Lac de la Gelinotte Fishing near Weymontachie, Quebec

• Overview

  Set in Mauricie, Lac de la Gelinotte is a Quebec water. The ground around here is pine and birch. Weymontachie at 48 km is the nearest place to stop. La Tuque follows at 53 km, then Manawan at 77 km. Near neighbours include: Lac Simone the better part of 1.6 km, Lac Petit out at 2.1 km, Lac Laurette the better part of 3.6 km, Lac a la Truite out at 3.9 km and Lac Flamand the better part of 4.3 km. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lac de la Gelinotte

  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. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Records held for Mauricie cover northern pike, brook trout and walleye. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Treat Lac de la Gelinotte as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about -16°C and July at about 17°C, the water has a wide range to work through. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough late April. Ice clears near late April and comes back about mid November in a typical year. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. At Lac de la Gelinotte the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. If the gate is shut, Lac Simone at 1.6 km is the nearest alternative. For Lac de la Gelinotte, the notice at the access point is the final word.