Lac Keith in Nord-du-Québec: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  The Nord-du-Québec end of Quebec holds Lac Keith. The surface lies 364 metres up. About 3.46 sq km, so local knowledge or a boat saves a lot of walking. Chapais sits 20 km from the bank. Beyond it, Chibougamau at 34 km and Mistissini at 100 km. Within a short drive: Lac a l'Eau Jaune a shade over 5.1 km, Lac Erwin roughly 5.3 km, Lac Muscocho a shade over 5.3 km, Lac Andy roughly 6.5 km and Lac Agglomerat a shade over 7.9 km. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Lac Keith

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. County-wide records name Arctic charr, brook trout, lake trout and lake whitefish. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. Take Lac Keith a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 16°C and January reads -19°C. The year here is short and sharp: a long lid, then a burst of open water. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from early May. Average temperatures cross freezing around early May in spring and again near mid November in autumn. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. Lac Keith runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Lac a l'Eau Jaune sits 5.1 km off and takes the overflow. Signs at Lac Keith carry more weight than any list.