Lac du Beaver Fishing Guide, Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec

• Overview

  Out in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec, sits Lac du Beaver. The land about it is northern bush. It sits higher than most water we list in Quebec. Some 170 km away sits Chute-aux-Outardes, the nearest settlement. The big place round here is Saguenay, 214 km distant. Not far off: Lac du Cessna at about 0.5 km, Lac Yajo sits 0.7 km out, Lac du Otter at about 0.9 km, Lac de la Roche sits 1.6 km out and Lac de la Cascade at about 1.6 km. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lac du Beaver

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Survey and observation records for 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. Lac du Beaver responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is -20°C to 15°C. This far north the hard season runs and runs. Break-up comes around mid May, and the run that follows is short and strong. On average, mid May opens the water and early November closes it again. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. It sets the rhythm of the year at Lac du Beaver.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Failing this one, try Lac du Cessna, 0.5 km away. For Lac du Beaver, the notice at the access point is the final word.