Petit lac Mathieu in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean in Quebec is where Petit lac Mathieu sits. It stands 235 metres above sea level. Surface area runs to about 6 hectares — small enough to read in one session. The closest town, Dolbeau-Mistassini, is 22 km distant. Further out sit Pont Rouge (26 km) and Albanel (26 km). It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Petit lac Mathieu

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean records list northern pike, Atlantic salmon and lake whitefish among the fish reported. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Fish Petit lac Mathieu to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 17°C and January reads -19°C. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly early May. The lid tends to go about early May and return around mid November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Petit lac Mathieu.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. Pike mean a wire trace, no exceptions; big spoons and jerkbaits do the searching. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Failing this one, try Lac Abel, 1.3 km away. For Petit lac Mathieu in particular, ask before you travel.