Fishing Lac Manchot in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec

• Overview

  Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec, is where Lac Manchot sits. Spruce and muskeg runs right down to the water. At 3 hectares it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Most waters listed here for Abitibi-Témiscamingue are larger. The closest town, Val-d'Or, is 69 km away. Senneterre follows at 74 km, then Barraute at 89 km. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Lac Manchot

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. 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. Open biodiversity records for Abitibi-Témiscamingue list northern pike, yellow perch, walleye and white sucker. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Take Lac Manchot a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 17°C, the coldest about -16°C. The fishing year opens late and shuts early. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough early May. Open water usually runs from early May until about mid November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. The season on Lac Manchot rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Lac Isard at 0.8 km is the sensible second choice. Nothing here settles the position at Lac Manchot for certain.