Petit lac des Cedres Fishing Guide, Outaouais, Quebec

• Overview

  Quebec holds Petit lac des Cedres, in Outaouais. The ground around here is lake country bush. It measures some 2.81 sq km, and wind has room to build across it. Around 15 km of bank, which is a long day on foot. On our Outaouais list it sits near the top for size. Saint-Raphaël at 6.7 km is the nearest place to stop. After that come Maniwaki at 13 km and Saint-Boniface at 24 km. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Petit lac des Cedres

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Species logged across Outaouais include pumpkinseed, yellow perch, smallmouth bass and rainbow smelt. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. The near bank of Petit lac des Cedres is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about -13°C and July at about 19°C, the water has a wide range to work through. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Winter locks it down, and late April brings it back. Climate figures give an open season running late April to late November. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. Petit lac des Cedres runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Lac Vaseux at 1.7 km is the sensible second choice. Where Petit lac des Cedres is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.