Lac des Vases, Quebec: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Outaouais, Quebec, is where Lac des Vases sits. It sits at 229 metres above sea level. The water covers some 13 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The full circuit measures close to 2.3 km on foot. It is low-lying compared with other Quebec water we list. Head to Saint-Boniface, 14 km away, for anything you forgot. For a city, Gatineau is 128 km off. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Lac des Vases

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Species logged across Outaouais include pumpkinseed, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, rainbow smelt and Iowa darter. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. The shape of Lac des Vases decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 18°C and January near -15°C on the long-run figures. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late April. Ice clears near late April and comes back about late November in a typical year. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. At Lac des Vases the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. For a change of water, Lac Clair is 2.3 km distant. Rules at Lac des Vases are worth checking on the day.