Fishing at L'Etang, Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec

• Overview

  Quebec holds L'Etang, in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean. It sits at 525 metres above sea level. By elevation it is in the upper part of our Quebec listings. Start from Saint-Félicien, 47 km down the road. It is 151 km to Saguenay, the nearest city. Round about: Lac Lorraine 0.8 km, Lac du Pinceau within 1 km, Lac du Dentier 1.8 km, Lac de l'Anse within 2.1 km and Lac de la Perdrix 2.2 km. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on L'Etang

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Across Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, recorded fish include 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. Read L'Etang before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about -19°C in January to roughly 16°C in July. The season is measured in weeks rather than months. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough early May. From about early May to around mid November, expect open water on the long-run figures. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. That is the shape of the year on L'Etang.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. Pike mean a wire trace, no exceptions; big spoons and jerkbaits do the searching. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. If the gate is shut, Lac Lorraine at 0.8 km is the nearest alternative. Check the position on L'Etang before loading the car.