Fishing at Lac Patry, Mauricie, Quebec

• Overview

  Quebec holds Lac Patry, in Mauricie. The setting is northern bush. With some 14 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Shoreline comes to about 2.1 km, small enough to learn in a day. The nearest place of any size is Leblanc, 36 km away. The nearest city of size is Saguenay, 209 km away. Also worth knowing: Lac Corbeau just 0.8 km, Lac Natien at 0.8 km, Lac Dernier just 0.8 km, Lac Solitaire at 1 km and Lac du Milieu just 1.3 km. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Lac Patry

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Records held for Mauricie cover northern pike, brook trout, walleye and yellow perch. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. Work Lac Patry in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -17°C in January up to 16°C in July. Open water is the exception rather than the rule here. Look for the thaw near early May; the fishing lifts straight after. In an average year the thaw lands around early May and the freeze near mid November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. On Lac Patry that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. For a change of water, Lac Corbeau is 0.8 km distant. Check the position on Lac Patry before loading the car.