Lac Rouillard in Mauricie: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Lac Rouillard lies within the bounds of Mauricie, Quebec. The bank is 508 metres above sea level. It runs to roughly 76 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. There is roughly 8.3 km of bank, more than one visit can cover properly. It is among the larger waters listed here for Mauricie. Some 43 km away sits Leblanc, the nearest settlement. Saguenay is the closest city, 203 km away. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Lac Rouillard

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. County-wide records name northern pike, brook trout, walleye, yellow perch and white sucker. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Work Lac Rouillard in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 16°C at the top of summer and -18°C at the bottom of winter. Everything is compressed into the middle of the year. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near early May. Climate averages put the opening at about early May and the closing near mid November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. On Lac Rouillard the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Should this one be busy, Petit lac Rouillard is 0.7 km off. Check the position on Lac Rouillard before loading the car.