Lac Serpe Fishing near Saint-Fulgence, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac Serpe lies in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, in Quebec. The surroundings are northern bush. Surface area runs to about 7 hectares — small enough to read in one session. Compared with other Quebec water on our list, it sits high. The closest town, Saint-Fulgence, is 31 km distant. It is 41 km to Saguenay, the nearest city. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Lac Serpe

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean records list northern pike, Atlantic salmon and lake whitefish among the fish reported. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Fish Lac Serpe where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 15°C at the top of summer and -19°C at the bottom of winter. Everything is compressed into the middle of the year. The lid usually goes in mid May, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. The water is typically free of ice between mid May and early November. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Lac Serpe.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. Pike mean a wire trace, no exceptions; big spoons and jerkbaits do the searching. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Lac Imbeau sits 0.2 km off and takes the overflow. Check the position at Lac Serpe before loading the car.