Lac des Boutons-d'Or in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean in Quebec is where Lac des Boutons-d'Or sits. It lies 382 metres above sea level. With some 19 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. About 2.2 km of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. Chibougamau sits 90 km from the bank. The big place round here is Saguenay, 219 km distant. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lac des Boutons-d'Or

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Across Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, recorded fish 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. At Lac des Boutons-d'Or the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs -18°C to 16°C. The year here is short and sharp: a long lid, then a burst of open water. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around early May. On the long-run averages the water opens up around early May and starts locking again about mid November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. It sets the rhythm of the year at Lac des Boutons-d'Or.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. If the gate is shut, Lac du Meandre at 1.1 km is the nearest alternative. Check the current arrangement for Lac des Boutons-d'Or.