Lac Karou in Laurentides: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Set in Laurentides, Quebec, this is Lac Karou. It lies 352 metres above sea level. At 4 hectares it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Ferme-Neuve lies 73 km from the water. Manawan is 75 km and Mont-Laurier 90 km. In the same area: Lac Ouzel sits 0.7 km out, Lac Quad 1.6 km away, Lac a l'Eau Claire sits 2.7 km out, Lac Nidor 2.8 km away and Lac Mazer sits 3 km out. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Lac Karou

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. County-wide records name pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, brook trout and rock bass. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. On Lac Karou the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about -16°C in January to roughly 17°C in July. Everything is compressed into the middle of the year. After early May the shallows warm and the fish move up. The open-water window runs from around early May to about mid November in an average year. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. On Lac Karou the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Failing this one, try Lac Ouzel, 0.7 km away. Confirm access to Lac Karou locally before you travel.