Lac Fink in Laurentides: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Lac Fink is one of the Laurentides waters in Quebec. The surface lies 242 metres up. At 8 hectares it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. 42 km away sits Ferme-Neuve, the nearest town. Further out sit Saint-Boniface (50 km) and Mont-Laurier (52 km). It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Lac Fink

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Open biodiversity records for Laurentides list pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, brook trout and rock bass. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. On Lac Fink the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 18°C in July and bottom out at -16°C in January. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Open water usually runs from late April until about late November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Time your trip to Lac Fink by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Should this one be busy, Lac Rioux is 2.6 km off. Check the position on Lac Fink before loading the car.