Lac Bourque Fishing in Laurentides, Quebec

• Overview

  Set in Laurentides, Lac Bourque is a Quebec water. Country round the bank runs to pine and birch. At 2 hectares it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. It is a small entry by Laurentides standards. 3.5 km away sits Saint-Adolphe-d'Howard, the nearest town. Then Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, 7.2 km, and Val-David, 10 km. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Lac Bourque

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Across Laurentides, recorded fish include pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, brook trout and rock bass. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Lac Bourque fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 18°C for July and -14°C for January. Winter shuts the surface down for months. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. On average, late April opens the water and late November closes it again. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. On Lac Bourque the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. A pier 1.5 km from here gives a platform over deeper water. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Lac Valiquette sits 0.6 km off and takes the overflow. Check the current arrangement for Lac Bourque.