Lac Index in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Lac Index is set in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec. It sits at 439 metres above sea level. At 5 hectares it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Supplies mean a trip to Métabetchouan, 53 km off. Further out sit Chambord (55 km) and Roberval (55 km). Neighbouring water: Lac Rond the better part of 1.2 km, Lac Couteau just 1.3 km, Lac Guy the better part of 1.3 km, Lac Poisson just 1.5 km and Lac Caribou the better part of 1.5 km. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Lac Index

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Across Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, recorded fish include 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 Index is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 17°C, the coldest about -17°C. The window is narrow, and fish feed hard while it lasts. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly early May. Open water usually runs from early May until about mid November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Time your trip to Lac Index by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Pike mean a wire trace, no exceptions; big spoons and jerkbaits do the searching. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. For a change of water, Lac Rond is 1.2 km distant. For Lac Index, the notice at the access point is the final word.