Lac Paul-Emile Fishing in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac Paul-Emile lies in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, in Quebec. It stands 317 metres above sea level. L'Ascension-de-Notre-Seigneur lies 45 km from the water. It is 79 km to Saguenay, the nearest city. Others worth noting: Lac Louis some 0.5 km off, Lac Jacques lies 0.9 km on, Lac de la Main some 1.2 km off, Lac Germain lies 1.3 km on and Deuxieme lac Froid some 1.8 km off. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Lac Paul-Emile

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Reported across Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean: northern pike, Atlantic salmon, lake whitefish and fallfish. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. At Lac Paul-Emile light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 16°C, the coldest about -19°C. A short, intense season is the rule this far north. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from early May. The season between ice runs from about early May to mid November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Anyone fishing Lac Paul-Emile regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. Pike mean a wire trace, no exceptions; big spoons and jerkbaits do the searching. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Failing this one, try Lac Louis, 0.5 km away. Where Lac Paul-Emile is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.