Nabisipi River
The Nabisipi River is one of the hidden gems of the North Shore. It flows into the Gulf of St. Lawrence west of Aguanish, rising from Lake Saumur some 160 kilometers further north. This mighty river winds down through the Canadian Shield and ends in a beautiful estuary where we can see the whales. The ocean air provides a calm atmosphere, in stark relief from the rushing waters of the river.
The Nabisipi River, known in the Innu language as the “River of Man", is characterized by relatively late runs of large salmon beginning in July. Native communities have always occupied this river throughout history. In the 1960s, a research facility was built on the Nabisipi, along with a fishway that the salmon still use. Today, the resource is co-managed by the Nabisipi Outfitter and members of the Innu community, who encourage catch and release of all salmon in the area.
Sport fishing for salmon takes place in the upper section of the river, on the last 40 kilometers leading up to the headwaters, in 5 pools that can be waded or fished by boat. One of the pools, called the Brown Pool, is a large pool combining half a dozen smaller pools where several anglers can fish comfortably at the same time. The average fish caught ranges from 6.5 lbs to 11 lbs in weight.