Lac Coucou, Quebec: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Set in Mauricie, Lac Coucou is a Quebec water. The surface lies 536 metres up. At roughly 9 hectares, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. Compared with other Quebec water on our list, it sits high. Nearest place of any size is Leblanc, 29 km away. Then Weymontachie, 31 km, and Manawan, 105 km. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Lac Coucou

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Open biodiversity records for Mauricie list northern pike, brook trout and walleye. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Take Lac Coucou a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 16°C in July and bottoms out near -17°C in January. This far north the hard season runs and runs. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough early May. On average, early May opens the water and mid November closes it again. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. That is the shape of the year on Lac Coucou.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. No slipway, car park or made path shows up nearby in mapping, so treat access as rough. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Should this one be busy, Lac Head is 0.8 km off. Confirm before you fish Lac Coucou.