Lac Gilles Fishing near Laurentides, Quebec

• Overview

  Out in Capitale-Nationale, Quebec, sits Lac Gilles. This is mixed forest country. Surface area runs to about 5 hectares — small enough to read in one session. Laurentides sits 27 km from the bank. La Tuque lies 29 km off, Sainte-Thècle another 61 km. Within a short run: Lac de l'Automne 1.8 km away, Lac de l'Ete at 1.8 km, Lac du Printemps 2.4 km away, Lac Nobert at 2.4 km and Lac Lemoine 2.8 km away. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Lac Gilles

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Public occurrence data for Capitale-Nationale names lake sturgeon, Atlantic sturgeon, longnose sucker, sauger and channel catfish. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Lac Gilles responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs -16°C to 17°C. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late April. Ice usually gives way near late April, and forms again about mid November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. The season on Lac Gilles follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. Walleye come to jigs worked slow near bottom, and to trolled crankbaits along the drops at dusk. Provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Lac de l'Automne at 1.8 km is the sensible second choice. Where Lac Gilles is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.