Lac Valin Fishing in Outaouais, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac Valin lies in Outaouais, in Quebec. The water sits 387 metres up. It covers about 9 hectares, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. The nearest town is Saint-Boniface, 61 km away. It is 174 km to Gatineau, the nearest city. Near neighbours: Lac Pepin at about 1 km, Lac Labaye 1.5 km away, Lac Coby at about 1.6 km, Lac Louise 1.7 km away and Lac Guimot at about 2 km. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Lac Valin

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Outaouais records list pumpkinseed, yellow perch, smallmouth bass and rainbow smelt among the fish reported. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. On Lac Valin the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is -17°C to 17°C. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Winter locks it down, and early May brings it back. The lid tends to go about early May and return around late November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Lac Valin.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. For a change of water, Lac Pepin is 1 km distant. Check the current arrangement for Lac Valin.