Lac Paul-Emile in Lanaudière: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Lac Paul-Emile is set in Lanaudière, Quebec. The surface lies 490 metres up. With some 17 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The bank runs about 2.4 km all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Manawan lies 30 km from the water. The big place round here is Trois-Rivières, 141 km distant. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lac Paul-Emile

  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. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Lanaudière records list pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass and yellow perch among the fish reported. The county list is broader than any single water. Lac Paul-Emile gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 17°C in July and bottom out at -16°C in January. This far north the hard season runs and runs. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around early May. Break-up near early May, freeze-up near mid November: that is the shape of an average year. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Plan any trip to Lac Paul-Emile around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Lac Gregoire sits 1.4 km off and takes the overflow. Confirm before you fish Lac Paul-Emile.