Fishing Lac des Cris in Laurentides, Quebec

• Overview

  You will find Lac des Cris in Laurentides, Quebec. It lies 382 metres above sea level. At about 49 hectares, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. There is roughly 3.6 km of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. Size puts it in the front rank of our Laurentides list. For supplies, Manawan is 84 km out. Ferme-Neuve lies 88 km off, Mont-Laurier another 105 km. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lac des Cris

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Fish documented in Laurentides include pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass and yellow perch. The county list is broader than any single water. Read Lac des Cris before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is -17°C to 17°C. The year here is short and sharp: a long lid, then a burst of open water. Winter locks it down, and early May brings it back. Ice clears near early May and comes back about mid November in a typical year. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. It sets the rhythm of the year at Lac des Cris.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. The nearest alternative is Lac Bleuet, 1 km out. Confirm before you fish Lac des Cris.