Lac Ekal in Laurentides: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Set in Laurentides, Quebec, this is Lac Ekal. The setting is spruce and muskeg. About 5 hectares of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Manawan is the closest place, 66 km off. Then Ferme-Neuve, 74 km, and Mont-Laurier, 91 km. Within a short run: Lac Duplessis sits 1.1 km out, Lac La Marlie after 1.7 km, Lac Pika sits 2.1 km out, Lac de la Chaise after 2.3 km and Lac Vandal sits 2.4 km out. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Lac Ekal

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Fish documented in Laurentides include pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, yellow perch and brook trout. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Anyone new to Lac Ekal should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 17°C and January near -16°C. Winter owns most of the year at this latitude. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near early May. Break-up near early May, freeze-up near mid November: that is the shape of an average year. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Lac Ekal.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Failing this one, try Lac Duplessis, 1.1 km away. Rules at Lac Ekal are worth checking on the day.