Meacham Lake is the source of the East Branch of St Regis River in central Franklin County. The lake is shaped like a big rectangle and is wide open to prevailing winds. The lake is surrounded by Wild Forest state land and Meacham Lake State Campground is situated along its northern shore.
Physical Features:
Elevation: 1552 feet
Area: 1185 acres
Shoreline Length: 5.5 miles
Length: 2 miles
Maximum Depth: 80 feet
Mean Depth: 36 feet
Maximum Width: 1 mile
County and Town: Franklin County, Town of Duane
Note: There is considerably deeper water than the contour map indicates.
Access:
Hand launch (very shallow – within campground site): Located within Meacham Lake State Campground: off Route 30, 19 miles north of the Hamlet of Lake Clear Junction. Open year-round. Parking available for 50 cars and trailers. Subject to a day-use fee during the campground’s in season.
Hard surface/trailered launch (within campground site): Located at southern most portion of the Meacham Lake State Campground. Open from spring through fall. Parking available for 15 cars and trailers. Subject to a day-use fee during the campground’s in season.
Hand launch (outside campground site): Open year-round. Located on outlet where the Route 30 bridge crosses (outside of campground site). Small unpaved parking available. No fee.
For more information on these launches, including Google Maps driving directions, visit the Boat Launch Sites for Franklin County page.
Fish Species:
Splake, northern pike, smallmouth bass, lake whitefish, brown bullhead, rainbow smelt, fallfish, yellow perch, and pumpkinseed.
Fishing:
Northern pike and smallmouth bass are the big fish in the lake. The smallmouth bass can most often be found on the eastern half of the lake between Roaring and Winnebago Brooks. Northern pike are found most abundantly in the southern end of the lake, which is quite weedy. Splake can be found cruising the shorelines in the springtime, or in deep cold water in the summer months feeding on schools of rainbow smelt. The yellow perch grow big, but there is a consumption health advisory on eating these fish.
Ice Fishing:
Permitted.
Ice fishing is very popular here; more so than open water fishing. Ice fishing can be popular for big bruiser pike and splake in the 2-4 lb. range.
Regulations:
Special Fishing Regulations Apply.
Fisheries Management:
Meacham Lake is managed as a two story lake. It is stocked each year with roughly 2,000-3,000 splake. Brown trout were last stocked in 2012.
