Lac Wilson Fishing Guide, Laurentides, Quebec

• Overview

  Within Laurentides, Quebec, you have Lac Wilson. The coast is 26 km away. The water covers some 23 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The full circuit measures close to 2.2 km on foot. Brownsburg-Chatham is the closest place, 15 km off. After that come L'Orignal at 16 km and Hawkesbury at 16 km. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lac Wilson

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. County-wide records name pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, brook trout and rock bass. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Fish Lac Wilson to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 19°C in July and bottoms out near -12°C in January. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly late April. Averages suggest open water from about late April through to roughly early December. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. That shapes the year on Lac Wilson.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. 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. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. For a change of water, Lac a McIntyre is 1 km distant. Rules at Lac Wilson are worth checking on the day.