Fishing at Lac Tolley, Mauricie, Quebec

• Overview

  Mauricie in Quebec is where Lac Tolley sits. It stands 418 metres above sea level. With some 31 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. There is roughly 3.8 km of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. Leblanc sits 82 km from the bank. Manawan follows at 101 km, then Weymontachie at 114 km. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Lac Tolley

  Depth figures are not published for this one. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Across Mauricie, recorded fish include northern pike, brook trout, walleye and yellow perch. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Read Lac Tolley before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between -17°C in January and 16°C in July. Open water arrives late and leaves early, which concentrates the fishing. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near early May. Open water usually runs from early May until about mid November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. That shapes the year on Lac Tolley.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Lac la Hache at 2.6 km is the sensible second choice. The position on Lac Tolley is worth confirming on the day.