The Fishing

The Bonaventure River is one of the most prolific Salmon Rivers on the eastern seaboard of North America, consistently yielding runs of 1,700 to 2,500 salmon a year. Whether or not you’re able to catch one is up to you and lady luck. On average, the salmon will weigh between 6 to 43 pounds. Not to say bigger fish haven’t been caught. In fact, one of our guests is in the Guinness Book of World Records having caught a 40 lb salmon on a #16 wet fly! The salmon runs start the middle of June and last right up to the end of September, with fresh salmon entering and moving up the river to their spawning beds on a daily bases.

At the Canadian Salmon Club, it’s all about the fishing. Access to the river and our exclusive water is located right outside the lodge. A short walk will take you down the hill to the boats where you will be greeted by your guide. Your fishing equipment will have been inspected, to ensure that it’s all in good working order with fresh leaders put on and placed in the boat by your guide. The boats are 24’ long cedar canoes equipped with an outboard motor on the stern. You’ll be taken either up or down the river through the rapids to your designated fishing spot. Since we have exclusive fishing rights to our section of the river you won’t be sharing pools or competing with other anglers not part of the club. The guides are there to help. They know the river like no one else, and will point out where the fish are. They’ll provide as much assistance as you request, or as little. Those new to fly fishing can even ask for a casting lesson. Once you’ve hooked a fish then the excitement and real work begins. The guide will position the boat in the river in the most advantageous way for you to land that fish.

The Fish

Fishing on the Bonaventure River is all catch and release for salmon, save and except for grilse (normally identified as salmon between 4 – 6 lbs. each) where you are allowed to keep 2 each day if you purchased the full fishing license. All kept salmon will be cleaned, frozen and packaged for you to take home.

The River

The Bonaventure River has been noted as one of the most scenic rivers anywhere in North America. With its crystal clear water and undeveloped shoreline gives the angler a truly wilderness feel, yet they are only minutes away from the local towns and villages. National Geographic rank the water of the Bonaventure to be the second clearest water in the world! The Gaspé Peninsula is a mountainous region of Quebec, flanked by the famous Saint Lawrence waterway on its north shore and the Bay of Chaleur (Atlantic Ocean) on its south shore. Each spring the river runs wild with the run off of melting snow from the hills in the interior. As it flows down the mountainside the water is filtered through the natural stone and gravel beds of the river, producing crystal clear water for the Atlantic Salmon to spawn. Since the water is so clear most of the fishing is sight fishing.

Photo Gallery