Fishing Lac des Outardes in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec

• Overview

  Quebec holds Lac des Outardes, in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean. The water sits 608 metres up. This is a pocket water of some 4 hectares, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. By elevation it is in the upper part of our Quebec listings. For supplies, Pont Rouge is 188 km out. Sainte-Jeanne-d'Arc is 190 km away, with Labrecque at 191 km. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Lac des Outardes

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Fish documented in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean 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. The near bank of Lac des Outardes is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 15°C and January reads -20°C. Open water arrives late and leaves early, which concentrates the fishing. After mid May the shallows warm and the fish move up. The lid tends to go about mid May and return around early November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. On Lac des Outardes that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Lac Kevin, 1.4 km away, makes the obvious fallback. Signs at Lac des Outardes carry more weight than any list.