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

• Overview

  Lac Tournay falls in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, part of Quebec. The ground around here is spruce and muskeg. At roughly 8 hectares, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. The closest town, Métabetchouan, is 43 km away. Chambord is 47 km away, with Roberval at 51 km. What else is close: Lac Fourchu 1.2 km away, Lac Luc after 1.5 km, Lac Savane 1.7 km away, Lac a l'Eclat after 1.9 km and Lac Louisette 2.4 km away. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Lac Tournay

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Records held for Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean cover northern pike, Atlantic salmon, lake whitefish and fallfish. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. At Lac Tournay the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between -17°C in January and 17°C in July. The ice season is long here and the open one short. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near early May. Average temperatures cross freezing around early May in spring and again near mid November in autumn. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. It sets the rhythm of the year at Lac Tournay.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Lac Fourchu at 1.2 km is the sensible second choice. What applies at Lac Tournay may have changed since it was mapped.