Lac de la Moelle Fishing in Outaouais, Quebec

• Overview

  The Outaouais entry here is Lac de la Moelle, in Quebec. This is pine and birch country. At roughly 7 hectares, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. Start from Saint-Boniface, 68 km down the road. Ferme-Neuve lies 70 km off, Mont-Laurier another 79 km. Water in the same corner: 0.8 km away is Lac Luchat, Lac de l'Aile Grise sits 1.2 km out, 1.6 km away is Lac Amador, Lac Perce sits 1.8 km out and 1.8 km away is Lac Marie-Didace. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Lac de la Moelle

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Open biodiversity records for Outaouais list pumpkinseed, yellow perch, smallmouth bass and rainbow smelt. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. At Lac de la Moelle light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs -17°C to 17°C. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near early May. Climate averages put the opening at about early May and the closing near late November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. The season on Lac de la Moelle follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Lac Luchat at 0.8 km is the sensible second choice. Rules at Lac de la Moelle are worth checking on the day.