Lac Ernie in Laurentides: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  In Quebec, Lac Ernie falls inside Laurentides. Land around it is northern bush. At 9 hectares it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. The nearest town is Ferme-Neuve, 98 km away. Beyond it, Manawan at 106 km and Mont-Laurier at 113 km. Others within reach: Lac Jim 0.7 km away, Lac Elder just 1.4 km, Lac Leigh 1.7 km away, Lac Moore just 3 km and Lac Colin 3.2 km away. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Lac Ernie

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Public occurrence data for Laurentides names pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, brook trout and rock bass. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Read Lac Ernie before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 16°C in July and bottom out at -17°C in January. Long winters and short summers set the pattern. Winter locks it down, and early May brings it back. Open water usually runs from early May until about mid November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. It holds true on Lac Ernie more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Lac Jim at 0.7 km is the sensible second choice. Nothing here settles the position at Lac Ernie for certain.