Saint-Jean River

At the south-western edge of Labrador, the Laurentian plateau gives rise to the Saint-Jean River, at an altitude of some 500 metres. Flowing through mountainous territory for 240 kilometers, it empties into the Gulf of St. Lawrence at the small village of Rivière-Saint-Jean, 160 kilometers east of Sept-Îles, on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River. Salmon fishing can be done by canoe or by wading over 27 kilometers. Each season, runs can reach 6,000 salmon weighing from 4 to 10 kilos.

Sport fishing for the king of the waters in the Saint John River dates back more than 150 years. In 1903, an American, James J. Hill, purchased the riverbed and a small strip of land, which Mr. Hill's descendants still own. In addition, salmon fishing in the upstream section was exploited by other Americans from the 1960s onwards. In 1986, the Quebec government entrusted this 23-kilometre territory to the Pourvoirie de la Haute-Saint-Jean. The Association de protection de la rivière Saint-Jean, a non-profit organization made up of residents of Rivière-Saint-Jean, manages the outfitter (with exclusive rights) and the sport fishing that takes place there.

Access to the various fishing areas and lodges on the Rivière St-Jean is by motorized canoe. From the village of Rivière-Saint-Jean, you travel by motorized canoe with a guide to one of the three lodges located upstream from the mouth of the river, which is navigable for the first 50 km. Salmon anglers will find some 55 pools in waters with sometimes powerful flows, spread across the 3 sectors with exclusive fishing rights. The river offers anglers exceptional fishing quality. In some sectors, several salmon weighing over 10 kilos have been recorded in recent years. The river also offers a public sector, between the bridge and the mouth, where you can fish with a salmon fishing permit in season.