Lac Michel Fishing near Saint-Fulgence, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac Michel is a Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean water, Quebec side. The water sits 583 metres up. It covers about 9 hectares, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. By elevation it is in the upper part of our Quebec listings. Some 68 km away sits Saint-Fulgence, the nearest settlement. Saint-Honoré is 71 km away, with La Baie at 78 km. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Lac Michel

  Our records hold no depth for this water. 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. County-wide records name 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. Lac Michel gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 16°C and January near -19°C. The season is measured in weeks rather than months. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around mid May. The water is typically free of ice between mid May and mid November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. It sets the rhythm of the year at Lac Michel.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Failing this one, try Lac Paul, 0.5 km away. For Lac Michel in particular, ask before you travel.