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

• Overview

  Lac Pion is an Abitibi-Témiscamingue water, Quebec side. Height above sea level is 329 metres. With some 81 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The edge covers about 8.7 km, enough to hold several distinct areas. Few waters listed in Abitibi-Témiscamingue are bigger. Notre-Dame-du-Lac is the closest place, 77 km off. Témiscaming is 81 km away, with Mattawa at 84 km. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Lac Pion

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Across Abitibi-Témiscamingue, recorded fish include northern pike, yellow perch, walleye, white sucker and brown bullhead. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. The near bank of Lac Pion is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 18°C and January at -15°C. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Break-up comes around late April, and the run that follows is short and strong. The open-water window runs from around late April to about late November in an average year. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Lac Pion.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. For a change of water, Lac Black is 2.8 km distant. Check the position at Lac Pion before loading the car.