Fishing Lac des Copains in Mauricie, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac des Copains lies in Mauricie, in Quebec. It sits at 481 metres above sea level. About 7 hectares of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. La Tuque sits 66 km from the bank. Laurentides is 66 km away, with Métabetchouan at 74 km. Neighbouring water: Lac du Chalet at 1.7 km, Lac des Leurres about 1.8 km, Lac Congre at 2.3 km, Lac des Moires about 2.5 km and Lac Bercier at 2.6 km. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Lac des Copains

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Across Mauricie, recorded fish include northern pike, brook trout, walleye and yellow perch. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Lac des Copains repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 16°C and January reads -16°C. This is a two-season water: locked, then wide open. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around early May. Break-up sits around early May on average, with the water closing again about mid November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Plan around that when you fish Lac des Copains.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. If the gate is shut, Lac du Chalet at 1.7 km is the nearest alternative. The position on Lac des Copains is worth confirming on the day.