Lac de la Fraie Fishing near Métabetchouan, Quebec

• Overview

  The Mauricie entry here is Lac de la Fraie, in Quebec. It lies 428 metres above sea level. It covers about 5 hectares, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. The nearest town is Métabetchouan, 47 km away. Saguenay is the closest city, 103 km away. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Lac de la Fraie

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Species logged across Mauricie include northern pike, brook trout, walleye and yellow perch. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. The shape of Lac de la Fraie rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs -16°C to 17°C. The window is narrow, and fish feed hard while it lasts. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near early May. Expect the water usable from around early May until roughly mid November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Lac de la Fraie runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Petit lac aux Dores sits 0.8 km off and takes the overflow. Rules at Lac de la Fraie are worth checking on the day.