Fishing Petit lac Macousine in Mauricie, Quebec

• Overview

  Mauricie in Quebec is where Petit lac Macousine sits. It lies 418 metres above sea level. It runs to roughly 62 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. At about 8.4 km of edge, most people work one arm at a time. Size puts it in the front rank of our Mauricie list. Nearest place of any size is La Tuque, 63 km away. The nearest city of size is Saguenay, 105 km away. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Petit lac Macousine

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Reported across Mauricie: northern pike, brook trout and walleye. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Fish Petit lac Macousine where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 17°C; the cold one sits at -16°C. Water stays cold even at the height of the year. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from early May. From about early May to around mid November, expect open water on the long-run figures. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. On Petit lac Macousine that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. The nearest alternative is Lac Marc, 0.3 km out. Confirm before you fish Petit lac Macousine.