Lac Clair near Chertsey: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Lac Clair is one of the Lanaudière waters in Quebec. The water sits 312 metres up. The water covers some 35 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Shoreline comes to about 3.7 km, small enough to learn in a day. Size puts it in the front rank of our Lanaudière list. Some 7.5 km away sits Chertsey, the nearest settlement. After that come Rawdon at 7.8 km and Sainte-Julienne at 15 km. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Lac Clair

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. County-wide records name pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, rock bass and brook trout. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. The shape of Lac Clair decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 19°C on average, January about -13°C. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Break-up comes around late April, and the run that follows is short and strong. In an average year the thaw lands around late April and the freeze near late November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. That is the shape of the year on Lac Clair.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Failing this one, try Lac Christine, 0.8 km away. Check the position at Lac Clair before loading the car.