Fishing at Lac Bonnal, Mauricie, Quebec

• Overview

  Set in Mauricie, Quebec, this is Lac Bonnal. It sits in taiga. Surface area runs to about 3 hectares — small enough to read in one session. On size it sits at the modest end of our Mauricie list. The town to know is Leblanc, 80 km out. After that come Chapais at 98 km and Chibougamau at 104 km. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Lac Bonnal

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Fish documented in Mauricie include northern pike, brook trout and walleye. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. At Lac Bonnal the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 16°C; by January the average is down near -18°C. The season is measured in weeks rather than months. Look for the thaw near early May; the fishing lifts straight after. On the long-run averages the water opens up around early May and starts locking again about mid November. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. Plan any trip to Lac Bonnal around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Lac Valcourt sits 1.3 km off and takes the overflow. What applies at Lac Bonnal may have changed since it was mapped.