Lac de l'Ecore Fishing in Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac de l'Ecore lies in Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine, in Quebec. The shore lies 17 km out. Some 75 km away sits Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, the nearest settlement. After that come Gaspé at 78 km and Cap-Chat at 89 km. Near neighbours: Petit lac Ernest just 5 km, Lac Brule 5.5 km off, Lac Croche just 7 km, Troisieme lac de Manche-d'Epee 7.2 km off and Lac au Diable just 7.5 km. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Lac de l'Ecore

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine records list American eel, striped bass, alewife and rainbow smelt among the fish reported. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. At Lac de l'Ecore light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about -13°C and July at about 16°C, the water has a wide range to work through. Winter shuts the surface down for months. The lid usually goes in early May, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Open water usually runs from early May until about mid November. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. That shapes the year on Lac de l'Ecore.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Petit lac Ernest at 5 km is the sensible second choice. Nothing here settles the position at Lac de l'Ecore for certain.