Fishing at Petit lac a l'Ours, Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec

• Overview

  The Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean entry here is Petit lac a l'Ours, in Quebec. The water sits 409 metres up. Supplies mean a trip to Saint-Félicien, 26 km off. Saguenay is the closest city, 114 km away. Others worth noting: Lac Gougeon within 0.8 km, Lac du Squatter at 0.9 km, Lac a l'Ours within 1 km, Lac Pierre at 1 km and Lac de la Montagne within 1.2 km. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Petit lac a l'Ours

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Across Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, recorded fish include northern pike, Atlantic salmon and lake whitefish. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Petit lac a l'Ours repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 16°C in July and bottom out at -18°C in January. This far north the hard season runs and runs. Break-up comes around early May, and the run that follows is short and strong. The open-water window runs from around early May to about mid November in an average year. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. It sets the rhythm of the year at Petit lac a l'Ours.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. 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. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Lac Gougeon at 0.8 km is the sensible second choice. Nothing on Petit lac a l'Ours should be assumed from this page alone.