Lac Belanger Fishing near Rivière-Rouge, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac Belanger lies in Laurentides, Quebec. What surrounds it is rolling bush. The water covers some 16 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The bank runs about 3.2 km all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. The nearest town is Rivière-Rouge, 22 km away. Ferme-Neuve follows at 34 km, then Mont-Laurier at 34 km. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Lac Belanger

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Survey and observation records for Laurentides include pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, brook trout and rock bass. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Anyone new to Lac Belanger should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 18°C for July and -15°C for January. Winter shuts the surface down for months. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly late April. Climate figures give an open season running late April to late November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. It sets the rhythm of the year at Lac Belanger.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. A carry of 780 m from the nearest parking is the price of fishing here. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Lac Berthelette, 1.2 km away, makes the obvious fallback. Nothing here settles the position at Lac Belanger for certain.