Lac Nichcotea in Abitibi-Témiscamingue: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Lac Nichcotea belongs to Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec. Height above sea level is 354 metres. The nearest place of any size is Saint-Boniface, 109 km away. Maniwaki follows at 118 km, then Val-d'Or at 120 km. Alternatives close at hand: Lac Royen about 2.5 km, Lac Selange roughly 2.6 km, Lac Fiel about 2.6 km, Lac Epinois roughly 2.6 km and Lac Foliole about 2.7 km. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lac Nichcotea

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. County-wide records name northern pike, yellow perch and walleye. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. The near bank of Lac Nichcotea is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is -16°C to 17°C. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Once it clears, about early May, the fishing comes on quickly. From about early May to around late November, expect open water on the long-run figures. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. On Lac Nichcotea the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Mapping shows a campsite some 850 m from the water. Pike mean a wire trace, no exceptions; big spoons and jerkbaits do the searching. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Failing this one, try Lac Royen, 2.5 km away. None of that is settled for Lac Nichcotea in what we hold.