Lac du Chimpanze, Quebec: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Lac du Chimpanze falls in Outaouais, part of Quebec. The bank gives way to lake country bush. With some 32 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The whole outline is near 4.3 km, and most of it is walkable. Few waters listed in Outaouais are bigger. Nearest town is Deep River, 59 km off. The big place round here is Gatineau, 139 km distant. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Lac du Chimpanze

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Across Outaouais, recorded fish include pumpkinseed, yellow perch, smallmouth bass and rainbow smelt. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Take Lac du Chimpanze a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about -15°C and July at about 18°C, the water has a wide range to work through. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around late April. Expect the water usable from around late April until roughly late November. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. Lac du Chimpanze runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Lac Giroux at 2.3 km is the sensible second choice. Rules at Lac du Chimpanze are worth checking on the day.