Lac Quetsche, Quebec: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  The Outaouais entry here is Lac Quetsche, in Quebec. It lies 395 metres above sea level. Small at around 3 hectares: two anglers spread out cover most of it. It is a small entry by Outaouais standards. Saint-Boniface lies 87 km from the water. Then Maniwaki, 98 km, and Saint-Raphaël, 107 km. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Lac Quetsche

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Survey and observation records for Outaouais include pumpkinseed, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, rainbow smelt and Iowa darter. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. On Lac Quetsche that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between -17°C in January and 17°C in July. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Count the season from break-up, usually early May. Averages place the thaw at early May and the freeze at late November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. The season on Lac Quetsche follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Lac Ichneumon sits 0.7 km off and takes the overflow. Nothing here settles the position at Lac Quetsche for certain.