Lac de la Mesange in Abitibi-Témiscamingue: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Set in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec, this is Lac de la Mesange. The land about it is mixed forest. Roughly 29 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. There is roughly 2.5 km of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. Mattawa sits 68 km from the bank. Deep River lies 71 km off, Chalk River another 81 km. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Lac de la Mesange

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Species logged across Abitibi-Témiscamingue include northern pike, yellow perch and walleye. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Lac de la Mesange gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about -14°C and July at about 18°C, the water has a wide range to work through. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around late April. Ice clears near late April and comes back about late November in a typical year. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Anyone fishing Lac de la Mesange regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. The nearest alternative is Lac du Roselin, 1 km out. Check the position at Lac de la Mesange before loading the car.