Fishing Lac McLachlin in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac McLachlin is an Abitibi-Témiscamingue water, in Quebec. It sits at 265 metres above sea level. The nearest town is Notre-Dame-du-Lac, 33 km away. Then Témiscaming, 37 km, and Mattawa, 61 km. Others close at hand: Lac Pickerel a shade over 2.9 km, Lac Kinoce about 3.2 km, Lac Pirle a shade over 3.3 km, Lac Brownlee about 3.5 km and Lac Piton a shade over 3.6 km. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Lac McLachlin

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. County-wide records name northern pike, yellow perch, walleye and white sucker. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. At Lac McLachlin light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is -14°C to 18°C. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Break-up comes around late April, and the run that follows is short and strong. Averages place the thaw at late April and the freeze at late November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Plan any trip to Lac McLachlin around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Failing this one, try Lac Pickerel, 2.9 km away. For Lac McLachlin, the notice at the access point is the final word.