Fishing Petit lac Natowe in Lanaudière, Quebec

• Overview

  Set in Lanaudière, Petit lac Natowe is a Quebec water. The land about it is taiga. The water measures roughly 4 hectares, so nothing here is far from anything else. For supplies, Manawan is 12 km out. Beyond it, Saint-Michel-des-Saints at 58 km and Weymontachie at 91 km. Also within reach: Lac du Bouton at 1.2 km, Lac de la Boutonniere within 1.9 km, Lac Sleeve at 2.5 km, Lac Sing within 3.1 km and Lac Chaise at 3.9 km. No boundary runs near, so the local rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Petit lac Natowe

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Records held for Lanaudière cover pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, yellow perch and rock bass. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Read Petit lac Natowe for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 17°C; by January the average is down near -16°C. A short, intense season is the rule this far north. Break-up comes around early May, and the run that follows is short and strong. In an average year the thaw lands around early May and the freeze near mid November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Petit lac Natowe.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. If the gate is shut, Lac du Bouton at 1.2 km is the nearest alternative. None of that is settled for Petit lac Natowe in what we hold.