Lac Ross Fishing near Chibougamau, Quebec

• Overview

  Look for Lac Ross in Nord-du-Québec, Quebec. It sits at 404 metres above sea level. The water covers some 16 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The whole outline is near 2.7 km, and most of it is walkable. Our Nord-du-Québec list holds plenty of bigger water. Chibougamau sits 12 km from here and is the nearest stop. After that come Chapais at 49 km and Mistissini at 54 km. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Lac Ross

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Across Nord-du-Québec, recorded fish include Arctic charr, brook trout and lake trout. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Lac Ross gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 16°C for July and -20°C for January. This far north the hard season runs and runs. Count the season from break-up, usually early May. The water is typically free of ice between early May and mid November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. The season on Lac Ross rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Lac a l'Eau Verte Sud, 1.2 km away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the position at Lac Ross before loading the car.