Lac la Fleche in Côte-Nord: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Lac la Fleche lies within the bounds of Côte-Nord, Quebec. The water sits 578 metres up. With some 19 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. A shoreline of some 2.2 km keeps the choices simple. Compared with other Quebec water on our list, it sits high. The closest town, Forestville, is 100 km away. Saguenay sits 111 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Lac la Fleche

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. County-wide records name logperch. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Take Lac la Fleche a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 16°C and January at -19°C. The freeze holds for the better part of the year. Winter locks it down, and mid May brings it back. On the long-run averages the water opens up around mid May and starts locking again about early November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. The season on Lac la Fleche follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. For the perch, a small jig tipped with worm, dropped along the edges, is hard to beat. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Failing this one, try Lac Fardinat, 1.1 km away. Check the position at Lac la Fleche before loading the car.