Lac Epinal Fishing in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec

• Overview

  Out in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec, sits Lac Epinal. The land about it is taiga. For a base, Chibougamau sits 75 km out. It is 220 km to Saguenay, the nearest city. Other water nearby: Lac Bouan at 0.9 km, Lac Ronai at about 2 km, Lac Elincourt at 2.1 km, Lac Bourgerie at about 2.2 km and Lac Bisel at 2.6 km. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Lac Epinal

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Open biodiversity records for Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean list 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. Take Lac Epinal a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 16°C in July and bottoms out near -19°C in January. Everything is compressed into the middle of the year. After early May the shallows warm and the fish move up. The open-water window runs from around early May to about mid November in an average year. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. On Lac Epinal the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. If the gate is shut, Lac Bouan at 0.9 km is the nearest alternative. Confirm access to Lac Epinal locally before you travel.