Lac Verreault Fishing Guide, Nord-du-Québec, Quebec

• Overview

  In Quebec, Lac Verreault falls inside Nord-du-Québec. It stands 387 metres above sea level. The water covers some 41 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. For a base, Chibougamau sits 66 km out. Then Chapais, 73 km, and Mistissini, 119 km. Close by you have: Lac des Sapinettes lies 2.1 km on, Lac Harquail within 2.5 km, Lac Jacques-Drouin lies 2.5 km on, Lac Ducharme within 2.8 km and Lac Guitare lies 3 km on. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Lac Verreault

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Open biodiversity records for Nord-du-Québec list Arctic charr, brook trout, lake trout, lake whitefish and cisco. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. The shape of Lac Verreault rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about -19°C and July at about 16°C, the water has a wide range to work through. Cold dominates the calendar on water this far north. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early May. Break-up sits around early May on average, with the water closing again about mid November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. It holds true on Lac Verreault more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. For a change of water, Lac des Sapinettes is 2.1 km distant. For Lac Verreault, the notice at the access point is the final word.