Lac Francine Fishing Guide, Lanaudière, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac Francine sits within Lanaudière in Quebec. Salt water lies 27 km off. About 2 hectares of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Lanaudière. The nearest town is Saint-Félix-de-Valois, 7.1 km away. The nearest city of size is Terrebonne, 50 km away. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Lac Francine

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Public occurrence data for Lanaudière names pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass and yellow perch. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. On Lac Francine the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is -13°C to 19°C. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Once it clears, about late April, the fishing comes on quickly. Open water usually runs from late April until about early December. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. On Lac Francine that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Public data has parking about 500 m from the shore. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Should this one be busy, Lac Neveu is 0.8 km off. For Lac Francine, the notice at the access point is the final word.