Fishing at Lac du Detour, Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac du Detour belongs to Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec. It sits 34 km in from the sea. At about 13 hectares, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. Shoreline comes to about 1.6 km, small enough to learn in a day. Compared with other Quebec water on our list, it sits high. The nearest place of any size is Saint-Honoré, 34 km away. The big place round here is Saguenay, 43 km distant. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Lac du Detour

  Our records hold no depth for this water. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Fish documented in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean include northern pike, Atlantic salmon, lake whitefish and fallfish. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Take Lac du Detour a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between -19°C in January and 15°C in July. Long winters and short summers set the pattern. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid May. On average, mid May opens the water and early November closes it again. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Lac du Detour.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. If the gate is shut, Lac Dugal at 1.2 km is the nearest alternative. Treat Lac du Detour as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.