A Moise River Salmon Fishing
Primer
River Management:
In the province of Quebec,
a designated salmon river
may be managed by several
organizations at the same
time, with some sections
of the river having the
status of a “zec”,
others of a wildlife reserve
or park, and still others
of an outfitting operation
with exclusive rights. Up
to 7 organizations are involved
in sport fishing on the
Moisie River, including
the Moise River Protection
Association (l’Association
de protection de la rivière
Moisie - APRM), the zec
Moisie, the Winthrop-Campbell
zone, the Camp de pêche
de la rivière Moisie
(CRRM), and several private
outfitters. The First Nations
band, Les Montagnais de
Uashat mak Mani-Utenam,
maintains subsistence fishing
rights on the river.
Zec:
A Controlled Exploitation
Zone (“zone d’Exploitation
Contrôllée’).
On the Moisie River, the
zec is divided into 3 sections
on the lower stretches.
Pourvoirie:
A private outfitting operation,
providing complete guiding,
transportation and accommodation
services.
Quebec Salmon Fishing
Licenses: Available
from the Moisie River Protection
Association (APRM) and private
outfitters. |
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Salmon
Fishing for the Connoisseur
When it comes to Atlantic salmon fishing,
the legendary Moisie has a lingering
air of affluence and refinement. In
the late 1800’s, the frontier
river attracted the interest of wealthy
Boston sports fisherman Ivers W. Adams,
who purchased Crown land along the
river and obtained the rights to fish
318 kilometres of its length. Adam’s
“Moisie Salmon Club” catered
to a privileged circle of salmon enthusiasts
(including Edward A. Weeks, long-time
editor of The Atlantic Monthly,
whose historical accounts of the Club
now reside with the Massachusetts
Historical Society). For many years,
the influential Club was able to exercise
considerable control over the river’s
activity, taking over the leases of
commercially-fished sections of the
river and imposing a conservation
ban on salmon fishing that lasted
for decades—long enough to allow
declining salmon stocks to return
to robust levels.
Today, the Moisie River is regarded
as one of the worlds’ finest
Atlantic salmon rivers. The cold,
clear water and mixed sand-and-gravel
riverbed offer ideal spawning conditions.
The river’s drop, though considerable,
is mostly gradual, allowing the fish
to ascend the waterway. An obstruction
of large rocks that blocked salmon
from moving to the upper reaches of
the river was removed several years
ago, and a fishway was constructed
to enable the fish to spawn at the
confluence of the Moisie and the Caopatcho
River.
Moisie salmon are
big and strong. The river boasts high
percentages of adult (multi-sea-winter)
salmon and repeat spawners, offering
sports fishers the opportunity to
hook trophy-sized fish. Current Moisie
records are in the 20 kilogram range;
5 kilogram catches are common.
Sport fishing on the Moisie River
is now regulated by the Province of
Quebec, and overseen by the Moisie
River Protection Association
(l’Association de la protection
de la rivière Moisie-APRM).
The river is divided into several
zones of public access, fishing camps
and outfitting operations.
Lower stretches
of the Moisie River fall under zec
(controlled exploitation zone) control,
and are accessible by boat, road and
rail. A system of single-day tickets,
advance reservation sectors (online
booking available through Saumon Quebec),
pre-season draws and club memberships
is applied to the Moisie.
The
Measure of the Moisie
River:
Drains south 416 kilometres
from its headwaters on Lake
Opocopa near the Labrador
border, through eastern
Quebec to the St. Lawrence
River 26 kilometres east
of Sept-Îles, Quebec.
Total drop is 660 metres,
with a current speed of
about 10 kilometres per
hour. Water is clear and
cold.
Climate:
Ice in headwaters lakes
can last until late in the
spring. Summer daytime temperatures
range from 15 - 25 degrees
Celsius, and there is measurable
rainfall on about 40% of
summer days. Fog and drizzle
occur frequently.
Watershed Environment:
The Moisie drains a 19,200
square kilometre area of
the Laurentian Boreal Highlands.
Dense forests consist of
white and black spruce,
balsam fir, white birch
and trembling aspen. Thick
layers of moss cover the
forest floor. Campsites
are often restricted to
riverside rock or mid-stream
sandbars. Wildlife includes
wolves, bear and moose.
Aquatic Environment:
The Moisie is one of the
world’s most famous
Atlantic salmon rivers,
with high numbers of large
multi-sea-winter (MSW) fish
weighing up to 20 kilograms.
