Lac Passavant in Nord-du-Québec: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Look for Lac Passavant in the Nord-du-Québec part of Quebec. Elevation runs to 373 metres. At some 1.49 sq km it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. Supplies mean a trip to Lebel-sur-Quévillon, 39 km off. Then Senneterre, 77 km, and Barraute, 97 km. Other water within reach: 2.2 km out stands Lac Francois, Lac Tee sits 3.6 km out, 3.9 km out stands Lac Rooster, Lac de l'Aile sits 4.2 km out and 4.8 km out stands Lac Andre. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Lac Passavant

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Species logged across Nord-du-Québec include Arctic charr, brook trout, lake trout, lake whitefish and cisco. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. On Lac Passavant that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 17°C; by January the average is down near -19°C. A short, intense season is the rule this far north. Look for the thaw near early May; the fishing lifts straight after. On average, early May opens the water and mid November closes it again. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Time your trip to Lac Passavant by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. If the gate is shut, Lac Francois at 2.2 km is the nearest alternative. Check the position on Lac Passavant before loading the car.