Fishing Melia Lake in Timiskaming District, Ontario

• Overview

  This water sits in Timiskaming District, Ontario. It lies 346 metres above sea level. Roughly 41 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. Bank access stretches around 3.8 km in total. Start from Timmins, 85 km down the road. Greater Sudbury sits 139 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Melia Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Fish documented in Timiskaming District include brook trout, northern pike and yellow perch. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. At Melia Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 17°C, the coldest about -16°C. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near late April. Expect the water usable from around late April until roughly mid November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. That is the shape of the year on Melia Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. The nearest alternative is Cyril Lake, 1.6 km out. For Melia Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.