Lac Iroquois in Mauricie: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Lac Iroquois belongs to Mauricie, Quebec. The ground round it is pine and birch. Surface area runs to about 6 hectares — small enough to read in one session. La Tuque sits 49 km from here and is the nearest stop. Saguenay sits 127 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Lac Iroquois

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Species logged across Mauricie include northern pike, brook trout, walleye and yellow perch. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. At Lac Iroquois the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 17°C at the top of summer and -16°C at the bottom of winter. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near early May. The water is typically free of ice between early May and mid November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Lac Iroquois.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Failing this one, try Le Petit Lac, 0.6 km away. Check the position at Lac Iroquois before loading the car.