Lac Richard in Mauricie: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Lac Richard is listed under Mauricie, Quebec. The country round it is northern bush from end to end. It runs to roughly 94 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. With about 4.4 km of edge, you can try several depths in one session. Size puts it in the front rank of our Mauricie list. The closest town, Leblanc, is 57 km away. Then Weymontachie, 110 km, and Chapais, 116 km. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lac Richard

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Mauricie records list northern pike, brook trout, walleye, yellow perch and white sucker among the fish reported. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. The near bank of Lac Richard is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -18°C in January up to 16°C in July. Everything is compressed into the middle of the year. 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. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. It sets the rhythm of the year at Lac Richard.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Should this one be busy, Lac Marchand is 3.1 km off. None of that is settled for Lac Richard in what we hold.