Lac Planiol Fishing Guide, Nord-du-Québec, Quebec

• Overview

  The Nord-du-Québec end of Quebec holds Lac Planiol. The bank is 188 metres above sea level. At roughly 11.49 sq km it ranks among the larger waters in the region. The perimeter is close to 41 km, and wind can be flat in one arm and rough in the next. On our Nord-du-Québec list it sits near the top for size. Supplies mean a trip to Chisasibi, 164 km off. Further out sit Sanikiluaq (300 km) and Waskaganish (347 km). No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Lac Planiol

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Species logged across Nord-du-Québec include Arctic charr, brook trout and lake trout. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Lac Planiol gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about -22°C and July at about 14°C, the water has a wide range to work through. Cold dominates the calendar on water this far north. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from mid May. On the long-run averages the water opens up around mid May and starts locking again about early November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Lac Planiol runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. The nearest alternative is Lac Samus, 7.7 km out. For Lac Planiol, the notice at the access point is the final word.