Fishing at Lac de la Toupie, Outaouais, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac de la Toupie lies within the bounds of Outaouais, Quebec. Land around it is mixed forest. Surface area runs to about 6 hectares — small enough to read in one session. The nearest place of any size is Deep River, 57 km away. Chalk River is 63 km and Petawawa 71 km. Water in the same corner: Lac Rochefort at 1.6 km, Lac de la Roche Metamorphique 1.7 km, Lac du Marbre at 2.1 km, Lac de la Molaire 2.5 km and Lac Nitting at 2.8 km. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Lac de la Toupie

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Records held for Outaouais cover pumpkinseed, yellow perch and smallmouth bass. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. At Lac de la Toupie light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 18°C in July and bottom out at -15°C in January. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from late April. Ice clears near late April and comes back about late November in a typical year. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Lac de la Toupie runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. If the gate is shut, Lac Rochefort at 1.6 km is the nearest alternative. Check the current arrangement for Lac de la Toupie.