Lac Arnot in Outaouais: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Look for Lac Arnot in Outaouais, Quebec. It lies 195 metres above sea level. At 9 hectares it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Ground here is low by Quebec standards. Shawville sits 19 km from the bank. The big place round here is Gatineau, 65 km distant. Nearby, in order: Lac a Miller within 1.3 km, Lac Sparling some 2 km off, Lac Woods within 3.2 km, Lac Johnson some 3.4 km off and Lac a Lang within 4.7 km. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Lac Arnot

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. County-wide records name pumpkinseed, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, rainbow smelt and Iowa darter. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. At Lac Arnot the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 19°C and January near -13°C. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late April. In an average year the thaw lands around late April and the freeze near early December. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. Lac Arnot fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Lac a Miller at 1.3 km is the sensible second choice. Treat Lac Arnot as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.