Lac Tape Fishing in Lanaudière, Quebec

• Overview

  Out in Lanaudière, Quebec, sits Lac Tape. The land about it is mixed forest. The water covers some 29 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The edge runs 3.6 km or so, easy to work in an afternoon. For a base, Saint-Michel-des-Saints sits 22 km out. Saint-Donat-de-Montcalm lies 26 km off, Mont-Tremblant another 50 km. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Lac Tape

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. County-wide records name pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, rock bass and brook trout. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. On Lac Tape the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 17°C in July and bottoms out near -15°C in January. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around late April. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about late April until roughly late November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Plan around that when you fish Lac Tape.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Should this one be busy, Lac Gaston is 0.6 km off. Where Lac Tape is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.