Lac Bas in Lanaudière: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Set in Lanaudière, Lac Bas is a Quebec water. It stands 487 metres above sea level. At 7 hectares it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Nearest place of any size is Saint-Jean-de-Matha, 25 km away. Terrebonne sits 81 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Other water nearby: Lac Beau-Pere after 0.7 km, Lac Baril 1.8 km away, Lac du Castor after 2.1 km, Lac Caribou 2.2 km away and Lac Forest after 2.3 km. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Lac Bas

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Fish documented in Lanaudière include pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, rock bass and brook trout. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. The shape of Lac Bas decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 17°C and January at -15°C. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Break-up near late April, freeze-up near late November: that is the shape of an average year. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Lac Bas.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Failing this one, try Lac Beau-Pere, 0.7 km away. Signs at Lac Bas carry more weight than any list.