Fishing at Lac Mathieu, Côte-Nord, Quebec

• Overview

  Within Côte-Nord, Quebec, you have Lac Mathieu. Everything around it is boreal forest. It measures about 15 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. There is roughly 2.6 km of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. Compared with other Quebec water on our list, it sits high. 82 km away sits Port-Cartier, the nearest town. Saint-Alexandre lies 82 km off, Sept-Îles another 90 km. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lac Mathieu

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Species logged across Côte-Nord include logperch. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. On Lac Mathieu the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 14°C in July and bottom out at -19°C in January. The fishing year opens late and shuts early. Count the season from break-up, usually mid May. Averages suggest open water from about mid May through to roughly early November. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. The season on Lac Mathieu rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. For the perch, a small jig tipped with worm, dropped along the edges, is hard to beat. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. If the gate is shut, Lac Dauplaise at 0.6 km is the nearest alternative. Rules at Lac Mathieu are worth checking on the day.