Lac Dontenwill, Quebec: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  The Outaouais end of Quebec holds Lac Dontenwill. The surface lies 311 metres up. About 2.58 sq km, so local knowledge or a boat saves a lot of walking. With 19 km or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. Size puts it in the front rank of our Outaouais list. Deep River sits 34 km from here and is the nearest stop. Gatineau is the closest city, 176 km away. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Lac Dontenwill

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Public occurrence data for Outaouais names pumpkinseed, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, rainbow smelt and Iowa darter. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Fish Lac Dontenwill where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between -14°C in January and 18°C in July. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough late April. The season between ice runs from about late April to late November. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. At Lac Dontenwill the season follows that pattern closely.

• 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. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Lac Cosson, 1.7 km away, makes the obvious fallback. For Lac Dontenwill, the notice at the access point is the final word.