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

• Overview

  Look for Lac Perkins in the Nord-du-Québec part of Quebec. Height above sea level is 323 metres. With some 93 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Shoreline comes to about 4.5 km, small enough to learn in a day. Chapais lies 104 km from the water. The nearest city of size is Saguenay, 395 km away. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Lac Perkins

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Species logged across Nord-du-Québec include Arctic charr, brook trout, lake trout, lake whitefish and cisco. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Anyone new to Lac Perkins should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 16°C; by January the average is down near -20°C. A short, intense season is the rule this far north. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around early May. Climate averages put the opening at about early May and the closing near mid November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. It sets the rhythm of the year at Lac Perkins.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Lac Mineray at 1.6 km is the sensible second choice. None of that is settled for Lac Perkins in what we hold.