Lac Ergot, Quebec: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Set in Nord-du-Québec, Quebec, this is Lac Ergot. The bank is 404 metres above sea level. At about 11 hectares, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. The full circuit measures close to 1.9 km on foot. On size it sits at the modest end of our Nord-du-Québec list. Chibougamau at 38 km is the nearest place to stop. Beyond it, Chapais at 58 km and Mistissini at 89 km. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Lac Ergot

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Across Nord-du-Québec, recorded fish include Arctic charr, brook trout, lake trout, lake whitefish and cisco. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Fish Lac Ergot where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 16°C and January near -19°C. The ice season is long here and the open one short. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early May. Averages place the thaw at early May and the freeze at mid November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Lac Ergot.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Lac Intermediaire at 2 km is the sensible second choice. Ask locally about Lac Ergot if anything is unclear.