Lac Desroches in Lanaudière: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Set in Lanaudière, Quebec, this is Lac Desroches. It lies 451 metres above sea level. Roughly 27 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. Shoreline comes to about 3.9 km, small enough to learn in a day. The closest town, Saint-Michel-des-Saints, is 35 km distant. The big place round here is Trois-Rivières, 86 km distant. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Lac Desroches

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Across Lanaudière, recorded fish include pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, yellow perch and rock bass. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. At Lac Desroches the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 17°C, the coldest about -15°C. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Winter locks it down, and late April brings it back. Average temperatures cross freezing around late April in spring and again near late November in autumn. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Lac Desroches runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. If the gate is shut, Lac du Sureau at 0.8 km is the nearest alternative. Signs at Lac Desroches carry more weight than any list.