Lac du Calumet in Côte-Nord: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  The Côte-Nord entry here is Lac du Calumet, in Quebec. The surroundings are spruce and muskeg. At 7 hectares it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Côte-Nord. Start from Forestville, 56 km down the road. Further out sit Betsiamites (76 km) and Les Escoumins (82 km). It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Lac du Calumet

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Species logged across Côte-Nord include logperch. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. Fish Lac du Calumet where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 16°C at the top of summer and -18°C at the bottom of winter. Everything is compressed into the middle of the year. Once it clears, about early May, the fishing comes on quickly. Break-up sits around early May on average, with the water closing again about mid November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Time your trip to Lac du Calumet by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Perch take small lures and worms fished near the bottom close to structure. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. For a change of water, Lac Yolande is 2.1 km distant. For Lac du Calumet in particular, ask before you travel.