Lac Gironde, Quebec: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  In Quebec, Lac Gironde belongs to Laurentides. Country round the bank runs to boreal forest. About 1.09 sq km, so local knowledge or a boat saves a lot of walking. There is roughly 9.0 km of bank, more than one visit can cover properly. Size puts it in the front rank of our Laurentides list. Start from Ferme-Neuve, 61 km down the road. Gatineau sits 191 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Lac Gironde

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Records held for Laurentides cover pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, yellow perch and brook trout. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Fish Lac Gironde where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 17°C and January about -16°C. Cold dominates the calendar on water this far north. Once it clears, about early May, the fishing comes on quickly. On the long-run averages the water opens up around early May and starts locking again about mid November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Time your trip to Lac Gironde by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Should this one be busy, Lac du Glouton is 3.3 km off. Treat Lac Gironde as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.