Fishing Lac Dufresnoy in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac Dufresnoy is one of the Abitibi-Témiscamingue listings for Quebec. It sits in taiga. This is big water, about 12.03 sq km, and in a wind it behaves like a small sea. Size puts it in the front rank of our Abitibi-Témiscamingue list. The closest town, Rouyn-Noranda, is 21 km distant. Further out sit Macamic (36 km) and La Sarre (44 km). No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Lac Dufresnoy

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Across Abitibi-Témiscamingue, recorded fish include northern pike, yellow perch and walleye. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Lac Dufresnoy responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 17°C at the top of summer and -17°C at the bottom of winter. Winter owns most of the year at this latitude. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around early May. From about early May to around mid November, expect open water on the long-run figures. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. It sets the rhythm of the year at Lac Dufresnoy.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Failing this one, try Petit lac Dufresnoy, 2.6 km away. Check the current arrangement for Lac Dufresnoy.