Lac Polaris in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  In Quebec, Lac Polaris falls inside Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean. This is boreal forest country. It covers about 7 hectares, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Start from Saint-Félicien, 62 km down the road. It is 158 km to Saguenay, the nearest city. Others within reach: Lac de la Limite at 0.7 km, Lac du Raton 0.9 km away, Lac Atlas at 1.3 km, Lac Rioux 1.3 km away and Lac du Bourgeon at 1.8 km. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Lac Polaris

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Fish documented in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean include northern pike, Atlantic salmon, lake whitefish and fallfish. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. At Lac Polaris the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 16°C; by January the average is down near -18°C. Little of the calendar is open water, so timing counts for everything. Look for the thaw near early May; the fishing lifts straight after. Averages place the thaw at early May and the freeze at mid November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Plan any trip to Lac Polaris around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Lac de la Limite at 0.7 km is the sensible second choice. Where Lac Polaris is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.