Lac McRay, Quebec: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Quebec holds Lac McRay, in Côte-Nord. The coast is 5.7 km away. With some 16 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The full circuit measures close to 1.9 km on foot. By elevation it sits in the lower part of our Quebec listings. You are 53 km from Havre-Saint-Pierre. Sydney sits 507 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Lac McRay

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Reported across Côte-Nord: logperch. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. On Lac McRay a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 16°C, the coldest about -12°C. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around early May. Break-up near early May, freeze-up near late November: that is the shape of an average year. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Lac McRay.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. 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. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Lac de la Pipe at 1.7 km is the sensible second choice. For Lac McRay in particular, ask before you travel.