Lac de Roches Fishing Guide, Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac de Roches lies within the bounds of Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec. Boreal forest runs right down to the water. At about 21 hectares, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. The edge runs 2.5 km or so, easy to work in an afternoon. 94 km away sits Senneterre, the nearest town. The big place round here is Gatineau, 263 km distant. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lac de Roches

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Species logged across Abitibi-Témiscamingue include northern pike, yellow perch and walleye. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. At Lac de Roches light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 17°C at the top of summer and -18°C at the bottom of winter. The window is narrow, and fish feed hard while it lasts. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near early May. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about early May until roughly mid November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. The season on Lac de Roches follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. Pike mean a wire trace, no exceptions; big spoons and jerkbaits do the searching. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. The nearest alternative is Lac Navarin, 1.2 km out. Confirm before you fish Lac de Roches.