Fishing at Lac Mesplet, Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac Mesplet is an Abitibi-Témiscamingue water, in Quebec. It lies 386 metres above sea level. The nearest town is Lebel-sur-Quévillon, 93 km away. The big place round here is Saguenay, 349 km distant. Within a short run: Lac de l'Eau Verte at about 2.9 km, Lac Yvelin some 5.7 km off, Lac Perrotin at about 5.7 km, Lac Cherrier some 6 km off and Lac Frank at about 7.3 km. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Lac Mesplet

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Public occurrence data for Abitibi-Témiscamingue names northern pike, yellow perch, walleye and white sucker. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. The shape of Lac Mesplet decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 16°C for July and -19°C for January. A short, intense season is the rule this far north. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from early May. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about early May until roughly mid November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. It holds true on Lac Mesplet more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Pike mean a wire trace, no exceptions; big spoons and jerkbaits do the searching. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Lac de l'Eau Verte sits 2.9 km off and takes the overflow. The position on Lac Mesplet is worth confirming on the day.