Lac Gilbert in Mauricie: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Mauricie, Quebec, is where Lac Gilbert sits. The surface lies 417 metres up. With some 13 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. There is roughly 2.1 km of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. The nearest town is Chapais, 86 km away. Beyond it, Leblanc at 87 km and Chibougamau at 97 km. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Lac Gilbert

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Across Mauricie, recorded fish include northern pike, brook trout, walleye, yellow perch and white sucker. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. On Lac Gilbert the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about -19°C in January to roughly 16°C in July. A short, intense season is the rule this far north. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from early May. Open water usually runs from early May until about mid November. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. Time your trip to Lac Gilbert by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. For a change of water, Lac Arty is 1.3 km distant. Nothing on Lac Gilbert should be assumed from this page alone.