Fishing Lac Lessard in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec

• Overview

  In Quebec, Lac Lessard belongs to Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean. The bank is 707 metres above sea level. At roughly 5 hectares, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. Compared with other Quebec water on our list, it sits high. You are 31 km from Saint-Fulgence. After that come La Baie at 38 km and Saint-Honoré at 41 km. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Lac Lessard

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean records list northern pike, Atlantic salmon and lake whitefish among the fish reported. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. At Lac Lessard the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 15°C at the top of summer and -18°C at the bottom of winter. The freeze holds for the better part of the year. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near mid May. Averages suggest open water from about mid May through to roughly early November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. The season on Lac Lessard rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. This sits inside Zec Martin-Valin, so read the reserve notices first. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Lac du Chicot at 0.5 km is the sensible second choice. For Lac Lessard, the notice at the access point is the final word.