Lac de l'Helice in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Look for Lac de l'Helice in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec. Everything around it is taiga. It is high ground by Quebec standards. Saint-Honoré lies 39 km from the water. After that come Saint-Fulgence at 41 km and Chicoutimi at 49 km. Also on the doorstep: Lac Elan at about 0.8 km, Lac du Poelon a touch under 1.1 km, Lac Saumon at about 1.3 km, Lac Boreal a touch under 1.5 km and Lac des Cedres at about 1.7 km. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Lac de l'Helice

  Depth figures are not published for this one. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Species logged across Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean include northern pike, Atlantic salmon, lake whitefish and fallfish. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. The shape of Lac de l'Helice decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -19°C in January up to 15°C in July. Little of the calendar is open water, so timing counts for everything. After mid May the shallows warm and the fish move up. Averages suggest open water from about mid May through to roughly early November. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Lac de l'Helice.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. Launch at Débarcadère, 940 m from the water. A carry of 980 m from the nearest parking is the price of fishing here. Pike mean a wire trace, no exceptions; big spoons and jerkbaits do the searching. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Lac Elan sits 0.8 km off and takes the overflow. Ask locally about Lac de l'Helice if anything is unclear.