Lac des Huit Chutes in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Lac des Huit Chutes is one of the Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean waters in Quebec. It sits in taiga. This is sizeable water at about 2.37 sq km, and a boat opens up most of it. Shoreline length is close to 21 km, and each section fishes a little differently. It ranks high for size among our Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean listings. The closest town, Saint-Honoré, is 38 km distant. Saint-Fulgence lies 44 km off, Saint-Ambroise another 46 km. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Lac des Huit Chutes

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Survey and observation records for Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean include northern pike, Atlantic salmon, lake whitefish and fallfish. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Lac des Huit Chutes gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is -19°C to 15°C. Long winters and short summers set the pattern. After mid May the shallows warm and the fish move up. On average, mid May opens the water and early November closes it again. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Time your trip to Lac des Huit Chutes by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. If the gate is shut, Lac Ricken at 0.8 km is the nearest alternative. For Lac des Huit Chutes in particular, ask before you travel.