Lac John in Mauricie: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  You will find Lac John in Mauricie, Quebec. The water sits 397 metres up. Small at around 3 hectares: two anglers spread out cover most of it. It is a small entry by Mauricie standards. Some 32 km away sits Weymontachie, the nearest settlement. The nearest city of size is Trois-Rivières, 165 km away. 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 productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Fish documented in Mauricie include northern pike, brook trout and walleye. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Work Lac John in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is -16°C to 17°C. Open water is the exception rather than the rule here. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from early May. Climate averages put the opening at about early May and the closing near mid November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Lac John runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. If the gate is shut, Lac Gauthier at 0.5 km is the nearest alternative. None of that is settled for Lac John in what we hold.