Lac Dufresne Fishing near Mistissini, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac Dufresne lies within the bounds of Nord-du-Québec, Quebec. The surroundings are spruce and muskeg. The water covers around 2.26 sq km, which puts most of it out of reach from the bank. At about 16 km of edge, most people work one arm at a time. Mistissini sits 25 km from the bank. Chibougamau is 44 km and Chapais 81 km. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Lac Dufresne

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Species logged across Nord-du-Québec include Arctic charr, brook trout, lake trout and lake whitefish. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Take Lac Dufresne a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 15°C; the cold one sits at -20°C. Cold dominates the year and the fishing works around it. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around early May. Climate figures give an open season running early May to mid November. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. Time your trip to Lac Dufresne by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. The nearest alternative is Lac Waconichi, 7.6 km out. None of that is settled for Lac Dufresne in what we hold.