Lac Thomas Fishing in Lanaudière, Quebec

• Overview

  Out in Lanaudière, Quebec, sits Lac Thomas. What surrounds it is lake country bush. Around 50 hectares of surface means several distinct areas to work. With 6.5 km or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. Size puts it in the front rank of our Lanaudière list. 8.4 km away sits Mandeville, the nearest town. After that come Saint-Gabriel at 14 km and Saint-Élie-de-Caxton at 24 km. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Lac Thomas

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Public occurrence data for Lanaudière names pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, yellow perch and rock bass. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Read Lac Thomas for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about -13°C and July at about 19°C, the water has a wide range to work through. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Count the season from break-up, usually late April. Averages place the thaw at late April and the freeze at late November. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. It holds true on Lac Thomas more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. For a change of water, Lac a Ti-Pit is 1.9 km distant. Check the position at Lac Thomas before loading the car.