Lac du Meleze in Abitibi-Témiscamingue: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Out in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec, sits Lac du Meleze. Country round the bank runs to rolling bush. The nearest town is Mattawa, 64 km away. For a city, Gatineau is 214 km off. Water in the same corner: 0.9 km away is Lac du Jocana, Lac Grant within 1.7 km, 1.8 km away is Lac de la Sterne, Lac du Loriquet within 2.6 km and 2.7 km away is Lac du Cygne. No boundary runs near, so the local rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Lac du Meleze

  Depth figures are not published for this one. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Species logged across Abitibi-Témiscamingue include northern pike, yellow perch, walleye, white sucker and brown bullhead. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. The near bank of Lac du Meleze is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 18°C, with January the cold end at about -14°C. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. The season between ice runs from about late April to late November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Plan around that when you fish Lac du Meleze.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. Mapping shows an empty shoreline: no ramp, no jetty, no marked entry. Pike mean a wire trace, no exceptions; big spoons and jerkbaits do the searching. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Lac du Jocana at 0.9 km is the sensible second choice. Rules at Lac du Meleze are worth checking on the day.