Lac Ferrade Fishing in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec

• Overview

  The Abitibi-Témiscamingue entry here is Lac Ferrade, in Quebec. The bank is 351 metres above sea level. It covers about 4 hectares, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. It is a small entry by Abitibi-Témiscamingue standards. The nearest town is Val-d'Or, 71 km away. The big place round here is Gatineau, 268 km distant. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lac Ferrade

  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. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Reported across Abitibi-Témiscamingue: northern pike, yellow perch, walleye, white sucker and brown bullhead. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Lac Ferrade gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 17°C and January reads -16°C. The season is measured in weeks rather than months. Break-up comes around early May, and the run that follows is short and strong. Break-up sits around early May on average, with the water closing again about mid November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Lac Ferrade runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. Mapping shows a campsite some 1 km from the water. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Failing this one, try Lac Boisrault, 1.8 km away. Confirm before you fish Lac Ferrade.