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

• Overview

  In Quebec, Lac Roy falls inside Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean. The water sits 237 metres up. The far bank is a conversation away, so keep low and quiet. On size it sits at the modest end of our Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean list. Dolbeau-Mistassini at 66 km is the nearest place to stop. The big place round here is Saguenay, 143 km distant. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Lac Roy

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Fish documented in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean include northern pike, Atlantic salmon, lake whitefish and fallfish. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. The shape of Lac Roy rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 17°C, while January sits near -20°C. The ice season is long here and the open one short. Ice is part of the season here, ending near early May. The lid tends to go about early May and return around mid November. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. The season on Lac Roy follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Lac Antoine at 0.8 km is the sensible second choice. Where Lac Roy is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.