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

• Overview

  Lac du Coucou is one of the Mauricie waters in Quebec. This is northern bush ground. The water covers some 78 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The edge covers about 8.4 km, enough to hold several distinct areas. It is among the larger waters listed here for Mauricie. Ferme-Neuve at 99 km is the nearest place to stop. The nearest city of size is Gatineau, 234 km away. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Lac du Coucou

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Fish documented in Mauricie include northern pike, brook trout and walleye. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. The shape of Lac du Coucou rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 17°C and January near -17°C. Winter runs most of the calendar, and everything worth doing happens in the gap. After early May the shallows warm and the fish move up. Open water usually runs from early May until about mid November. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. It sets the rhythm of the year at Lac du Coucou.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. For a change of water, Lac Foss is 1.9 km distant. For Lac du Coucou in particular, ask before you travel.