Fishing at Lac des Menthes, Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac des Menthes stands in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec. Height above sea level is 330 metres. The water measures roughly 7 hectares, so nothing here is far from anything else. 82 km away sits Val-d'Or, the nearest town. It is 253 km to Gatineau, the nearest city. Nearest other option: Lac Seguia some 0.9 km off, Lac Album (1.4 km), Lac Petegem some 1.4 km off, Lac du Genie (2 km) and Lac Epeshui some 2.6 km off. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Lac des Menthes

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Survey and observation records for Abitibi-Témiscamingue include northern pike, yellow perch, walleye and white sucker. The county list is broader than any single water. Lac des Menthes responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -15°C in January up to 17°C in July. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early May. The open-water window runs from around early May to about late November in an average year. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. It holds true on Lac des Menthes more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. Pike mean a wire trace, no exceptions; big spoons and jerkbaits do the searching. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Failing this one, try Lac Seguia, 0.9 km away. Nothing here settles the position at Lac des Menthes for certain.