Fishing Lac Maurice-Richard in Lanaudière, Quebec

• Overview

  In Quebec, Lac Maurice-Richard falls inside Lanaudière. The bank gives way to spruce and muskeg. The water covers some 29 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Around 5.5 km of bank, which is a long day on foot. By elevation it is in the upper part of our Quebec listings. Supplies mean a trip to Manawan, 22 km off. The nearest city of size is Trois-Rivières, 152 km away. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Lac Maurice-Richard

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Species logged across Lanaudière include pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, rock bass and brook trout. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. On Lac Maurice-Richard 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. Winter owns most of the year at this latitude. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early May. Climate figures give an open season running early May to mid November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. On Lac Maurice-Richard that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Lac du Second at 1 km is the sensible second choice. For Lac Maurice-Richard in particular, ask before you travel.