Fishing at Lac de l'Esker, Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec

• Overview

  In Quebec, Lac de l'Esker belongs to Abitibi-Témiscamingue. Elevation runs to 370 metres. With some 13 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Nearest place of any size is Macamic, 36 km away. Rouyn-Noranda lies 40 km off, Amos another 42 km. Alternatives close at hand: Lac du Sablon lies 1.2 km on, Lac Sault out at 1.5 km, Lac de la Sarracenie lies 1.5 km on, Lac Frontiere out at 3.3 km and Lac Buff lies 3.4 km on. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Lac de l'Esker

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. County-wide records name northern pike, yellow perch, walleye and white sucker. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. On Lac de l'Esker the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between -18°C in January and 17°C in July. The season is measured in weeks rather than months. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly early May. Break-up near early May, freeze-up near mid November: that is the shape of an average year. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. That is the shape of the year on Lac de l'Esker.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. A car park sits roughly 570 m away. You can camp 1.1 km off, which suits an early start. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Failing this one, try Lac du Sablon, 1.2 km away. Ask locally about Lac de l'Esker if anything is unclear.