Lac Hempel, Quebec: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Within Outaouais, Quebec, you have Lac Hempel. It stands 229 metres above sea level. This is a pocket water of some 8 hectares, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Ground here is low by Quebec standards. Saint-Raphaël is the closest place, 17 km off. Then Maniwaki, 22 km, and Saint-Boniface, 29 km. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Lac Hempel

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. County-wide records name pumpkinseed, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, rainbow smelt and Iowa darter. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Lac Hempel fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 18°C in July and bottom out at -14°C in January. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough late April. The water is typically free of ice between late April and late November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Anyone fishing Lac Hempel regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Lac Ellard sits 1.3 km off and takes the overflow. Ask locally about Lac Hempel if anything is unclear.