Lac Francois Fishing Guide, Lanaudière, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac Francois belongs to Lanaudière, Quebec. Elevation runs to 442 metres. For a base, Manawan sits 20 km out. For a city, Trois-Rivières is 191 km off. Near neighbours include: Lac Kamicta Minictikowok a shade over 0.8 km, Lac Margot (1.2 km), Lac Bedard a shade over 1.8 km, Lac Badajoz (1.8 km) and Lac Robin a shade over 2.1 km. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lac Francois

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Species logged across Lanaudière include pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, yellow perch and rock bass. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Lac Francois fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -16°C in January up to 17°C in July. This far north the hard season runs and runs. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near early May. Average temperatures cross freezing around early May in spring and again near mid November in autumn. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. That shapes the year on Lac Francois.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. The nearest alternative is Lac Kamicta Minictikowok, 0.8 km out. Treat Lac Francois as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.