Lac Mae in Outaouais: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Lac Mae is one of the Outaouais waters in Quebec. The ground round it is lake country bush. At roughly 5 hectares, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. Nearest place of any size is Saint-Boniface, 57 km away. Beyond it, Maniwaki at 69 km and Ferme-Neuve at 78 km. Within easy reach: Lac Bow a shade over 1.7 km, Lac Belair just 1.7 km, Lac Hatch a shade over 1.9 km, Lac Roland just 1.9 km and Lac Lyll a shade over 2 km. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Lac Mae

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Species logged across Outaouais include pumpkinseed, yellow perch and smallmouth bass. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Work Lac Mae in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 17°C in July and bottom out at -16°C in January. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around late April. The season between ice runs from about late April to late November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. At Lac Mae the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. A picnic area is mapped about 1 km away. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Lac Bow sits 1.7 km off and takes the overflow. The position on Lac Mae is worth confirming on the day.