Lac Iris Fishing Guide, Laurentides, Quebec

• Overview

  In Quebec, Lac Iris belongs to Laurentides. It stands 277 metres above sea level. At roughly 5 hectares, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. The nearest place of any size is Ferme-Neuve, 50 km away. For a city, Gatineau is 165 km off. Water in the same corner: Lac Etoc 1.3 km off, Lac Alces within 2.7 km, Lac Vetuste 2.8 km off, Lac Frime within 3.3 km and Lac Amer 3.4 km off. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Lac Iris

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Records held for Laurentides cover pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, brook trout and rock bass. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. At Lac Iris the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 18°C for July and -16°C for January. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. The lid usually goes in late April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Ice usually gives way near late April, and forms again about late November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Plan any trip to Lac Iris around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. If the gate is shut, Lac Etoc at 1.3 km is the nearest alternative. Check the position on Lac Iris before loading the car.