Lac Simon Fishing near Val-d'Or, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac Simon sits within Abitibi-Témiscamingue in Quebec. Country round the bank runs to spruce and muskeg. At 5.52 sq km this is proper open water rather than a pond. It ranks high for size among our Abitibi-Témiscamingue listings. The town to know is Val-d'Or, 34 km out. After that come Senneterre at 38 km and Barraute at 47 km. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Lac Simon

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Fish documented in Abitibi-Témiscamingue include northern pike, yellow perch and walleye. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Take Lac Simon a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is -16°C to 17°C. Open water arrives late and leaves early, which concentrates the fishing. Ice-out usually falls in early May, and the weeks after it fish hardest. The water is typically free of ice between early May and mid November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Plan around that when you fish Lac Simon.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. There is a jetty 360 m off, worth knowing on a busy day. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Failing this one, try Lac Endormi, 5 km away. Check the position on Lac Simon before loading the car.