Fishing at Lac Ely, Outaouais, Quebec

• Overview

  The Outaouais end of Quebec holds Lac Ely. The ground around here is rolling bush. Roughly 20 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. Bank access stretches around 2.4 km in total. Supplies mean a trip to Saint-Boniface, 53 km off. For a city, Gatineau is 148 km off. Also within reach: Lac Mashie within 1.1 km, Lac Piche about 1.3 km, Lac Iona within 2.2 km, Lac Orpen about 2.4 km and Lac Hades within 2.7 km. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Lac Ely

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Records held for Outaouais cover pumpkinseed, yellow perch, smallmouth bass and rainbow smelt. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Lac Ely responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 18°C, with January the cold end at about -16°C. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near late April. The lid tends to go about late April and return around late November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. The season on Lac Ely follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Lac Mashie sits 1.1 km off and takes the overflow. Check the position at Lac Ely before loading the car.