Lac Manistique Fishing Guide, Mauricie, Quebec

• Overview

  In Quebec, Lac Manistique belongs to Mauricie. It stands 378 metres above sea level. It covers about 9 hectares, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. The nearest place of any size is La Tuque, 51 km away. It is 118 km to Trois-Rivières, the nearest city. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Lac Manistique

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Mauricie records list northern pike, brook trout, walleye, yellow perch and white sucker among the fish reported. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. On Lac Manistique the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 17°C in July and bottoms out near -16°C in January. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about late April. Climate figures give an open season running late April to mid November. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. It sets the rhythm of the year at Lac Manistique.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Failing this one, try Lac Mamawi, 0.5 km away. Rules at Lac Manistique are worth checking on the day.