Fishing at Petit lac Saint-Laurent, Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec

• Overview

  Look for Petit lac Saint-Laurent in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec. It stands 241 metres above sea level. Small at around 6 hectares: two anglers spread out cover most of it. For a base, Albanel sits 22 km out. Beyond it, Normandin at 24 km and Dolbeau-Mistassini at 34 km. Alternatives close at hand: Lac Grimard 0.9 km off, Lac des Coudes after 2.1 km, Lac aux Trembles 4.1 km off, Lac a l'Ours after 4.2 km and Lac des Paradis 4.9 km off. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Petit lac Saint-Laurent

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Reported across Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean: northern pike, Atlantic salmon, lake whitefish and fallfish. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Anyone new to Petit lac Saint-Laurent should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 17°C and January near -19°C. The freeze holds for the better part of the year. After early May the shallows warm and the fish move up. Averages suggest open water from about early May through to roughly mid November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Petit lac Saint-Laurent runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Mapping shows an empty shoreline: no ramp, no jetty, no marked entry. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. For a change of water, Lac Grimard is 0.9 km distant. The position on Petit lac Saint-Laurent is worth confirming on the day.