Lac Mistikukan, Quebec: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Look for Lac Mistikukan in the Nord-du-Québec part of Quebec. Around the bank it is boreal forest. At 1.22 sq km this is proper open water rather than a pond. With 5.8 km or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. Supplies mean a trip to Waswanipi, 172 km off. The nearest city of size is Saguenay, 490 km away. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lac Mistikukan

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Public occurrence data for Nord-du-Québec names Arctic charr, brook trout, lake trout, lake whitefish and cisco. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. On Lac Mistikukan a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 16°C and January near -20°C. A short, intense season is the rule this far north. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near mid May. Ice clears near mid May and comes back about mid November in a typical year. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Lac Mistikukan.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Should this one be busy, Lac Kanamekuskasich is 18 km off. Confirm access to Lac Mistikukan locally before you travel.