Lac McDown, Quebec: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Lac McDown sits within Laurentides in Quebec. It sits in mixed forest country. It measures about 22 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. With about 2.2 km of edge, you can try several depths in one session. Some 21 km away sits Mont-Laurier, the nearest settlement. For a city, Orléans is 117 km off. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Lac McDown

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. County-wide records name pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, yellow perch and brook trout. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Fish Lac McDown where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 18°C and January near -15°C. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. The open-water window runs from around late April to about late November in an average year. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. On Lac McDown that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. If the gate is shut, Lac Ringuet at 2.4 km is the nearest alternative. For Lac McDown in particular, ask before you travel.