Lac Stokes Fishing Guide, Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac Stokes lies in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec. Elevation runs to 354 metres. With some 20 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Around 3.2 km of margin, front to back. Start from Senneterre, 89 km down the road. Val-d'Or is 92 km and Barraute 108 km. Others within reach: 1.6 km away is Lac Oliphant, Lac Allou some 1.8 km off, 2.3 km away is Lac Real, Lac Deme some 2.6 km off and 2.7 km away is Lac Pantoum. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Lac Stokes

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Across Abitibi-Témiscamingue, recorded fish include northern pike, yellow perch, walleye, white sucker and brown bullhead. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Read Lac Stokes for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 17°C in July and bottoms out near -17°C in January. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Ice is part of the season here, ending near early May. In an average year the thaw lands around early May and the freeze near mid November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. The season on Lac Stokes rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Lac Oliphant at 1.6 km is the sensible second choice. Check the position on Lac Stokes before loading the car.