Lac Fou in Mauricie: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Lac Fou is one of the Mauricie listings for Quebec. Beyond the shoreline you have rolling bush. At 1.31 sq km this is proper open water rather than a pond. Around 13 km of bank, which is a long day on foot. It ranks high for size among our Mauricie listings. The closest town, Sainte-Thècle, is 26 km distant. Saint-Tite is 32 km and Laurentides 35 km. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Lac Fou

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Reported across Mauricie: northern pike, brook trout, walleye, yellow perch and white sucker. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. On Lac Fou that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 18°C, with January the cold end at about -15°C. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Break-up comes around late April, and the run that follows is short and strong. The open-water window runs from around late April to about late November in an average year. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. It holds true on Lac Fou more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Mapping shows a jetty some 1.3 km off. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. If the gate is shut, Lac aux Lievres at 1.1 km is the nearest alternative. The position on Lac Fou is worth confirming on the day.