Lac Deschenes Fishing Guide, Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac Deschenes is a Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine water, in Quebec. Mixed forest runs right down to the water. It measures about 15 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. The edge runs 1.6 km or so, easy to work in an afternoon. On our Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine list it sits near the top for size. The closest town, Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, is 29 km distant. Cap-Chat is 42 km and Maria 102 km. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Lac Deschenes

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Across Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine, recorded fish include American eel, striped bass, alewife, rainbow smelt and brook trout. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. On Lac Deschenes the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 15°C on average, January about -15°C. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Ice is part of the season here, ending near mid May. In an average year the thaw lands around mid May and the freeze near mid November. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. Lac Deschenes runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Lac Alpin sits 1.6 km off and takes the overflow. The position on Lac Deschenes is worth confirming on the day.