Lac Joinville in Laurentides: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  In Quebec, Lac Joinville falls inside Laurentides. It lies 278 metres above sea level. At some 2.71 sq km it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. The shoreline runs about 14 km, so it pays to pick a stretch and stay with it. On our Laurentides list it sits near the top for size. Nearest place of any size is La Minerve, 22 km away. After that come Rivière-Rouge at 29 km and Notre-Dame-du-Mont-Carmel at 33 km. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lac Joinville

  Our records hold no depth for this water. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Reported across Laurentides: 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 Joinville the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 18°C and January at -14°C. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Look for the thaw near late April; the fishing lifts straight after. Average temperatures cross freezing around late April in spring and again near late November in autumn. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. Lac Joinville runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Launching is possible: a slipway lies 1.2 km off. Mapping shows a campsite some 1.4 km from the water. Public toilets are recorded roughly 1.3 km off. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Lac Kent at 1.4 km is the sensible second choice. Ask locally about Lac Joinville if anything is unclear.