Lac Janet Fishing near Shawville, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac Janet is an Outaouais water, in Quebec. It sits in lake country bush country. Around 16 hectares of surface means several distinct areas to work. A shoreline of some 2.1 km keeps the choices simple. Ground here is low by Quebec standards. For a base, Shawville sits 28 km out. It is 61 km to Gatineau, the nearest city. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Lac Janet

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Outaouais records list pumpkinseed, yellow perch, smallmouth bass and rainbow smelt among the fish reported. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. At Lac Janet the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -13°C in January up to 19°C in July. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Once it clears, about late April, the fishing comes on quickly. Open water usually runs from late April until about early December. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. On Lac Janet that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. The nearest alternative is Lac Simpson, 2.1 km out. Treat Lac Janet as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.