Fishing at Lac a Mercouiller, Mauricie, Quebec

• Overview

  The Mauricie end of Quebec holds Lac a Mercouiller. Beyond the shoreline you have mixed forest. Hérouxville is the closest place, 9.7 km off. Beyond it, Saint-Tite at 12 km and Shawinigan at 17 km. Round about: Lac Gabriel out at 1.4 km, Lac du Cordon 1.6 km, Lac Bordeleau out at 1.7 km, Lac a Laing 2.1 km and Lac Doris out at 2.1 km. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Lac a Mercouiller

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Species logged across Mauricie include northern pike, brook trout, walleye and yellow perch. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. At Lac a Mercouiller the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 19°C; the cold one sits at -14°C. Winter shuts the surface down for months. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough late April. The water is typically free of ice between late April and late November. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. The season on Lac a Mercouiller rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Lac Gabriel at 1.4 km is the sensible second choice. Rules at Lac a Mercouiller are worth checking on the day.