Lac Manitou, Quebec: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Lac Manitou falls in Côte-Nord, part of Quebec. The bank is 148 metres above sea level. Surface area runs to some 41.38 sq km, so a boat and a plan are both worth having. You have roughly 81 km of edge to choose from, which rewards a scouting trip. It ranks high for size among our Côte-Nord listings. Nearest place of any size is Maliotenam, 97 km away. After that come Sept-Îles at 108 km and Havre-Saint-Pierre at 138 km. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Lac Manitou

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Open biodiversity records for Côte-Nord list logperch. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Lac Manitou a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 14°C and January about -17°C. This is a two-season water: locked, then wide open. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid May. On the long-run averages the water opens up around mid May and starts locking again about early November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Lac Manitou.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. For the perch, a small jig tipped with worm, dropped along the edges, is hard to beat. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. If the gate is shut, Lac Lloyd at 10 km is the nearest alternative. Ask locally about Lac Manitou if anything is unclear.