Fishing Lac Nelligan in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec

• Overview

  Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec, is where Lac Nelligan sits. Land around it is pine and birch. The water covers around 1.68 sq km, which puts most of it out of reach from the bank. Few waters listed in Abitibi-Témiscamingue are bigger. Some 116 km away sits Val-d'Or, the nearest settlement. Further out sit Deep River (116 km) and Saint-Boniface (118 km). The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Lac Nelligan

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Species logged across Abitibi-Témiscamingue include northern pike, yellow perch and walleye. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. The shape of Lac Nelligan rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -16°C in January up to 17°C in July. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Once it clears, about early May, the fishing comes on quickly. 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. That is the shape of the year on Lac Nelligan.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. 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. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Lac Impair sits 2.4 km off and takes the overflow. None of that is settled for Lac Nelligan in what we hold.