How and where to fish

ON THE RIVER

The sport of salmon fishing takes place when Atlantic salmon return to their home rivers in order to reproduce in their spawning grounds.

POOLS

As the salmon move up the river, they stop periodically to rest in specific areas called “pools”.

A pool is a small basin in the riverbed where the current is calm enough for the salmon to hold effortlessly while deep enough for the fish to be protected.

Rarely do you catch a salmon as it travels between two pools.

THE SALMON AND THE POOL

Salmon generally hold near the bottom of the pool before a rock, more typically downstream of the rock, in the currents that form and divide below.

ACCÈS TO THE RIVER

Access can be different from one river to another and even from one pool to another. Here are the different means of access:

ACCESS TO THE POOLS

Pools can be accessed by:

Quebec’s salmon river managers can provide you with a map of the river and give you advice on how to choose the best pools according to the river conditions and your skill level.

THE TECHNIQUE

You don't need any special talent to cast a fly rod!

Basic fly-casting technique in 4 steps. The idea is to develop a movement that is smooth and precise.

Step 1: Preparing the fly line. A good cast can only be initiated on a tight line. In order to do so, you need to pull out a reasonable length of line and allow the current of the river to stretch the line out by moving the rod tip from left to right.
Step 2: Picking up the fly line. The fly line is stretched out in front of you. The line is held against the handle of the rod using the pressure of one or two fingers, and the length of the line is maintained during the cast. You initiate this movement by lifting the line off the water using your elbow, gradually accelerating from front to back. This generates traction on the fly line and a bending of the rod. The rod ultimately straightens out at the end of this acceleration.

It only takes half a day of introductory lessons to make a proper cast!

Step 3: The Backcast. The line follows the rod tip’s movement (the last eye of the rod). When the movement of the forearm stops, the fly line continues its trajectory and stretches out exactly in the same direction as the outer curve of the rod (direction of the rod tip). In order to obtain a proper loop in the line, you must pause for a moment at the end of your backcast and allow the line to unfold completely until you regain tension of the line.
Step 4: The Forward Cast. The tip of the rod is pointing backwards at this point. To cast out the fly line, the forearm now must accelerate forward and come to a complete stop. It is the position of the rod tip at the end of the backcast and its movement during the forward cast that will determine the direction of the fly line. Finally, after the line unfolds in front of you in the form of a loop, the rod tip is gradually lowered just off the surface of the water. The leader and the fly should follow and fall softly to the surface.

Find a river

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