Fishing at Lac Hayes, Mauricie, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac Hayes is set in Mauricie, Quebec. The ground round it is taiga. Surface area runs to about 3 hectares — small enough to read in one session. Most waters listed here for Mauricie are larger. Nearest town is Weymontachie, 35 km off. Beyond it, Leblanc at 71 km and La Tuque at 89 km. No boundary runs near, so the local rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Lac Hayes

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Open biodiversity records for Mauricie list northern pike, brook trout and walleye. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Work Lac Hayes in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 16°C and January about -17°C. Open water arrives late and leaves early, which concentrates the fishing. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly early May. On average, early May opens the water and mid November closes it again. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. Lac Hayes runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. 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. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Lac du Chiffon at 2 km is the sensible second choice. For Lac Hayes in particular, ask before you travel.