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

• Overview

  Set in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, Lac du Raton is a Quebec water. Elevation runs to 508 metres. At about 12 hectares, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. The bank runs about 2.0 km all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. It sits higher than most water we list in Quebec. The closest town, Saint-Félicien, is 61 km distant. The nearest city of size is Saguenay, 158 km away. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Lac du Raton

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Reported across Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean: 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. Work Lac du Raton in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 16°C for July and -18°C for January. The year here is short and sharp: a long lid, then a burst of open water. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early May. Averages suggest open water from about early May through to roughly mid November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. Plan around that when you fish Lac du Raton.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Failing this one, try Lac Atlas, 0.6 km away. Where Lac du Raton is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.