Lake Manitou (Lac-Jérôme) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Manitou Lake |
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| Lac Manitou | |
 Manitou Lake
Location in Quebec
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| Location | Lac-Jérôme, Minganie RCM, Quebec |
| Coordinates | 50°52′25″N 65°17′16″W / 50.87361°N 65.28778°W |
| Max. length | 25 kilometres (16 mi) |
| Max. width | 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) |
| Surface area | 41.7 square kilometres (16.1 sq mi) |
Lake Manitou (also known as French: Lac Manitou in French) is a beautiful lake located in the wild areas of Lac-Jérôme. This area is part of the Minganie Regional County Municipality in the Côte-Nord region of Quebec, Canada. The Manitou River flows right through the lake, moving from the north to the south. After leaving the lake, the river continues its journey all the way to the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.
Where is Lake Manitou?
Lake Manitou is one of three big lakes along the Manitou River. The other two are Aigle Lake to the north and Eudist Lake to the south. This means Lake Manitou is right in the middle part of the Manitou River's path.
The lake is quite large, covering an area of about 41.7 square kilometers (about 16 square miles). It's very long and narrow, stretching for almost 25 kilometers (about 15.5 miles). However, it's only about 1 to 2 kilometers (0.6 to 1.2 miles) wide. Imagine a long, skinny ribbon of water!
Lake Manitou was formed in an old valley that was carved out by glaciers a long, long time ago. The sides of this valley are very steep, rising more than 500 meters (about 1,640 feet) in some places. The lake is about 75 kilometers (about 46.6 miles) from where the Manitou River meets the ocean. Because it's in such a wild and remote area, the only way to reach Lake Manitou is by a special plane that can land on water, called a float plane.
Nature Around the Lake
The area around Lake Manitou is part of a specific natural region in Quebec. It's known for its spruce trees and mossy ground. This means you'd find lots of evergreen trees and soft moss covering the forest floor if you visited. It's a typical northern forest environment.
Fish in Lake Manitou
Lake Manitou is a popular spot for fishing! A company called Pourvoirie Mabec offers special services for people who want to fish and hunt around the lake. They are the only ones who provide these services in the area.
Long ago, in 1908, a writer named Eugène Rouillard mentioned that the Manitou River and Lake Manitou were full of trout. Some of these trout were quite big, growing up to 25 to 30 inches long! Today, you can still find some impressive fish here:
- Brook trout are often over 2 pounds (about 0.9 kg).
- Arctic char are often over 4 pounds (about 1.8 kg).
Many people from the Innu community of Mingan also enjoy fishing on Lake Manitou. A survey in 2007 showed that they practice both ice fishing in the winter and regular fishing during the summer months. It's a place that has provided food and fun for many generations.
