Lac Charest Fishing in Laurentides, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac Charest is set in Laurentides, Quebec. The water sits 475 metres up. The water covers some 12 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. About 1.7 km of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. Rivière-Rouge sits 37 km from here and is the nearest stop. After that come Labelle at 51 km and Ferme-Neuve at 53 km. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Lac Charest

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Fish documented in Laurentides include pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass and yellow perch. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. Fish Lac Charest to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 17°C; the cold one sits at -15°C. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough late April. The open-water window runs from around late April to about late November in an average year. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. It holds true on Lac Charest more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. A campsite is mapped about 150 m away, which makes an early start easier. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Failing this one, try Lac Hatchery, 1.3 km away. Check the position at Lac Charest before loading the car.