Lac Hatch Fishing in Outaouais, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac Hatch stands in Outaouais, Quebec. The bank gives way to mixed forest. At about 23 hectares, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. With about 2.4 km of edge, you can try several depths in one session. The town to know is Saint-Boniface, 59 km out. For a city, Gatineau is 171 km off. Also worth knowing: Lac Bow within 0.7 km, Lac Ida at 1.1 km, Lac Pelle within 1.6 km, Lac Mae at 1.9 km and Lac Roland within 1.9 km. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Lac Hatch

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Fish documented in Outaouais include pumpkinseed, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, rainbow smelt and Iowa darter. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Fish Lac Hatch to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs -17°C to 17°C. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around early May. On the long-run averages the water opens up around early May and starts locking again about late November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Lac Hatch.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Failing this one, try Lac Bow, 0.7 km away. For Lac Hatch, the notice at the access point is the final word.