Fishing at Lac Retaud, Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac Retaud sits in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, out in Quebec. It lies 400 metres above sea level. Chibougamau is the closest place, 75 km off. The big place round here is Saguenay, 226 km distant. Within easy reach: Lac Aubertin (1.2 km), Lac Reans 1.8 km away, Lac Tavenet (2.4 km), Lac Tendon 2.6 km away and Lac Touin (2.7 km). No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Lac Retaud

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Across Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, recorded fish include northern pike, Atlantic salmon and lake whitefish. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Work Lac Retaud in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 16°C, the coldest about -19°C. Little of the calendar is open water, so timing counts for everything. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around early May. Ice clears near early May and comes back about mid November in a typical year. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Lac Retaud.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. Part of this sits inside or beside Réserve faunique Ashuapmushuan, so read the notices. Pike mean a wire trace, no exceptions; big spoons and jerkbaits do the searching. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. The nearest alternative is Lac Aubertin, 1.2 km out. Check the position at Lac Retaud before loading the car.