Lac du Castor in Mauricie: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  In Quebec, Lac du Castor falls inside Mauricie. The surface lies 279 metres up. It covers about 6 hectares, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Some 11 km away sits Mandeville, the nearest settlement. Saint-Gabriel is 19 km and Saint-Élie-de-Caxton 30 km. Round about: Lac Cache within 0.4 km, Lac Catherine after 1.3 km, Lac Llewellyn within 2 km, Lac Bossu after 2.4 km and Lac Joyal within 2.4 km. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Lac du Castor

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Mauricie records list northern pike, brook trout, walleye and yellow perch among the fish reported. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Anyone new to Lac du Castor should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 18°C at the top of summer and -14°C at the bottom of winter. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Break-up comes around late April, and the run that follows is short and strong. Averages suggest open water from about late April through to roughly late November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. It holds true on Lac du Castor more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. The nearest alternative is Lac Cache, 0.4 km out. Nothing here settles the position at Lac du Castor for certain.