Lac du Desert in Lanaudière: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Lac du Desert is listed under Lanaudière, Quebec. It lies 489 metres above sea level. The nearest place of any size is Manawan, 18 km away. The nearest city of size is Trois-Rivières, 153 km away. Others worth noting: Lac du Chameau at 0.5 km, Lac Gournay about 1.2 km, Lac Laroche at 1.2 km, Lac Garceau about 1.6 km and Lac Pitt at 1.8 km. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Lac du Desert

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Records held for Lanaudière cover pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, rock bass and brook trout. The county list is broader than any single water. On Lac du Desert the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 17°C; the cold one sits at -16°C. Open water is the exception rather than the rule here. Look for the thaw near early May; the fishing lifts straight after. Averages place the thaw at early May and the freeze at mid November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. On Lac du Desert that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. If the gate is shut, Lac du Chameau at 0.5 km is the nearest alternative. The position on Lac du Desert is worth confirming on the day.