Lac Desty Fishing in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec

• Overview

  Within Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec, you have Lac Desty. What surrounds it is pine and birch. It measures some 3.39 sq km, and wind has room to build across it. On our Abitibi-Témiscamingue list it sits near the top for size. 112 km away sits Saint-Boniface, the nearest town. Gatineau is the closest city, 215 km away. Others worth noting: Lac Petiole (1.7 km), Lac Taxus at 1.8 km, Lac Sore (1.8 km), Lac de la Baie at 1.8 km and Lac Hesione (1.9 km). There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Lac Desty

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Across Abitibi-Témiscamingue, recorded fish include northern pike, yellow perch and walleye. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Lac Desty gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 17°C, the coldest about -16°C. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough early May. Open water usually runs from early May until about late November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. That is the shape of the year on Lac Desty.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. A campsite is mapped about 280 m away, which makes an early start easier. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. The nearest alternative is Lac Petiole, 1.7 km out. The position on Lac Desty is worth confirming on the day.