Fishing at Lac Zero, Mauricie, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac Zero sits in Mauricie, out in Quebec. It lies 340 metres above sea level. Around 35 hectares of surface means several distinct areas to work. With about 3.8 km of edge, you can try several depths in one session. It is among the larger waters listed here for Mauricie. La Tuque is the closest town at 42 km. It is 135 km to Trois-Rivières, the nearest city. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Lac Zero

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Records held for Mauricie cover northern pike, brook trout, walleye and yellow perch. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. On Lac Zero the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -16°C in January up to 17°C in July. Winter shuts the surface down for months. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around late April. Open water usually runs from late April until about late November. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. Time your trip to Lac Zero by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Should this one be busy, Lac Beauvoir is 1.4 km off. Rules at Lac Zero are worth checking on the day.