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

• Overview

  Lac de l'Imaginaire falls in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, part of Quebec. The surroundings are taiga. It measures about 28 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. The edge covers about 5.5 km, enough to hold several distinct areas. Compared with other Quebec water on our list, it sits high. For a base, Mistissini sits 135 km out. The big place round here is Saguenay, 233 km distant. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Lac de l'Imaginaire

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. County-wide records name northern pike, Atlantic salmon, lake whitefish and fallfish. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Treat Lac de l'Imaginaire as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is -21°C to 14°C. Winter owns most of the year at this latitude. Ice-out usually falls in mid May, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Climate figures give an open season running mid May to early November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Time your trip to Lac de l'Imaginaire by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Lac Husky, 2.4 km away, makes the obvious fallback. Nothing on Lac de l'Imaginaire should be assumed from this page alone.