Lac Ben-Ottawa in Outaouais: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Within Outaouais, Quebec, you have Lac Ben-Ottawa. Height above sea level is 395 metres. With some 21 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Around 2.6 km of margin, front to back. Nearest place of any size is Saint-Boniface, 62 km away. Gatineau is the closest city, 162 km away. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lac Ben-Ottawa

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Survey and observation records for Outaouais include pumpkinseed, yellow perch, smallmouth bass and rainbow smelt. The county list is broader than any single water. At Lac Ben-Ottawa the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about -16°C in January to roughly 17°C in July. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late April. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about late April until roughly late November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. That is the shape of the year on Lac Ben-Ottawa.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. If the gate is shut, Lac Thais at 0.8 km is the nearest alternative. Confirm before you fish Lac Ben-Ottawa.