Lac Pleau Fishing in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac Pleau sits in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, out in Quebec. The water sits 299 metres up. It runs to roughly 28 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. For a base, Saint-Isidore sits 43 km out. It is 190 km to Greater Sudbury, the nearest city. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Lac Pleau

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Species logged across Abitibi-Témiscamingue include northern pike, yellow perch, walleye, white sucker and brown bullhead. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Read Lac Pleau before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 18°C in July and bottom out at -16°C in January. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around late April. Averages place the thaw at late April and the freeze at late November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. That is the shape of the year on Lac Pleau.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Lac McGillvary sits 2 km off and takes the overflow. Confirm access to Lac Pleau locally before you travel.