Lac au Tonnerre near Mandeville: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Lac au Tonnerre is one of the Mauricie listings for Quebec. The bank is 326 metres above sea level. Roughly 41 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. With 8.0 km or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. On our Mauricie list it sits near the top for size. For supplies, Mandeville is 20 km out. Further out sit Saint-Gabriel (28 km) and Saint-Élie-de-Caxton (29 km). It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Lac au Tonnerre

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Survey and observation records for 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 au Tonnerre gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 18°C, with January the cold end at about -14°C. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Look for the thaw near late April; the fishing lifts straight after. Averages place the thaw at late April and the freeze at late November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Time your trip to Lac au Tonnerre by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. The nearest alternative is Lac Canistre, 1.5 km out. None of that is settled for Lac au Tonnerre in what we hold.