Lac Coutu Fishing near Saint-Michel-des-Saints, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac Coutu lies in Lanaudière, Quebec. The land about it is northern bush. The water measures roughly 2 hectares, so nothing here is far from anything else. On size it sits at the modest end of our Lanaudière list. The closest town, Saint-Michel-des-Saints, is 34 km distant. After that come Manawan at 37 km and Saint-Donat-de-Montcalm at 66 km. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lac Coutu

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. 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. Lanaudière records list pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass and yellow perch among the fish reported. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Take Lac Coutu a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -15°C in January up to 17°C in July. Everything is compressed into the middle of the year. Winter locks it down, and early May brings it back. In an average year the thaw lands around early May and the freeze near mid November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Lac Coutu runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. 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. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Lac Forget at 1 km is the sensible second choice. For Lac Coutu, the notice at the access point is the final word.