Lac Franc in Laurentides: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  In Quebec, Lac Franc falls inside Laurentides. It lies 288 metres above sea level. This is a pocket water of some 10 hectares, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Start from Morin-Heights, 3.1 km down the road. The nearest city of size is Saint-Louis-de-Terrebonne, 45 km away. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Lac Franc

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. County-wide records name pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, yellow perch and brook trout. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. On Lac Franc a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 18°C and January at -14°C. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Ice-out usually falls in late April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. The open-water window runs from around late April to about late November in an average year. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. It sets the rhythm of the year at Lac Franc.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. The nearest car park we can see is 960 m out, so expect a walk with your gear. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. The nearest alternative is Lac Green, 1.6 km out. Nothing on Lac Franc should be assumed from this page alone.