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

• Overview

  The Nord-du-Québec entry here is Lac Vial, in Quebec. The ground round it is boreal forest. It measures about 88 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. Shoreline length is close to 6.5 km, and each section fishes a little differently. Labrador City at 333 km is the nearest place to stop. Beyond it, Fermont at 336 km and Wabush at 339 km. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Lac Vial

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Public occurrence data for Nord-du-Québec names Arctic charr, brook trout, lake trout, lake whitefish and cisco. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. On Lac Vial a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 13°C, with January the cold end at about -25°C. Open water arrives late and leaves early, which concentrates the fishing. Count the season from break-up, usually late May. From about late May to around late October, expect open water on the long-run figures. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. That is the shape of the year on Lac Vial.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. If the gate is shut, Lac Fugier at 1.9 km is the nearest alternative. Treat access at Lac Vial as something to verify.