Fishing at Lac Fray, Outaouais, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac Fray is one of the Outaouais listings for Quebec. Around the bank it is rolling bush. With some 53 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The edge covers about 6.7 km, enough to hold several distinct areas. It ranks high for size among our Outaouais listings. Some 47 km away sits Saint-Boniface, the nearest settlement. Beyond it, Maniwaki at 52 km and Saint-Raphaël at 56 km. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Lac Fray

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. County-wide records name pumpkinseed, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, rainbow smelt and Iowa darter. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. At Lac Fray the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 18°C and January about -15°C. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around late April. Averages place the thaw at late April and the freeze at late November. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. Time your trip to Lac Fray by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Failing this one, try Lac Noel, 1 km away. Signs at Lac Fray carry more weight than any list.