Lac Le Neuf, Quebec: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Set in Nord-du-Québec, Lac Le Neuf is a Quebec water. Height above sea level is 426 metres. At some 1.24 sq km it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. You are looking at roughly 9.9 km of shoreline, with plenty of water between access points. Nearest place of any size is Mistissini, 26 km away. Beyond it, Chibougamau at 54 km and Chapais at 81 km. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lac Le Neuf

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Across Nord-du-Québec, recorded fish include Arctic charr, brook trout, lake trout, lake whitefish and cisco. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. The near bank of Lac Le Neuf is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between -20°C in January and 15°C in July. The freeze holds for the better part of the year. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid May. On average, mid May opens the water and early November closes it again. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Lac Le Neuf runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Should this one be busy, Lac Kaachinopitchikamach is 2.8 km off. Nothing here settles the position at Lac Le Neuf for certain.