Lac Merlin Fishing near Normandin, Quebec

• Overview

  You will find Lac Merlin in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec. The bank is 516 metres above sea level. It measures about 36 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. Shoreline comes to about 4.8 km, small enough to learn in a day. On our Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean list it sits near the top for size. Start from Normandin, 53 km down the road. After that come Saint-Félicien at 59 km and Albanel at 60 km. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Lac Merlin

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Fish documented in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean include 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. Read Lac Merlin before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about -18°C and July at about 16°C, the water has a wide range to work through. Winter owns most of the year at this latitude. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early May. On the long-run averages the water opens up around early May and starts locking again about mid November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. The season on Lac Merlin follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Pike mean a wire trace, no exceptions; big spoons and jerkbaits do the searching. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Failing this one, try Lac Buzet, 0.6 km away. Confirm access to Lac Merlin locally before you travel.