Malbaie River
The Malbaie River, nestled in the Charlevoix World Biosphere Reserve, rises in the lake of the same name in the Laurentian Massif. It winds southeast through a deep, narrow glacial valley for 161 kilometers and a vertical drop of 820 meters. Passing through the villages of Saint-Aimé-des-Lacs and Clermont, the Rivière Malbaie reaches the municipality of La Malbaie and the St-Laurent, after passing through two national parks, Grands-Jardins and Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie.
Over the centuries, this richly-fished river has been an important communication route, particularly for the Montagnais of the Saguenay. In the 19th century, log driving monopolized the river until 1987, when this activity came to an end. This was followed by efforts to clean up the environment, a salmon restoration project and, in 1995, the creation of the Corporation du Saumon de la rivière Malbaie. This organization manages the salmon fishery, which has been accessible since 1998.
The Rivière Malbaie offers 76 pools in 4 sectors, including 2 with limited access and 2 public. Over a distance of 40 kilometers, anglers can discover 20 easily accessible urban pools. For those who enjoy exceptional scenery, the Zec des Martres sector offers 32 pools, while the Parc national des Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie has 24. Fishing is mainly by wading.
Whether novice or expert, anglers will appreciate this welcoming river, as well as the impressive tourist offering of the Charlevoix region, renowned for its fine dining and rich culture.
