Lac Gordon in Abitibi-Témiscamingue: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Lac Gordon falls in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, part of Quebec. It lies 338 metres above sea level. At some 1.98 sq km it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. With 15 km or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. On our Abitibi-Témiscamingue list it sits near the top for size. Start from Notre-Dame-du-Lac, 34 km down the road. Beyond it, Témiscaming at 39 km and Mattawa at 69 km. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Lac Gordon

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Public occurrence data for Abitibi-Témiscamingue names northern pike, yellow perch, walleye, white sucker and brown bullhead. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. At Lac Gordon the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 18°C in July and bottom out at -15°C in January. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Once it clears, about late April, the fishing comes on quickly. Climate averages put the opening at about late April and the closing near late November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. At Lac Gordon the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. No slipway, car park or made path shows up nearby in mapping, so treat access as rough. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Failing this one, try Lac des Erables, 1 km away. For Lac Gordon, the notice at the access point is the final word.