Lac John Fishing near Manawan, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac John falls in Mauricie, part of Quebec. The water sits 448 metres up. Some 59 km away sits Manawan, the nearest settlement. Further out sit Leblanc (64 km) and Weymontachie (67 km). Close neighbours run: Etang Riendeau the better part of 1.7 km, Lac du Totem within 1.8 km, Lac Spence the better part of 2 km, Lac Zero within 2.5 km and Lac Fred the better part of 2.5 km. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Lac John

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Reported across Mauricie: northern pike, brook trout, walleye, yellow perch and white sucker. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. The shape of Lac John decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 16°C, the coldest about -17°C. The year here is short and sharp: a long lid, then a burst of open water. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around early May. Average temperatures cross freezing around early May in spring and again near mid November in autumn. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. That is the shape of the year on Lac John.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Etang Riendeau at 1.7 km is the sensible second choice. Check the current arrangement for Lac John.