Fishing Lac Gaulin in Nord-du-Québec, Quebec

• Overview

  In Quebec, Lac Gaulin falls inside Nord-du-Québec. Country round the bank runs to northern bush. Roughly 1.75 sq km of surface: treat each bay as a water in its own right. There is roughly 11 km of bank, more than one visit can cover properly. Chibougamau sits 82 km from the bank. The nearest city of size is Saguenay, 370 km away. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Lac Gaulin

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Across Nord-du-Québec, recorded fish include Arctic charr, brook trout, lake trout, lake whitefish and cisco. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. On Lac Gaulin the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 16°C in July and bottom out at -20°C in January. Winter runs most of the calendar, and everything worth doing happens in the gap. Break-up comes around early May, and the run that follows is short and strong. On the long-run averages the water opens up around early May and starts locking again about early November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. That shapes the year on Lac Gaulin.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Failing this one, try Lac Mair, 4.3 km away. Signs at Lac Gaulin carry more weight than any list.