Fishing at Lac Gilbert, Nord-du-Québec, Quebec

• Overview

  The Nord-du-Québec end of Quebec holds Lac Gilbert. This is northern bush country. Surface area is around 72 hectares, which gives you real water without needing a boat. Around 5.3 km of bank, which is a long day on foot. 18 km away sits Lebel-sur-Quévillon, the nearest town. Further out sit Senneterre (58 km) and Barraute (69 km). The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Lac Gilbert

  Our records hold no depth for this water. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Open biodiversity records for Nord-du-Québec list Arctic charr, brook trout, lake trout and lake whitefish. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. At Lac Gilbert the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about -18°C in January to roughly 16°C in July. A short, intense season is the rule this far north. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around early May. Expect the water usable from around early May until roughly mid November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. On Lac Gilbert that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. For a change of water, Lac Paul is 5.5 km distant. For Lac Gilbert, the notice at the access point is the final word.