Lac Pollack Fishing near Sainte-Thècle, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac Pollack is a Mauricie water, Quebec side. Country round the bank runs to lake country bush. It covers about 2 hectares, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. On size it sits at the modest end of our Mauricie list. Sainte-Thècle is the closest place, 15 km off. Then Laurentides, 24 km, and Saint-Tite, 25 km. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Lac Pollack

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Across Mauricie, recorded fish include northern pike, brook trout, walleye and yellow perch. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. On Lac Pollack the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between -15°C in January and 18°C in July. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from late April. Averages place the thaw at late April and the freeze at late November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Lac Pollack runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Should this one be busy, Lac Vieillotte is 2 km off. Check the current arrangement for Lac Pollack.