The Gaspe Peninsula is home to the world renowned Atlantic Salmon fly fishing rivers the York, Dartmouth and St. Jean Rivers.
Join our group Atlantic Salmon fly fishing trip to Canada venturing to the Gaspe Peninsula in pursuit of Atlantic Salmon on the York, Dartmouth and St. Jean Rivers. These rivers are world renowned Atlantic Salmon fly fishing rivers and just happen to be some of the clearest rivers in the world. This is an incredible fly fishing trip that you must check off your fly fishing bucket list. Referred to as the fish of a thousand casts, Atlantic Salmon are an incredible fish to pursue with a fly rod. These dime bright fish enter the river systems in May and venture upstream to spawn in the fall, when they take on the color of the surrounding foliage. The rivers you fish is dependent on a draw system that takes place at the beginning of the year. This lottery system determines what beats of water (pools) you will fish for a given week. For this reason you must book this trip in advance for a chance at fishing some of the best Atlantic Salmon Pools on each river.
Salmon Rivers We Fish
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.
What IS Included | What To Bring
The trip includes the following:
- 5 Guided Fishing Days (2 anglers per guide)
- Lodging
- Meals
- River Access
- Daily Transportation
- Fishing Licenses
NOT included in the trip
- Gratuities
- Alcohol
- Transportation to Gaspe
Due to the high volume of requests this trip is a first come first serve and must be booked in advance to secure your spot in the lottery. A 50% non-refundable deposit is required at the time of booking. Please contact us for pricing & availability.
What To Bring
PASSPORT – This is the one thing you certainly do not want to forget. Be sure that it is not expired and will not expire 6 months prior to your trip. We would hate for you to make it to customs without your passport.
WADERS & BOOTS – A good pair of waders and wading boots are important. You will be spending 12 hours a day in your waders and boots so be sure they are comfortable.
COOL-WEATHER CLOTHING – All the typical clothing you would wear for fishing in cooler weather. Expect it to rain for part of your trip and expect it to be chilly in the morning. Especially in early June.
- Fleece Jacket
- Rain Jacket
- vest
- Buff
- Pants (under waders)
- Socks
- Hat & Sunglasses
- Long-Sleeved Shirts – the lightweight sun shirts work great to keep the mosquitos off your arms but are light enough to keep you cool.
SINGLE HAND ROD–A single hand 8/9 weight rod paired with a good floating line is recommended for presenting bombers on the surface.
DOUBLE HAND ROD –We like to use 11’6” 7/8 wt switch rods for swinging wet flies. Learning how to spey cast is recommended prior to your trip. If you prefer to use a single hand rod the 8 or 9 wt rod will be fine for swinging wet flies as well.
FLY LINES & TIPS –Sink tips are used when the water is a bit high but not always necessary. The tips we like to use are the RIO MOW tips that come in various lengths. Our favorites are the 5’ of floating 5 ‘of sinking (t-11) and the 7.5’ floating to 2.5’ of sinking (t-11).
MAXIMA–ultra green or brown in 8,10, 12 lb test is preferred.
STREAMSIDE–Hemostats, nippers and dry fly floatant are needed as well as a variety of flies.
Atlantic Salmon Fly Patterns
There are so many Atlantic Salmon Flies out there that it can be overwhelming choosing which patterns to select. While we wish that we could fish them all, there are several patterns the local guides gravitate to when opening up a fly box.
Some of our most successful Atlantic Salmon Fly patterns during the month of June are the following.
TIGER GHOST, everyone of our guests have fished this fly and more than one (if not all) have caught and Atlantic Salmon on a Tiger Ghost. We like them in several sizes ranging from 1.5 to a size 6. We also try to have this fly pattern tied on Black and Silver hooks.
POMPIERis a classic Atlantic Salmon fly pattern that works well on both the York and Dartmouth Rivers. The bright green body of this fly often times will entice a strike from fresh Atlantic Salmon that just moved into a holding pool. This fly is great in all sizes and also pairs well with a Black or Gold hook.
BLUE CHARMis another classic Atlantic Salmon pattern that is often chosen for your second pass thru a holding pool. Look for the Blue Charm in size 4,6,8 and either on a single or double hook.
PICASSE looks much like a Tiger Ghost but has a black body. This an effective fly all season long. We tend to fish the Picasse in larger sizes during high water but will fish them down to a size 6 and 8 once levels drop.
GREEN HIGHLANDERis a popular Atlantic Salmon Fly that works well on many rivers of the Gaspé Peninsula. This is a great fly pattern to have in all sizes and easy to find in many fly shops.
BOMBERS are giant dry flies that are used to take Atlantic Salmon on the surface. These patterns come in a variety of colors and sizes. Popular Bomber colors are Green, Pink, White, Blue, Grey and Tan.
FLIES WHEN YOU ARRIVE– when you reach the Gaspé Peninsula you can find local fly patterns at the Z.E.C. Your fly fishing guide will also have Atlantic Salmon flies with them.
OTHER POPULAR FLIES– Black Bear Green But, Undertaker, Lightbulb, Black Ghost, Allies Shrimp, Stump, Ghost Stone, White Muddler, Rusty Rat, Green Spey, Casandra Blue, Duggan.
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