Fishing at Lac Guillot, Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac Guillot belongs to Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec. The surroundings are lake country bush. This is a pocket water of some 5 hectares, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. The closest town, Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, is 65 km distant. Cap-Chat is 79 km and Gaspé 86 km. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Lac Guillot

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. County-wide records name American eel, striped bass, alewife, rainbow smelt and brook trout. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. On Lac Guillot a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 16°C and January near -13°C. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough early May. The water is typically free of ice between early May and mid November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Lac Guillot.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. The nearest alternative is Lac Haroue, 3.2 km out. Where Lac Guillot is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.