Fishing at Lac du Rire, Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac du Rire is one of the Abitibi-Témiscamingue waters in Quebec. The water sits 354 metres up. Surface area runs to about 5 hectares — small enough to read in one session. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Abitibi-Témiscamingue. Val-d'Or at 93 km is the nearest place to stop. Gatineau sits 248 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Lac du Rire

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Records held for Abitibi-Témiscamingue cover northern pike, yellow perch, walleye, white sucker and brown bullhead. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. Treat Lac du Rire as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 17°C; by January the average is down near -15°C. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about early May. The water is typically free of ice between early May and late November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. It sets the rhythm of the year at Lac du Rire.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. If the gate is shut, Lac de la Belle at 0.4 km is the nearest alternative. Confirm before you fish Lac du Rire.