Lac Sock Fishing near Notre-Dame-du-Lac, Quebec

• Overview

  Set in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec, this is Lac Sock. It lies 290 metres above sea level. It covers about 6 hectares, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. On size it sits at the modest end of our Abitibi-Témiscamingue list. Notre-Dame-du-Lac sits 22 km from the bank. After that come Témiscaming at 26 km and Mattawa at 54 km. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Lac Sock

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Records held for Abitibi-Témiscamingue cover northern pike, yellow perch and walleye. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Lac Sock gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 18°C on average, January about -14°C. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough late April. Averages suggest open water from about late April through to roughly late November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Lac Sock.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Lac Mitt sits 0.6 km off and takes the overflow. What applies at Lac Sock may have changed since it was mapped.