Lac au Foin Fishing, S of La Tuque, Quebec

• Overview

  Out in Mauricie, Quebec, sits Lac au Foin. The ground round it is pine and birch. Small even by pond standards, it rewards one careful line. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Mauricie. La Tuque at 16 km is the nearest place to stop. Then Laurentides, 63 km, and Weymontachie, 81 km. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lac au Foin

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Records held for Mauricie cover northern pike, brook trout and walleye. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. On Lac au Foin the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 18°C on average, January about -16°C. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. The lid usually goes in late April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. The water is typically free of ice between late April and late November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. At Lac au Foin the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Lac du Rocher at 1 km is the sensible second choice. Check the position at Lac au Foin before loading the car.