Fishing Lac de la Ripousse in Laurentides, Quebec

• Overview

  In Quebec, Lac de la Ripousse belongs to Laurentides. This is rolling bush country. Surface area runs to about 10 hectares — small enough to read in one session. Shoreline comes to about 1.5 km, small enough to learn in a day. The town to know is Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, 14 km out. After that come Mont-Tremblant at 16 km and Saint-Adolphe-d'Howard at 17 km. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Lac de la Ripousse

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Records held for Laurentides cover pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, brook trout and rock bass. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. The shape of Lac de la Ripousse rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 18°C and January near -14°C on the long-run figures. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Ice-out usually falls in late April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. On average, late April opens the water and late November closes it again. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. That shapes the year on Lac de la Ripousse.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Failing this one, try Lac de la Blanche, 1 km away. Confirm before you fish Lac de la Ripousse.