Petit lac Clair, Quebec: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Outaouais, Quebec, is where Petit lac Clair sits. This is pine and birch ground. With some 23 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The whole outline is near 3.1 km, and most of it is walkable. Head to Wakefield, 9.8 km away, for anything you forgot. The nearest city of size is Gatineau, 32 km away. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Petit lac Clair

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Outaouais records list pumpkinseed, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, rainbow smelt and Iowa darter among the fish reported. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. At Petit lac Clair light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about -13°C and July at about 19°C, the water has a wide range to work through. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late April. On the long-run averages the water opens up around late April and starts locking again about early December. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. It sets the rhythm of the year at Petit lac Clair.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. For a change of water, Lac aux Billots is 1.6 km distant. Signs at Petit lac Clair carry more weight than any list.