Fishing Lac Old Man in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec

• Overview

  The Abitibi-Témiscamingue entry here is Lac Old Man, in Quebec. It sits in spruce and muskeg. It runs to roughly 34 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. The shoreline runs about 6.1 km, so it pays to pick a stretch and stay with it. Senneterre is the closest place, 103 km off. Barraute lies 131 km off, Val-d'Or another 131 km. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Lac Old Man

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Records held for Abitibi-Témiscamingue cover northern pike, yellow perch and walleye. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. On Lac Old Man the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 16°C at the top of summer and -18°C at the bottom of winter. The season is measured in weeks rather than months. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around early May. Break-up sits around early May on average, with the water closing again about mid November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. It sets the rhythm of the year at Lac Old Man.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Lac Prinsep sits 1.9 km off and takes the overflow. Check the position at Lac Old Man before loading the car.