Lac Rivard Fishing in Laurentides, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac Rivard is one of the Laurentides listings for Quebec. It sits at 320 metres above sea level. Around 49 hectares of surface means several distinct areas to work. The margin runs to about 6.9 km in total. On our Laurentides list it sits near the top for size. Mont-Laurier is the closest town at 28 km. Beyond it, La Minerve at 29 km and Rivière-Rouge at 32 km. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lac Rivard

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Laurentides records list pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, yellow perch and brook trout among the fish reported. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. The shape of Lac Rivard rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 18°C, with January the cold end at about -15°C. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly late April. Average temperatures cross freezing around late April in spring and again near late November in autumn. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Anyone fishing Lac Rivard regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. For a change of water, Petit lac Rivard is 0.7 km distant. Confirm access to Lac Rivard locally before you travel.