Lac Mecham Fishing near Shawville, Quebec

• Overview

  Look for Lac Mecham in Outaouais, Quebec. Elevation runs to 190 metres. It runs to roughly 68 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. You are looking at roughly 7.5 km of shoreline, with plenty of water between access points. Size puts it in the front rank of our Outaouais list. Supplies mean a trip to Shawville, 19 km off. It is 61 km to Gatineau, the nearest city. No boundary runs near, so the local rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Lac Mecham

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Records held for Outaouais cover pumpkinseed, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, rainbow smelt and Iowa darter. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. The shape of Lac Mecham rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 19°C for July and -13°C for January. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Break-up comes around late April, and the run that follows is short and strong. Ice clears near late April and comes back about early December in a typical year. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. That shapes the year on Lac Mecham.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. A picnic spot sits 1.4 km from the bank. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. If the gate is shut, Lac a Murrell at 1.3 km is the nearest alternative. Confirm access to Lac Mecham locally before you travel.