Lac des Deux-Montagnes sits 40 minutes west of Montreal at the confluence of the Ottawa and St. Lawrence rivers. It's technically a widening of the Ottawa River — broad, shallow, and ringed by extensive vegetation mats that are some of the best largemouth bass habitat in the region. The fish here don't get the same pressure as Lac Saint-Louis, partly because anglers heading west tend to blow past it on their way to bigger destinations.
That's their loss. A calm June morning in the Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac shallows, with largemouth blowing up topwater lures in the lily pads, is hard to beat within an hour of downtown Montreal.
Understanding the Lake
Lac des Deux-Montagnes averages around 3 to 5 metres in depth across most of its basin, with some deeper holes near the main channels. The Ottawa River input from the west keeps the water cooler and slightly more turbid than Lac Saint-Louis, and the heavy vegetation along the south and north shores grows thick by July. That vegetation is the key structure for bass and pike alike.
The lake's western end near Oka and Pointe-Calumet receives Ottawa River flow directly and has more current influence than the eastern basin near Île Bizard. The two ends fish differently. The western shallows are classic pike and largemouth water. The eastern end, near the connection with Lac Saint-Louis, gets more boat traffic from the Montreal side and the fish there are more pressured.
Pointe-Calumet (Primary Launch)
The municipal launch at Pointe-Calumet is the standard entry point for the western basin. It's free, the ramp handles trailered boats and cartop craft, and parking is adequate outside of summer holidays. From the launch, you're five minutes from the main vegetation flats. Head west along the south shore toward Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac for the best largemouth concentrations, or north toward Oka for pike in the river mouth area.
For kayak and canoe anglers, there's also beach access along the Pointe-Calumet waterfront itself. The water is shallow enough near shore that you can launch from the sand without needing the ramp.
Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac (Best Bass Area)
The shoreline around Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac is the most consistently productive largemouth bass territory on the lake. The combination of lily pad fields, emergent reeds, and dock structures along the residential waterfront gives bass everything they need through the entire open-water season. In late May and June during spawning, fish are visible on beds in the clear shallows near the edge of the pads. Later in summer they push further back into the vegetation and into the shade of dock structures.
A weedless Texas-rigged soft plastic is the workhorse presentation here (see our Texas Rig guide for setup). Weedless frogs and buzzbaits over the top of the dense pads in the morning are worth carrying. The bass aren't subtle about topwater when conditions are right. For dock fishing, pitch a weightless Senko or small swimbait tight to the shadow line.
Oka Area (Pike and Walleye)
The northwestern corner of the lake near Oka, where the main Ottawa River channel enters, holds better northern pike numbers than the rest of the lake. The current influence keeps the water cooler and oxygenated, and the transition from river to lake creates a concentration point. Large spinnerbaits and weedless spoons along the weed edges from May through July produce good pike. After July, the pike retreat deeper with the heat and become harder to target without finding thermocline structure.
Walleye are present in the deeper channel areas and at the rock transitions near Oka, though the lake is primarily known for bass and pike. If walleye is your target, the deeper holes in the western channel near the Oka ferry crossing are worth trying in the evening with a jig and minnow.
Oka Provincial Park Access
Parc national d'Oka borders the north shore of the lake and offers excellent shore fishing access along its beachfront and adjacent shorelines. The park charges a daily access fee (SEPAQ), but in exchange you get maintained access, picnic areas, and some of the cleanest shoreline on the lake. Kayak rentals are available in the park during summer, which makes for an easy entry point for anglers without their own gear.
The area around the park's north shore access, past the beach in the early morning before swimmers arrive, holds bass tight to the rock and dock structures. It's worth being there at first light.
Practical Notes
Lac des Deux-Montagnes is busiest from late June through August with recreational boat and Jet Ski traffic, particularly on weekends. The vegetation areas near Sainte-Marthe offer some buffer from boat wakes, but it's still unpleasant on a Saturday afternoon in July. Weekday mornings and evening sessions are noticeably quieter.
Bass season on Lac des Deux-Montagnes opens in late June. Don't fish for bass before the opener, even if you can see them on beds. Pike and walleye season opens earlier. Check Zone 5 regulations for current dates.
20+ years fishing Quebec's freshwater systems. Kayak angler, catch-and-release advocate, and founder of Sub Urban Anglers.
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