Lac Deschesnes Fishing Guide, Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec

• Overview

  The Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean end of Quebec holds Lac Deschesnes. It lies 698 metres above sea level. It covers about 2 hectares, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean. The nearest place of any size is Saint-Fulgence, 32 km away. After that come Saint-Honoré at 35 km and Chicoutimi at 42 km. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Lac Deschesnes

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Species logged across Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean include northern pike, Atlantic salmon and lake whitefish. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. The shape of Lac Deschesnes rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about -19°C and July at about 15°C, the water has a wide range to work through. Everything is compressed into the middle of the year. Winter locks it down, and mid May brings it back. Ice usually gives way near mid May, and forms again about early November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. At Lac Deschesnes the season follows that pattern closely.

• 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. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Failing this one, try Lac Halle, 0.7 km away. Check the position at Lac Deschesnes before loading the car.