Lac Francis Fishing near La Tuque, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac Francis sits within Mauricie in Quebec. The surface lies 320 metres up. With some 21 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. A shoreline of some 2.1 km keeps the choices simple. La Tuque is the closest place, 22 km off. Laurentides is 37 km and Sainte-Thècle 50 km. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Lac Francis

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Species logged across Mauricie include northern pike, brook trout and walleye. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. Treat Lac Francis as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 18°C in July and bottoms out near -15°C in January. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from late April. Open water usually runs from late April until about late November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. That is the shape of the year on Lac Francis.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. For a change of water, Lac Bousquet is 1.3 km distant. Signs at Lac Francis carry more weight than any list.