Fishing at Lac Normandin, Mauricie, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac Normandin belongs to Mauricie, Quebec. The water sits 411 metres up. At 2.02 sq km this is proper open water rather than a pond. Around 12 km of bank, which is a long day on foot. Few waters listed in Mauricie are bigger. Leblanc lies 77 km from the water. After that come Chapais at 100 km and Chibougamau at 106 km. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Lac Normandin

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Public occurrence data for Mauricie names northern pike, brook trout, walleye, yellow perch and white sucker. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. On Lac Normandin the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 16°C in July and bottom out at -18°C in January. Cold dominates the calendar on water this far north. Ice-out usually falls in early May, and the weeks after it fish hardest. On average, early May opens the water and mid November closes it again. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. It holds true on Lac Normandin more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Lac Cenon at 0.8 km is the sensible second choice. Ask locally about Lac Normandin if anything is unclear.