After the rains – Bill Haley plays a salmon on the Margaree on Aug. 13, 2015. Photo Bill Haley.
Quebec
Charles Cusson, ASF Director of Quebec Programs notes:
[dropcap]S[/dropcap]ignificant rain on the horizon for the Gaspé and Lower St-Lawrence regions. If what is forecast for this week happens, it will inject new oxygenated water maintaining very good angling conditions. Don’t look now but…some rivers are hovering close to the 2011 season numbers. What did Alice say? Things are getting curiouser and curiouser…
This week ASF is focusing attention on a number of the more remote Quebec rivers, down the lower St. Lawrence region, and including Anticosti Island.
Lower North Shore Region:
Old Fort River
To August 6, a total of 705 fish had been counted on this prolific Lower St-Lawrence River which included 47 salmon and 658 grilse. For the season in 2014, the Old Fort seemed to have bucked the general Quebec trend of lower returns, recording a migration of 1,975 fish (78 salmon and 2,105 grilse).
Mecatina River – Norman Bobbitt is reporting:
“We are having a fantastic run. Most of our anglers since the beginning of July have released 3 salmon per day in addition to the much smaller numbers that were killed. We had a relatively good run last year but it was mainly grilse. This year, however, we have many large fish. In short a very encouraging run.”
Anticosti
Reports from long time Anticosti angler Claude Rochon of Quebec City are very encouraging. Over a period of five days from June 30 to July 4, his group of eight anglers landed 110 fish on the Jupiter River consisting of 90 grilse and 20 salmon. All large salmon were released and the vast portion of the grilse were released.
North Shore Region:
Moisie River
From August 6 to 11, the rugged Moisie River has seen its flow drop from 800 cubic meters per second to 600. At this time in the season, angling is happening further upstream.
Aux Rochers River
To August 10, a total of 700 fish (411 salmon and 289 grilse) had been counted. To date, 312 fish had been landed including 148 salmon and 20 grilse released, 144 grilse killed.
The closest comparative date is July 14, 2014 when 115 fish had been counted. Anglers had reported landing 84 fish (51 salmon and 7 grilse released, 6 salmon and 22 grilse killed.
Release of grilse by Sarah Patterson, 11, above Norrad’s bridge, Southwest Miramichi, on Saturday, Aug. 1. Photo Greg Patterson.
Lower St-Lawrence and Gaspésie Region:
Matapedia River
At August 11, a total of 1,062 fish had been reported landed including 164 releases. A total of 43 salmon had been released since August 5 when mandatory live release for large salmon was implemented.
By comparison, to August 7 2014, a total of 675 fish had been reported landed including 112 releases. To the same date in 2013, 1,043 fish had been reported landed including 124 released.
Matane River
Fishway count: At August 11 2015, 1,945 fish (973 salmon and 972 grilse) had been counted, while in 2014, as of August 7 there were 823 fish (345 grilse and 478 salmon) counted entering the system.
For the season at August 11, angler results are as follows: 151 salmon and 34 grilse released, 344 grilse and 53 salmon killed for a total of 582.
At the same date in 2014, reported catches were as follows: 26 salmon released, 82 grilse and 38 salmon killed, for a total of 146.
In 2013 at the same date, 1,841 fish (484 grilse and 1,356 salmon) had been counted. The catches were reported to be 234 salmon killed and 147 grilse killed for a total of 381.
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