Fishing at Lac Bellemare, Mauricie, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac Bellemare lies within the bounds of Mauricie, Quebec. The coast is 36 km away. The water covers some 25 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The edge runs 4.2 km or so, easy to work in an afternoon. It lies lower than most water we list in Quebec. 11 km away sits Saint-Élie-de-Caxton, the nearest town. The nearest city of size is Trois-Rivières, 39 km away. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Lac Bellemare

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Public occurrence data for Mauricie names northern pike, brook trout, walleye and yellow perch. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Work Lac Bellemare in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 19°C and January near -14°C. Hard water is a season in its own right here. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough late April. Break-up near late April, freeze-up near late November: that is the shape of an average year. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. The season on Lac Bellemare follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Parking sits 920 m out, which makes for a walk with tackle. Public data records a pier about 350 m out. Mapping shows a campsite some 370 m from the water. Réserve naturelle Carmen-Lavoie takes in this water; protected-area rules will apply. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Failing this one, try Lac Bill, 0.9 km away. Confirm before you fish Lac Bellemare.