Lac Hautbois Fishing in Laurentides, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac Hautbois is a Laurentides water, Quebec side. The water sits 407 metres up. At roughly 9 hectares, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. 40 km away sits Rivière-Rouge, the nearest town. Beyond it, Labelle at 52 km and Saint-Michel-des-Saints at 56 km. Also worth knowing: Lac du Piedmont at about 1.1 km, Lac McIntyre (1.6 km), Petit lac McIntyre at about 2.7 km, Lac McRae (2.7 km) and Lac Fournet at about 3.3 km. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Lac Hautbois

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Laurentides records list pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass and yellow perch among the fish reported. The county list is broader than any single water. Anyone new to Lac Hautbois should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 17°C in July and bottom out at -15°C in January. Long winters and short summers set the pattern. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early May. Ice usually gives way near early May, and forms again about mid November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Lac Hautbois.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. If the gate is shut, Lac du Piedmont at 1.1 km is the nearest alternative. Treat access at Lac Hautbois as something to verify.