Fishing at Petit lac Vaillancourt, Lanaudière, Quebec

• Overview

  Out in Lanaudière, Quebec, sits Petit lac Vaillancourt. It stands 433 metres above sea level. At 7 hectares it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. For supplies, Manawan is 46 km out. Ferme-Neuve is 78 km away, with Mont-Laurier at 95 km. Water in the same corner: Petit lac Canotier about 2 km, Lac Vaillancourt just 2.4 km, Lac Riendeau about 2.6 km, Lac de la Buck Fever just 2.7 km and Lac Eva about 2.7 km. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Petit lac Vaillancourt

  Our records hold no depth for this water. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Species logged across Lanaudière include pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass and yellow perch. The county list is broader than any single water. On Petit lac Vaillancourt the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 17°C and January near -16°C. This far north the hard season runs and runs. The lid usually goes in early May, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. On the long-run averages the water opens up around early May and starts locking again about mid November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. The season on Petit lac Vaillancourt follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. If the gate is shut, Petit lac Canotier at 2 km is the nearest alternative. Check the position at Petit lac Vaillancourt before loading the car.