Lac Gauthier Fishing in Mauricie, Quebec

• Overview

  In Quebec, Lac Gauthier falls inside Mauricie. It stands 469 metres above sea level. About 8 hectares of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Nearest town is La Tuque, 64 km off. Métabetchouan is 66 km and Laurentides 72 km. Water in the same corner: Lac Gerard sits 0.4 km out, Grand lac Macousine 1.4 km away, Lac Adelard sits 2.1 km out, Lac Louis-Andre 2.2 km away and Lac Louis sits 2.6 km out. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Lac Gauthier

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Open biodiversity records for Mauricie list northern pike, brook trout, walleye, yellow perch and white sucker. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Lac Gauthier gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 17°C; the cold one sits at -16°C. The window is narrow, and fish feed hard while it lasts. Ice-out usually falls in early May, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Expect the water usable from around early May until roughly mid November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. It holds true on Lac Gauthier more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Failing this one, try Lac Gerard, 0.4 km away. What applies at Lac Gauthier may have changed since it was mapped.