Atlantic Salmon Trip

We have access to 3 rivers on the Gaspé Peninsula, The Dartmouth, St. Jean and York, all of which are within 10 – 25 minutes of the cottages. Each river is stunning. Dark timber hillsides, narrow canyons and steep ledges outline the crystal clear water. It is breath taking. In many of the holding pools you will be able to see Atlantic Salmon laying on the bottom. Other times a small black line on the tip of a Salmon’s tail is just enough to give away its holding spot.

The bottom of the rivers are a mix of big slate ledge and small to medium sized gravel. Wading is relatively easy in most areas and a good felt boot will keep you stable when in the water.

The largest of the 3 rivers is the St. Jean. But still small compared to other Salmon Rivers on the Peninsula. At the right level this river easily crossable and the gravel bottom is easy to wade. The fishable sections on the St. Jean are the closest to the ocean and in some sections you are less than 5 miles from the mouth of the basin. The Salmon in the St. Jean river are very strong. Fresh out of the Atlantic, these salmon fight incredibly hard and often time leap multiple times during the tug o war. There are no open water passes on the St. Jean, it is draw water only.

The York river flows into the bay right in the heart of Gaspé. The York gets a good run of Atlantic Salmon and some big ones at that. There are several private draw pools on the York as well as open water access. The York River is a good size for both single hand or switch rods and very manageable for crossing (at the right level) to access different holding pools. The river is very clear with a tint of green, it also boast steep ledges covered in moss and cedar trees. Some of our largest fish each year are hooked on the York River. The short runs are quickly covered allowing anglers to visit several pools in a day. There are also glassy slicks and tailouts that are prime for presenting big dry flies (Bombers) to Atlantic Salmon.

The Dartmouth River flows into the bay just west of the cottages and is know for its highly sought after holding pool. Les Falls. This canyon section holds numerous Atlantic Salmon who cannot jump the waterfall until the river reaches a certain level. Each year we have guests draw this pool and each year they are successful. The Dartmouth has very similar characteristics to the York River. Steep ledges, sweeping runs and glassy slicks. The Dartmouth also has Open Water Zones as well as Private Water Draws.

Typical day
Our days start very early on the Gaspé Peninsula. The guides pick us up at the cottages each day at 4am. Therefore our alarms are set for 3-3:30 am, breakfast is made, coffee is hot and lunches are ready to go. We eat lunch on the river each day and return to the lodge around 4pm for happy hour and appetizers.This is also when you will receive your fishing assignment and flies for the following day. Dinner is served between 5:30 and 6 pm. We have found this schedule to be very successful every year. Other anglers in the area fish split days and are off the water by 11:30 or 12 o’clock. We stay on the water and often hook Salmon in the middle of the day when very few anglers are on the water.

Depending on the day you can expect to fish between 3-5 different holding pools. Some of these pools require some light hiking and river crossing (when levels permit) to get reach. There are well maintained trails and stair systems that lead to each pool so access is not strenuous.

There are two different options for fishing during the day. Some anglers prefer to fish until noon and return to the cabin for a nap before returning to the river in the afternoon for the evening bite. Others prefer to fish hard until 4 or 5pm before returning for the day. Regardless of how you prefer to fish we can accommodate.