Fishing Lac au Foin in Mauricie, Quebec

• Overview

  Within Mauricie, Quebec, you have Lac au Foin. The surroundings are northern bush. It runs to roughly 21 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Roughly 2.5 km of bank means you can walk to a fresh area when one goes quiet. Compared with other Quebec water on our list, it sits high. Supplies mean a trip to Leblanc, 30 km off. The nearest city of size is Saguenay, 238 km away. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lac au Foin

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Across Mauricie, recorded fish include northern pike, brook trout and walleye. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. On Lac au Foin the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 16°C; the cold one sits at -18°C. Water stays cold even at the height of the year. After early May the shallows warm and the fish move up. Break-up near early May, freeze-up near mid November: that is the shape of an average year. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. At Lac au Foin the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Lac du Chat at 3.4 km is the sensible second choice. Signs at Lac au Foin carry more weight than any list.