Fishing at Lac au Sable, Laurentides, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac au Sable is a Laurentides water, in Quebec. The surroundings are lake country bush. It covers about 5 hectares, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Ferme-Neuve is the closest town at 49 km. Manawan is 53 km and Mont-Laurier 65 km. Nearby alternatives: Lac Francois lies 0.7 km on, Lac Creux near enough 1.5 km, Lac de l'Orignal lies 1.6 km on, Lac Dugout near enough 1.7 km and Lac du Brochet lies 3.1 km on. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Lac au Sable

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Reported across Laurentides: pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass and yellow perch. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. On Lac au Sable that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 17°C and January near -16°C. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Winter locks it down, and late April brings it back. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about late April until roughly late November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Time your trip to Lac au Sable by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. 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. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Failing this one, try Lac Francois, 0.7 km away. Confirm access to Lac au Sable locally before you travel.