The Moisie contains 12 species
of fish in total, including
trout and pike.
Whitewater Classification:
Class I – IV. Frequent
Class II and III rapids
interrupted by smooth stretches
of flatwater. Frequent portages
required. High winds on
headwater lakes. Large boulders,
rock gardens, rapids, deep
and narrow canyons. Sharp
turns, hidden whirlpools,
eddies and crosscurrents.
Canoeing Season:
Early June to late August.
Check water levels and other
current conditions. Expect
to spend 2-3 weeks canoeing
the full length of the river.
Two-week trips may require
travel of 8 - 9 hours per
day.
Scenic
Highlights: Wide
valleys and mountainous
foothills. Frequent cascading
waterfalls. Dramatic canyons
and gorges with sheer cliffs
over 500 metres high. Famous
Moisie Canyon narrows to
a 10 metre gap. Turbulent,
cascading confluence with
Pekans River tributary,
which drops almost 140 metres
in the 10 kilometres immediately
upstream of the Moisie.
River
Access: Although
some Moisie paddlers have
entered the river from tributaries
such as the Pekans, just
south of the Moisie headwaters,
or the Nipissis, abouth
30 kilometres from its mouth,
full-length Moisie trips
usually begin near Labrador
City at Lac de Mille, accessible
by road and rail (Quebec
North Shore & Labrador
Railway, Oreway stop). Labrador
City is accessible by air,
rail and road. To drive,
take Route 389 from Baie
Comeau, Quebec. Count on
8 - 9 hours travelling time.
Crossings of Lake Menistouc
and Lake Opocopa are required
before entering the Moisie
River. Some fly-in guided
tours focus on the fast
lower stretches of the river.
Guided rafting expeditions
are also available. |
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Fishing camps and outfitting operations
on the Moisie are located upriver,
with access by float plane or helicopter.
On most stretches of the river, with
the exception of the lowest, only
fly fishing is permitted. In the interests
of conservation, strictly-enforced
licensing, tackle, tagging, reporting,
and daily quotas are in effect. Most
salmon caught on the Moisie River
are released; catch-and-release salmon
licenses are available at reduced
cost.
Canoeing
the Moisie: A Paddler’s Ultimate
“Trip”
If you’re
hooked on wilderness canoeing, you
won’t find a more powerful drug
than the wild and rugged Moisie River.
A 2 – 3 week trip down Quebec’s
longest and largest river is guaranteed
to leave you in an altered state of
consciousness. Sometimes called the
“Nahanni of the east,”
the Moisie is a careening, kinetic
waterway cut through a deep, winding
rock trench that drops steadily for
410 kilometres from the Labrador plateau
to the North Shore of the St. Lawrence
River.
The Moisie’s
endless rapids span most of the International
Classification Scale, toggling feverishly
between levels and demanding frequent
scouting, lining, and portaging. Its
boulders are big, its canyons are
narrow, and its riverbed is rife with
deception. The forests that crowd
its rocky banks are deep, dark and
heavy with moss and moisture. Much
of the time its landscape is shrouded
in mist, and its trails are sandy,
slippery and perilously precipitous.
Just getting to the Moisie can be
a long and laborious journey. Once
you’re there, you are completely
and utterly on your own.
If this
is your idea of ecstasy, then you
will already understand the challenge
of the Moisie. You will be a skilled
and experienced canoeist, familiar
with technical maneuvers and undaunted
by the meticulous preparation and
physical conditioning that such a
river trip demands. You will also
be aware that along with the speed,
spray and inevitable surprises come
the rewards of running one of the
world’s great whitewater rivers:
unadulterated, Eden-like scenery,
satisfying self-sufficiency and a
profound sense of personal accomplishment.
Several authors,
from the geologist-surveyor Henry
Hind of 1861 to contemporary book
and magazine contributors, have documented
their experiences on the Moisie. (The
classic mid-1970’s canoeing
manual, The Complete Wilderness
Paddler, is based on a month-long
trip descent of the river.) Despite
its reputation, however, the Moisie
is still lightly-travelled. A number
of professional outfitting and outdoor
adventure companies offer guided Moisie
trips, a recommended option for all
but the most seasoned and experienced
canoeists.
Detailed topographical maps and route
guides are a must, and gear and supplies
must be able to withstand the rigours
of the trip.
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