Petit lac Ethier in Laurentides: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Petit lac Ethier belongs to Laurentides, Quebec. Everything around it is mixed forest. The closest town, La Minerve, is 6.9 km away. After that come Lac-Simon at 20 km and Labelle at 22 km. Water in the same corner: Lac de la Plombee lies 0.7 km on, Lac Krausman a shade over 0.7 km, Lac Ethier lies 0.9 km on, Lac du Clapier a shade over 1.1 km and Lac Caouest lies 1.2 km on. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Petit lac Ethier

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Fish documented in Laurentides include pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, brook trout and rock bass. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Petit lac Ethier repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between -14°C in January and 18°C in July. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Once it clears, about late April, the fishing comes on quickly. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about late April until roughly late November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Petit lac Ethier.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Failing this one, try Lac de la Plombee, 0.7 km away. Where Petit lac Ethier is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.