Lac du Papillon Fishing in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac du Papillon is one of the Abitibi-Témiscamingue listings for Quebec. The bank gives way to mixed forest. Roughly 41 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. The perimeter runs near 5.6 km, so plan the walk before you start. Nearest town is Mattawa, 35 km off. The big place round here is Greater Sudbury, 192 km distant. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Lac du Papillon

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. County-wide records name northern pike, yellow perch, walleye and white sucker. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Lac du Papillon responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 18°C in July and bottom out at -14°C in January. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near late April. Open water usually runs from late April until about late November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Anyone fishing Lac du Papillon regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. The nearest alternative is Lac Ti-Ri, 2.1 km out. Rules at Lac du Papillon are worth checking on the day.