Lac du Don in Outaouais: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  In Quebec, Lac du Don falls inside Outaouais. It stands 169 metres above sea level. It is low-lying compared with other Quebec water we list. For supplies, Shawville is 6.9 km out. Gatineau is the closest city, 66 km away. Also worth knowing: Lac Richardson the better part of 0.8 km, Lac Green just 1.7 km, Lac a Prendergast the better part of 3.1 km, Lac a Chamberlain just 3.3 km and Lac a McKay the better part of 5 km. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Lac du Don

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Across Outaouais, recorded fish include pumpkinseed, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, rainbow smelt and Iowa darter. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. Treat Lac du Don as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 20°C, the coldest about -13°C. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Break-up comes around mid April, and the run that follows is short and strong. The water is typically free of ice between mid April and early December. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Anyone fishing Lac du Don regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. 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. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. If the gate is shut, Lac Richardson at 0.8 km is the nearest alternative. Where Lac du Don is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.