Fishing at Lac Tordoir, Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac Tordoir is one of the Abitibi-Témiscamingue listings for Quebec. The setting is pine and birch on every side. With some 24 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. A shoreline of some 3.7 km keeps the choices simple. Val-d'Or is the closest town at 114 km. For a city, Gatineau is 219 km off. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lac Tordoir

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Records held for Abitibi-Témiscamingue cover northern pike, yellow perch, walleye and white sucker. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Lac Tordoir fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 17°C at the top of summer and -16°C at the bottom of winter. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near early May. Climate figures give an open season running early May to late November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. At Lac Tordoir the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. Pike mean a wire trace, no exceptions; big spoons and jerkbaits do the searching. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. If the gate is shut, Lac des Dipteres at 1.2 km is the nearest alternative. Check the position at Lac Tordoir before loading the car.