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

• Overview

  The Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean end of Quebec holds Lac Michel. It lies 502 metres above sea level. At 3 hectares it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. It is a small entry by Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean standards. For supplies, Saint-Félicien is 44 km out. Saguenay is the closest city, 140 km away. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Lac Michel

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Records held for Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean cover northern pike, Atlantic salmon and lake whitefish. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Fish Lac Michel to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is -18°C to 16°C. The freeze holds for the better part of the year. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around early May. Averages place the thaw at early May and the freeze at mid November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. It holds true on Lac Michel more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Lac Bois Vert, 0.8 km away, makes the obvious fallback. Signs at Lac Michel carry more weight than any list.