Fishing at Lac Louis, Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec

• Overview

  Out in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec, sits Lac Louis. It stands 447 metres above sea level. Surface area runs to about 9 hectares — small enough to read in one session. The nearest place of any size is Senneterre, 54 km away. Then Barraute, 84 km, and Lebel-sur-Quévillon, 86 km. Nearby alternatives: Lac Laporte about 1 km, Lac David within 2.1 km, Lac Desjardins about 3.2 km, Lac Helene within 4.7 km and Lac Paul about 4.8 km. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Lac Louis

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Species logged across Abitibi-Témiscamingue include northern pike, yellow perch, walleye and white sucker. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Lac Louis repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 16°C at the top of summer and -18°C at the bottom of winter. Cold dominates the calendar on water this far north. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near early May. Break-up near early May, freeze-up near mid November: that is the shape of an average year. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Anyone fishing Lac Louis regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. Pike mean a wire trace, no exceptions; big spoons and jerkbaits do the searching. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. If the gate is shut, Lac Laporte at 1 km is the nearest alternative. For Lac Louis, the notice at the access point is the final word.