Lac Bill Fishing near Leblanc, Quebec

• Overview

  The Mauricie end of Quebec holds Lac Bill. Beyond the shoreline you have northern bush. Surface area is around 82 hectares, which gives you real water without needing a boat. The edge covers about 5.8 km, enough to hold several distinct areas. Few waters listed in Mauricie are bigger. Head to Leblanc, 2.7 km away, for anything you forgot. Saguenay sits 242 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Lac Bill

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. 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. Survey and observation records for Mauricie include northern pike, brook trout, walleye and yellow perch. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Work Lac Bill in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 16°C on average, January about -17°C. A short, intense season is the rule this far north. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around early May. Break-up near early May, freeze-up near mid November: that is the shape of an average year. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. That is the shape of the year on Lac Bill.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. If the gate is shut, Lac Leblanc at 1.9 km is the nearest alternative. For Lac Bill in particular, ask before you travel.