Sports Realm

Although better known as a major stronghold of Gallic culture in North America, Quebec, outside the major population centres of Montreal and Quebec City, is truly a sportsman’s paradise. And while the expression “the fish are biting” is not necessarily one that French-speaking Quebecois would use to describe the quality of angling in their province, the fact is that you will find some of the best trout, pike and walleye fishing in the region when you visit.

Quebec is Canada’s biggest area both in terms of populace, with approximately 8 million individuals as of 2010, and land area. This vast region, a large amount of which is practically unoccupied outside of the major cities, is three times the size of Texas, and begins from the St. Lawrence River in the south to Hudson’s Strait and the Northwest Passages in the north. Geographically, it is in addition one of the most established places on the planet as the Canadian Shield has not budged in over three billion years.

Most of Quebec’s interior is made up of huge tracts of hardwood and deciduous forests, lakes and rivers and with the relevant lack of human habitation outside of fishing lodges and cabin rentals, the waters are among the cleanest on the planet. This means streams and lakes teeming with an incredibly diverse fish population that attracts anglers from all over the continent. From their Quebec cabin rentals, sportsmen regularly reel in great numbers of speckled trout, Atlantic salmon, pickerel, pike and more.

If you decide to reward yourself of one of the region’s bed and breakfasts instead of one of Quebec’s cabin rentals, you will discover that most of them present not only good quality, yet pastoral accommodations but also guide services, transportation and storage of your prize in their own freezers. Most owners will also wrap up and ship it home for you once your vacation is over.

As you might imagine, a region such as north central Quebec that is still largely wilderness after almost 400 years of European settlement offers much more than fishing. Big game such as moose and caribou are abundant, as well as approximately thirty different species of wild duck. The woods of Quebec also contain plenty of wild vegetation, such as berries and edible mushrooms that you can gather to complement your supper of salmon or other game.

Quebec’s unspoiled wilderness also offers kayaking and canoeing, swimming and hiking and more. The province’s remote fishing lodges and other vacation rentals have something for all the nature-lovers in your family.

A good place to start planning your Quebec vacation is the website “Fishing In Quebec” which provides links to five of the province’s premier outback fishing resorts and guide services. You should also visit the website “Sportsman’s Resource” which has information on charter services as well as outfitters and other sources for bait, tackle and other necessary fishing supplies.

Wesley Mathews is part of the travel team at FindVacationRentals.com and FindBedandBreakfast.com. These directories provide detailed information on beach vacation rentals and things to do.