Lac Maurice Fishing near Ferme-Neuve, Quebec

• Overview

  Look for Lac Maurice in the Laurentides part of Quebec. It lies 270 metres above sea level. At roughly 6 hectares, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. Ferme-Neuve lies 24 km from the water. It is 140 km to Orléans, the nearest city. Close neighbours run: Lac Roman at about 3.8 km, Lac des Cornes 4 km away, Lac de la Bouette at about 4.8 km, Lac du Camp Quatre 5.4 km away and Reservoir Kiamika at about 5.7 km. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Lac Maurice

  Our records hold no depth for this water. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Records held for Laurentides cover pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, yellow perch and brook trout. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. The shape of Lac Maurice rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 18°C for July and -15°C for January. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Winter locks it down, and late April brings it back. The lid tends to go about late April and return around late November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. That is the shape of the year on Lac Maurice.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Overnight stays are possible 1.2 km away. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. If the gate is shut, Lac Roman at 3.8 km is the nearest alternative. Where Lac Maurice is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.