1 km, Lac des Bouleaux roughly 1.1 km, Lac du Gourdin 1.2 km, Lac de Gigondas roughly 1.3 km and Lac de l'Avocat 1.5 km. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Lac de l'Ecluse

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Public occurrence data for Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean names northern pike, Atlantic salmon, lake whitefish and fallfish. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Read Lac de l'Ecluse for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 16°C and January near -19°C on the long-run figures. Open water is the exception rather than the rule here. After early May the shallows warm and the fish move up. From about early May to around mid November, expect open water on the long-run figures. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Lac de l'Ecluse.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Lac Margot at 1 km is the sensible second choice. Nothing here settles the position at Lac de l'Ecluse for certain.