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

• Overview

  In Quebec, Lac du Kochia belongs to Lanaudière. The country round it is boreal forest from end to end. At about 16 hectares, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. The edge runs 2.7 km or so, easy to work in an afternoon. Manawan lies 44 km from the water. Then Weymontachie, 68 km, and Saint-Michel-des-Saints, 69 km. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Lac du Kochia

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. 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. County-wide records name pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass and yellow perch. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. The shape of Lac du Kochia rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -16°C in January up to 17°C in July. The fishing year opens late and shuts early. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early May. Break-up sits around early May on average, with the water closing again about mid November. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. On Lac du Kochia that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Should this one be busy, Lac de l'Onglet is 1.1 km off. Check the position at Lac du Kochia before loading the car.