Lac Apollinaire, Quebec: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Set in Mauricie, Quebec, this is Lac Apollinaire. Rolling bush runs right down to the water. About 8 hectares of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Laurentides is the closest place, 27 km off. The nearest city of size is Sainte-Foy, 92 km away. Round about: 0.8 km out stands Lac Garneau, Lac de laHaute Terre out at 1.3 km, 1.9 km out stands Lac Audet, Lac des Confins out at 2.6 km and 2.6 km out stands Lac de la Neige. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Lac Apollinaire

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Species logged across Mauricie include northern pike, brook trout, walleye, yellow perch and white sucker. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Lac Apollinaire gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 17°C on average, January about -15°C. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Count the season from break-up, usually early May. The season between ice runs from about early May to mid November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. That is the shape of the year on Lac Apollinaire.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. For a change of water, Lac Garneau is 0.8 km distant. Rules at Lac Apollinaire are worth checking on the day.