Lac Bouchard in Mauricie: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Lac Bouchard is listed under Mauricie, Quebec. Height above sea level is 199 metres. The water covers some 32 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Around 4.0 km of margin, front to back. Ground here is low by Quebec standards. Hérouxville is the closest place, 20 km off. It is 51 km to Trois-Rivières, the nearest city. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Lac Bouchard

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Fish documented in Mauricie include northern pike, brook trout, walleye and yellow perch. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Anyone new to Lac Bouchard should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 18°C and January near -14°C. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late April. On the long-run averages the water opens up around late April and starts locking again about late November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Plan around that when you fish Lac Bouchard.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Car Parking gives parking 310 m away. A picnic site 450 m off makes this workable with family in tow. A toilet block sits 280 m away. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. The nearest alternative is Lac aux Chevaux, 1.4 km out. Rules at Lac Bouchard are worth checking on the day.