Lac Forrest, Quebec: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Lac Forrest lies within the bounds of Côte-Nord, Quebec. The sea is 36 km distant. Surface area runs to roughly 2.23 sq km, so plan for one area rather than the whole. There is roughly 11 km of bank, more than one visit can cover properly. Size puts it in the front rank of our Côte-Nord list. Some 38 km away sits Forestville, the nearest settlement. Further out sit Betsiamites (51 km) and Chute-aux-Outardes (69 km). Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Lac Forrest

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. County-wide records name logperch. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. At Lac Forrest the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 16°C at the top of summer and -17°C at the bottom of winter. A short, intense season is the rule this far north. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around early May. Expect the water usable from around early May until roughly mid November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Anyone fishing Lac Forrest regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. For the perch, a small jig tipped with worm, dropped along the edges, is hard to beat. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Petit lac Forrest sits 2.3 km off and takes the overflow. The position on Lac Forrest is worth confirming on the day.