Lac Pailhes, Quebec: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Lac Pailhes lies in Outaouais, in Quebec. The water sits 412 metres up. At 3 hectares it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. On size it sits at the modest end of our Outaouais list. Saint-Boniface sits 54 km from here and is the nearest stop. Gatineau sits 168 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. No boundary runs near, so the local rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Lac Pailhes

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Outaouais records list pumpkinseed, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, rainbow smelt and Iowa darter among the fish reported. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. At Lac Pailhes light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs -17°C to 17°C. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. The lid usually goes in late April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. On average, late April opens the water and late November closes it again. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. It holds true on Lac Pailhes more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Should this one be busy, Lac Amelot is 0.6 km off. What applies at Lac Pailhes may have changed since it was mapped.