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

• Overview

  Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec, is where Lac Ria sits. The country round it is boreal forest from end to end. About 5 hectares of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Chibougamau at 77 km is the nearest place to stop. For a city, Saguenay is 215 km off. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lac Ria

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Public occurrence data for Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean names northern pike, Atlantic salmon, lake whitefish and fallfish. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Lac Ria gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 16°C, while January sits near -19°C. Winter owns most of the year at this latitude. Ice is part of the season here, ending near early May. In an average year the thaw lands around early May and the freeze near mid November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Time your trip to Lac Ria by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Lac Melamare sits 1.8 km off and takes the overflow. Where Lac Ria is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.