Lac Velennes Fishing near Saint-Donat-de-Montcalm, Quebec

• Overview

  In Quebec, Lac Velennes belongs to Lanaudière. The country round it is pine and birch from end to end. Surface area runs to about 3 hectares — small enough to read in one session. Most waters listed here for Lanaudière are larger. Nearest place of any size is Saint-Donat-de-Montcalm, 25 km away. The nearest city of size is Saint-Louis-de-Terrebonne, 100 km away. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lac Velennes

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Open biodiversity records for Lanaudière list pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass and yellow perch. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Lac Velennes the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about -15°C and July at about 17°C, the water has a wide range to work through. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Count the season from break-up, usually late April. From about late April to around late November, expect open water on the long-run figures. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Lac Velennes fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Failing this one, try Lac Fralen, 2.4 km away. Nothing on Lac Velennes should be assumed from this page alone.