Lac en Retrait, Quebec: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Set in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec, this is Lac en Retrait. The surface lies 390 metres up. The water covers some 12 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Around 2.1 km of margin, front to back. Some 92 km away sits Chibougamau, the nearest settlement. The big place round here is Saguenay, 230 km distant. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lac en Retrait

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Records held for Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean cover northern pike, Atlantic salmon, lake whitefish and fallfish. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. At Lac en Retrait the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 16°C and January near -19°C. The year here is short and sharp: a long lid, then a burst of open water. Count the season from break-up, usually early May. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about early May until roughly mid November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Lac en Retrait.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Lac Lans at 1 km is the sensible second choice. Signs at Lac en Retrait carry more weight than any list.