Lac des Fourches Fishing near La Tuque, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac des Fourches sits in Mauricie, out in Quebec. The bank is 304 metres above sea level. It measures about 27 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. The bank runs about 4.7 km all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. You are 10 km from La Tuque. After that come Laurentides at 60 km and Sainte-Thècle at 79 km. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Lac des Fourches

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Reported across Mauricie: northern pike, brook trout and walleye. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. On Lac des Fourches that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 18°C and January about -16°C. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late April. The water is typically free of ice between late April and late November. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. It sets the rhythm of the year at Lac des Fourches.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Should this one be busy, Lac la Trompe is 1 km off. Rules at Lac des Fourches are worth checking on the day.