Lac Malherbe Fishing near Saint-Michel-des-Saints, Quebec

• Overview

  You will find Lac Malherbe in Lanaudière, Quebec. Height above sea level is 548 metres. It covers about 6 hectares, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Compared with other Quebec water on our list, it sits high. Saint-Michel-des-Saints at 34 km is the nearest place to stop. The nearest city of size is Saint-Louis-de-Terrebonne, 130 km away. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Lac Malherbe

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. County-wide records name pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass and yellow perch. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. On Lac Malherbe the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 17°C for July and -15°C for January. The fishing year opens late and shuts early. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near early May. Open water usually runs from early May until about mid November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. On Lac Malherbe the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. If the gate is shut, Lac Troche at 1.2 km is the nearest alternative. Where Lac Malherbe is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.