Lac Willard, Quebec: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  The Outaouais end of Quebec holds Lac Willard. The setting is mixed forest. It runs to roughly 27 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Some 48 km away sits Saint-Boniface, the nearest settlement. Further out sit Maniwaki (56 km) and Saint-Raphaël (64 km). If this one is busy: Lac Gerry 2.2 km off, 2.7 km away is Lac Hamel, Lac Gagamo 2.8 km off, 3.6 km away is Lac Dupont and Lac Labelle 3.9 km off. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Lac Willard

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. County-wide records name pumpkinseed, yellow perch, smallmouth bass and rainbow smelt. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. On Lac Willard the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 18°C, the coldest about -16°C. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough late April. Climate figures give an open season running late April to late November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. It holds true on Lac Willard more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. For a change of water, Lac Gerry is 2.2 km distant. Confirm before you fish Lac Willard.