Fishing at Lac F.-X.-Lemieux, Mauricie, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac F.-X.-Lemieux is a Mauricie water, Quebec side. Height above sea level is 676 metres. This is sizeable water at about 1.57 sq km, and a boat opens up most of it. The shoreline runs about 16 km, so it pays to pick a stretch and stay with it. Few waters listed in Mauricie are bigger. Laurentides lies 65 km from the water. Saint-Raymond is 74 km away, with Fossambault-sur-le-Lac at 74 km. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lac F.-X.-Lemieux

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Mauricie records list northern pike, brook trout, walleye and yellow perch among the fish reported. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Take Lac F.-X.-Lemieux a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 15°C and January reads -16°C. The season is measured in weeks rather than months. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly early May. The lid tends to go about early May and return around mid November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. At Lac F.-X.-Lemieux the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Omble de fontaine is mapped as a fishing spot 410 m from the water. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Should this one be busy, Lac Wilkin is 24 km off. For Lac F.-X.-Lemieux, the notice at the access point is the final word.