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

• Overview

  Lac Small lies in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec. The water sits 498 metres up. Around 22 hectares of surface means several distinct areas to work. The edge runs 4.8 km or so, easy to work in an afternoon. Saint-Félicien is the closest town at 42 km. The nearest city of size is Saguenay, 138 km away. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Lac Small

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Survey and observation records for Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean include northern pike, Atlantic salmon and lake whitefish. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. At Lac Small light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 16°C in July and bottoms out near -18°C in January. The freeze holds for the better part of the year. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from early May. Averages suggest open water from about early May through to roughly mid November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Lac Small runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. The nearest alternative is Lac Arthur, 0.8 km out. Check the position on Lac Small before loading the car.