Lac Cox, Quebec: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  In Quebec, Lac Cox falls inside Outaouais. The country here is lake country bush. Small at around 2 hectares: two anglers spread out cover most of it. It is a small entry by Outaouais standards. Buckingham sits 9.5 km from here and is the nearest stop. Then Thurso, 17 km, and Clarence-Rockland, 18 km. Others worth noting: Lac Dore about 1 km, Lac Mercier sits 3.1 km out, Lac Garvey about 3.2 km, Lac a l'Anguille sits 3.5 km out and Lac Porter about 3.6 km. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Lac Cox

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Survey and observation records for Outaouais include pumpkinseed, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, rainbow smelt and Iowa darter. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Take Lac Cox a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 19°C and January near -13°C. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around late April. Open water usually runs from late April until about early December. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. That is the shape of the year on Lac Cox.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Should this one be busy, Lac Dore is 1 km off. Where Lac Cox is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.