Fishing Lac Bougaseau in Outaouais, Quebec

• Overview

  Look for Lac Bougaseau in the Outaouais part of Quebec. The surface lies 373 metres up. The water measures roughly 9 hectares, so nothing here is far from anything else. For supplies, Saint-Boniface is 78 km out. For a city, Gatineau is 188 km off. Round about: Lac Evel 1 km, Lac de la Voie within 1.1 km, Lac Bamieres 1.3 km, Lac Jean-Pere within 2.1 km and Lac Saimiri 2.3 km. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Lac Bougaseau

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. County-wide records name pumpkinseed, yellow perch, smallmouth bass and rainbow smelt. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Work Lac Bougaseau in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 17°C on average, January about -17°C. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Winter locks it down, and early May brings it back. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about early May until roughly late November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. On Lac Bougaseau the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Overnight stays are possible 1.3 km away. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Lac Evel at 1 km is the sensible second choice. Where Lac Bougaseau is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.