Fishing Lac Miller in Mauricie, Quebec

• Overview

  Set in Mauricie, Lac Miller is a Quebec water. What surrounds it is taiga. Surface area runs to about 3 hectares — small enough to read in one session. It is a small entry by Mauricie standards. Weymontachie is the closest town at 32 km. Manawan is 64 km and La Tuque 76 km. Others worth noting: Lac Owen within 1.2 km, Lac Hudson the better part of 1.4 km, Lac Andrew within 1.7 km, Lac Bacon the better part of 2.1 km and Lac Selby within 2.9 km. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Lac Miller

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Reported across Mauricie: northern pike, brook trout, walleye and yellow perch. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. On Lac Miller the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between -16°C in January and 16°C in July. Cold dominates the year and the fishing works around it. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near early May. Break-up near early May, freeze-up near mid November: that is the shape of an average year. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. That is the shape of the year on Lac Miller.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Failing this one, try Lac Owen, 1.2 km away. For Lac Miller in particular, ask before you travel.