Fishing Lac Vallee in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec

• Overview

  Set in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Lac Vallee is a Quebec water. The surface lies 340 metres up. Roughly 23 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. About 2.6 km of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. You are 98 km from Val-d'Or. After that come Malartic at 109 km and Notre-Dame-du-Lac at 126 km. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Lac Vallee

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Abitibi-Témiscamingue records list northern pike, yellow perch, walleye, white sucker and brown bullhead among the fish reported. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. The near bank of Lac Vallee is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about -16°C in January to roughly 17°C in July. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near late April. The season between ice runs from about late April to late November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Time your trip to Lac Vallee by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Failing this one, try Lac Arget, 0.8 km away. For Lac Vallee in particular, ask before you travel.