Lac Meillon in Lanaudière: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Lac Meillon sits in Lanaudière, out in Quebec. Height above sea level is 465 metres. The water measures roughly 4 hectares, so nothing here is far from anything else. Start from Saint-Donat-de-Montcalm, 24 km down the road. The nearest city of size is Saint-Louis-de-Terrebonne, 100 km away. Within a short drive: 0.6 km away is Lac Fiend, Lac Imperial 1 km off, 1.7 km away is Lac Auger, Lac Tourneroche 2.3 km off and 2.4 km away is Lac en Croix. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Lac Meillon

  Depth figures are not published for this one. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. County-wide records name pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass and yellow perch. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Anyone new to Lac Meillon should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 17°C, with January the cold end at about -15°C. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late April. On average, late April opens the water and late November closes it again. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. On Lac Meillon the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. If the gate is shut, Lac Fiend at 0.6 km is the nearest alternative. Rules at Lac Meillon are worth checking on the day.