Fishing Lac Philimore in Mauricie, Quebec

• Overview

  In Quebec, Lac Philimore belongs to Mauricie. It stands 363 metres above sea level. It runs to roughly 38 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Around 3.4 km of margin, front to back. On our Mauricie list it sits near the top for size. The closest town, La Tuque, is 16 km away. Further out sit Laurentides (62 km) and Sainte-Thècle (76 km). No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Lac Philimore

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Fish documented in Mauricie include northern pike, brook trout and walleye. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. The near bank of Lac Philimore is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is -16°C to 17°C. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Ice-out usually falls in late April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Open water usually runs from late April until about mid November. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. Expect Lac Philimore to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Should this one be busy, Lac Porc-Epic is 1.9 km off. Rules at Lac Philimore are worth checking on the day.