Fishing at Lac Norman-Dewar, Laurentides, Quebec

• Overview

  The Laurentides end of Quebec holds Lac Norman-Dewar. Height above sea level is 260 metres. At 8 hectares it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Brownsburg-Chatham sits 18 km from the bank. Saint-Adolphe-d'Howard follows at 21 km, then Morin-Heights at 23 km. No border sits close enough to matter. There are roughly four months where the mean sits under zero.

• Where to Fish on Lac Norman-Dewar

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Across Laurentides, recorded fish include pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, brook trout and rock bass. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Anyone new to Lac Norman-Dewar should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about -13°C and July at about 19°C, the water has a wide range to work through. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Ice is part of the season here, ending near late April. Averages place the thaw at late April and the freeze at early December. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Plan any trip to Lac Norman-Dewar around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Lac McRae, 0.6 km away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the position at Lac Norman-Dewar before loading the car.