Lac du Rat Fishing near Saint-Fulgence, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac du Rat lies within the bounds of Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec. It sits at 735 metres above sea level. Small even by pond standards, it rewards one careful line. It is a small entry by Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean standards. Saint-Fulgence at 35 km is the nearest place to stop. Saint-Honoré is 42 km away, with La Baie at 43 km. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Lac du Rat

  Depth figures are not published for this one. 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. Open biodiversity records for Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean list northern pike, Atlantic salmon, lake whitefish and fallfish. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Anyone new to Lac du Rat should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 15°C and January near -18°C. The window is narrow, and fish feed hard while it lasts. Winter locks it down, and mid May brings it back. Open water usually runs from mid May until about early November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Lac du Rat fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Parking sits 1.2 km out, which makes for a walk with tackle. Public toilets are recorded roughly 1.3 km off. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Should this one be busy, Lac de la Souris is 0.6 km off. Where Lac du Rat is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.