Lac Ballard in Laurentides: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Lac Ballard is listed under Laurentides, Quebec. The surface lies 327 metres up. About 7 hectares of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Nearest place of any size is Ferme-Neuve, 27 km away. Mont-Laurier follows at 40 km, then Rivière-Rouge at 47 km. Close by you also have: Lac Robert near enough 1.8 km, Lac Jean-Rene (2.2 km), Lac de la Louve near enough 2.3 km, Lac Loriot (2.4 km) and Lac Sureau near enough 2.7 km. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Lac Ballard

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Public occurrence data for Laurentides names pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, yellow perch and brook trout. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. At Lac Ballard light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about -15°C in January to roughly 18°C in July. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Ice-out usually falls in late April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Average temperatures cross freezing around late April in spring and again near late November in autumn. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Lac Ballard.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Failing this one, try Lac Robert, 1.8 km away. For Lac Ballard in particular, ask before you travel.