Lac Mazarin in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Set in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, Lac Mazarin is a Quebec water. It lies 324 metres above sea level. Roughly 41 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. The outline measures near 5.8 km, so local knowledge counts. Size puts it in the front rank of our Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean list. Chibougamau sits 80 km from here and is the nearest stop. Further out sit Normandin (100 km) and Albanel (100 km). It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Lac Mazarin

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Records held for Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean cover northern pike, Atlantic salmon, lake whitefish and fallfish. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. At Lac Mazarin the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -19°C in January up to 16°C in July. A short, intense season is the rule this far north. Winter locks it down, and early May brings it back. On the long-run averages the water opens up around early May and starts locking again about mid November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Lac Mazarin.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Lac Nivars, 0.6 km away, makes the obvious fallback. The position on Lac Mazarin is worth confirming on the day.