Lac Bernard Fishing near Weymontachie, Quebec

• Overview

  Mauricie in Quebec is where Lac Bernard sits. It stands 454 metres above sea level. At 4 hectares it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. On size it sits at the modest end of our Mauricie list. 56 km away sits Weymontachie, the nearest town. After that come La Tuque at 59 km and Manawan at 65 km. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lac Bernard

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Reported across Mauricie: northern pike, brook trout and walleye. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Lac Bernard gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is -16°C to 17°C. Winter runs most of the calendar, and everything worth doing happens in the gap. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around early May. Average temperatures cross freezing around early May in spring and again near mid November in autumn. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. At Lac Bernard the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Lac Druce at 0.9 km is the sensible second choice. Ask locally about Lac Bernard if anything is unclear.