Fishing at Lac Henri, Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec

• Overview

  Set in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec, this is Lac Henri. It stands 540 metres above sea level. At about 14 hectares, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. Bank access stretches around 2.6 km in total. By elevation it is in the upper part of our Quebec listings. 44 km away sits Saint-Félicien, the nearest town. Normandin is 47 km and Saint-Prime 52 km. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Lac Henri

  Our records hold no depth for this water. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Records held for Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean cover northern pike, Atlantic salmon, lake whitefish and fallfish. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. The near bank of Lac Henri is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 16°C; the cold one sits at -18°C. Everything is compressed into the middle of the year. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough early May. The lid tends to go about early May and return around mid November. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Lac Henri.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Lac du Wagon sits 0.9 km off and takes the overflow. Check the position at Lac Henri before loading the car.