Lac du Vieux Chantier near Saint-Raphaël: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Lac du Vieux Chantier is one of the Outaouais listings for Quebec. The ground round it is mixed forest. The water covers some 23 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. It is low-lying compared with other Quebec water we list. Nearest town is Saint-Raphaël, 10 km off. Then Maniwaki, 21 km, and Saint-Boniface, 32 km. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Lac du Vieux Chantier

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. County-wide records name pumpkinseed, yellow perch, smallmouth bass and rainbow smelt. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Fish Lac du Vieux Chantier to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 19°C on average, January about -14°C. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around late April. On the long-run averages the water opens up around late April and starts locking again about late November. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. It sets the rhythm of the year at Lac du Vieux Chantier.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Lac Long at 1.3 km is the sensible second choice. Treat access at Lac du Vieux Chantier as something to verify.