Lac Saint-Laurent near Laurentides: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Out in Capitale-Nationale, Quebec, sits Lac Saint-Laurent. It lies 212 metres above sea level. At roughly 2 hectares, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. Most waters listed here for Capitale-Nationale are larger. Start from Laurentides, 14 km down the road. Saint-Raymond follows at 30 km, then Saint-Ubalde at 31 km. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Lac Saint-Laurent

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Fish documented in Capitale-Nationale include lake sturgeon, Atlantic sturgeon and longnose sucker. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. At Lac Saint-Laurent the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 18°C; the cold one sits at -15°C. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about late April. Break-up sits around late April on average, with the water closing again about late November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. It holds true on Lac Saint-Laurent more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. For walleye, a jig and minnow near the bottom is the standard; evenings beat middays. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Failing this one, try Lac Quatorze, 0.8 km away. Rules at Lac Saint-Laurent are worth checking on the day.