Lac McCaghey Fishing in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec

• Overview

  Set in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec, this is Lac McCaghey. The water sits 672 metres up. Around 17 hectares of surface means several distinct areas to work. The full circuit measures close to 2.8 km on foot. Compared with other Quebec water on our list, it sits high. Saint-Honoré lies 51 km from the water. For a city, Saguenay is 63 km off. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Lac McCaghey

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Fish documented in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean include northern pike, Atlantic salmon and lake whitefish. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. On Lac McCaghey a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 15°C and January at -19°C. The ice season is long here and the open one short. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around mid May. Ice usually gives way near mid May, and forms again about early November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. At Lac McCaghey the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Pike mean a wire trace, no exceptions; big spoons and jerkbaits do the searching. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Failing this one, try Petit lac Filion, 0.8 km away. Where Lac McCaghey is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.