Fishing at Lac Commins, Outaouais, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac Commins is one of the Outaouais waters in Quebec. The bank is 284 metres above sea level. Roughly 20 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. The edge runs 3.8 km or so, easy to work in an afternoon. The town to know is Saint-Boniface, 43 km out. The big place round here is Gatineau, 130 km distant. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Lac Commins

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Outaouais records list pumpkinseed, yellow perch and smallmouth bass among the fish reported. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Fish Lac Commins where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 18°C and January at -15°C. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Break-up comes around late April, and the run that follows is short and strong. On the long-run averages the water opens up around late April and starts locking again about late November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Plan any trip to Lac Commins around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. For a change of water, Lac Knight is 1.3 km distant. Rules at Lac Commins are worth checking on the day.