The Table Is Turned
By Chris Chin, Bay Comeau, Quebec, Canada
Over the past few weeks I got caught up in the "reorganization" of
the forest industry. A good word from my General Manager and I'm off to
the St-Maurice Division (Three Rivers/Shawinigan). I haven't even
started to look for a place to live and I'm on the Net and the phone
trying to find out what the opportunities for fishing are like. Now
this is a turn of the tables.
For the past few (18) years, I've been fishing pretty well the same
river. Over time, word got out; visitors and friends started calling
up to get information and river reports. This time, it's me looking
for information. Where to start?
Fortunately, the new area has an excellent fly shop. (drop me a note
if you're ever in the area and need directions to an excellent shop
in the region). I played a bit of hooky Friday afternoon and dropped
by. Next, the Internet.
From an old magazine I read a few years ago, I knew that the Shawinigan
River had been extensively rehabilitated over the past few years. Thanks
to Vision St-Maurice (1), as well as la Société Mauricienne Des Pêcheurs
à la Mouche (2) (Mauricie society of fly fishers), there are fine
opportunities for fishing in downtown Shawinigan.
The St-Maurice region is the birth place of the pulp and paper industry
in Eastern Canada. Over a hundred years of industrial development left
the local river systems in a state of neglect. Founded in 1997, Vision
St-Maurice's mission is to develop the St-Maurice River as well as it's
tributaries for educational, recreational and tourist purposes.
Work projects will be keeping me busy over the next few weeks. If however,
as the Shawinigan River runs through downtown, if I'm not at the office,
just guess where I'll be.
Shawinigan River (Photo: Vision St-Maurice)
For more information:
1) French only (sorry) https://www.visionst-maurice.org/pechesportive.php
2) French only (sorry) https://www.smpm.org/
~ Christopher Chin - St-Severin de Prouxville (Quebec)
About Chris:
Chris Chin is originally from Kamloops,
British Columbia. He has been fly fishing
on and off ever since he was 10 years old.
Chris became serious about the sport within
the last 10 years.
"I'm a forest engineer by day and part time
guide on the Ste-Marguerite River here in
central Quebec. I've been fishing this river
for about 10 years now and started guiding
about 5 years ago when the local guide's
association sort of stopped functioning."
Chris guides mostly for sea run brook trout
and about 30% of the time for Atlantic Salmon.
"I often don't even charge service fees, as
I'm more interested in promoting the river
than making cash. I like to get new comers
to realize that salmon fishing is REALLY for
anyone who cares to try it. Tradition around
here makes some of the old clan see Salmon
fishing as a sport for the rich. Today our
shore lunches are less on the cucumber sandwich
side and more toward chicken pot pie and Jack
Daniel's."
Chris is 42 years old as of this writing. He
is of Chinese origin although his parents were
born and raised in Jamaica. He has a girlfriend,
Renée. "She and her 12 year old son Vincent
started fly fishing with me in October 2002."
To learn more about the Ste-Marguerite River,
visit Christopher's
website https://pages.videotron.com/fcch/.
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