Lac Gonzague, Quebec: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Lac Gonzague is one of the Lanaudière listings for Quebec. The ground around here is rolling bush. At roughly 2 hectares, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Lanaudière. Saint-Michel-des-Saints sits 21 km from here and is the nearest stop. Saint-Louis-de-Terrebonne is the closest city, 89 km away. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Lac Gonzague

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Public occurrence data for Lanaudière names pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass and yellow perch. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. At Lac Gonzague light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 17°C in July and bottom out at -15°C in January. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Ice-out usually falls in late April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. In an average year the thaw lands around late April and the freeze near late November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. That shapes the year on Lac Gonzague.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Mapping shows a campsite some 1.1 km from the water. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Failing this one, try Lac la Loutre, 0.7 km away. Rules at Lac Gonzague are worth checking on the day.