Fishing Lac Lachapelle in Outaouais, Quebec

• Overview

  Outaouais in Quebec is where Lac Lachapelle sits. It sits at 155 metres above sea level. Around 38 hectares of surface means several distinct areas to work. The bank runs about 2.8 km all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Few waters listed in Outaouais are bigger. 32 km away sits Saint-Raphaël, the nearest town. The nearest city of size is Gatineau, 58 km away. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Lac Lachapelle

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Fish documented in Outaouais include pumpkinseed, yellow perch, smallmouth bass and rainbow smelt. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Read Lac Lachapelle before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 19°C; the cold one sits at -13°C. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late April. Break-up near late April, freeze-up near early December: that is the shape of an average year. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. On Lac Lachapelle that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. If the gate is shut, Lac du Camp at 1.9 km is the nearest alternative. Where Lac Lachapelle is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.