I am planning a drive in trip to labrador (via Quebec)in late June, early July for brook trout fishing and I am wondering if anyone has had experience doing this and if they have any lakes or rivers close to the highway that they’d recommend and flies they have had success with ?
Hi,
Are you driving up from the Quebec side (mainland) or crossing on the ferry from Newfoundland?
The former, I only hope to explore some day.
We did the latter last summer (the entire circuit road is scheduled to be complete in a year or two), and wished we’d reserved the ferry from Happy Valley to Cartwright so we could have made the loop.
In any event, we were there in early August, and found small beautiful brook trout eager in every stream but many of those southern Lab coastal streams scheduled for salmon and therefore off limits without a guide.
All Maine blackflies, I’m pretty sure, go to Labrador for a summer vacation, too 
Have fun,
Kat
BTW - crossing the Newfoundland ferry is actually accessing Labrador from Quebec, too (that’s where the ferry lands - a couple miles into Quebec), is why I asked 
I assume you’re driving up the mainland way,
Kat
Thanks, were going up through Baie Comeau QC. What was the name of the Quebec town that Ferry put you in ?
peipl,
If you go through Baie Comeau. you might want to check out Baie Trinity for sea run brooks. It might be a bit early in the season, but some may be schooling in the estuary.
BIG FUN !!
p.s. Late June, flies won’t be a problem … there will be TONS of Blackflies 
Christopher Chin
Jonquiere Quebec
[url=http://www3.sympatico.ca/chris_chin/:f3f9d]http://www3.sympatico.ca/chris_chin/[/url:f3f9d]
I call that road up the North Shore from quebec City to Baie Comeau and straight up to Lab City/Wabush the “Bataan Death March”. Did it once…never again. Fly up…trust me…you’ll be MUCH happier.
Dahema
Was it the distance, road conditions, other ?
Thanks
Piepl,
I think we would be refering to BOTH ! (Oh … and add the transport trucks to the list of nasties)
Christopher Chin
Jonquiere Quebec
[url=http://www3.sympatico.ca/chris_chin/:4c342]http://www3.sympatico.ca/chris_chin/[/url:4c342]
Hmmm… we traveled across from St Barbe, NFLD, to Blanc Sablon, then drove north until the blacktop ran out at Red Bay (that part alone was amazing - the scenery (rocky and barren or coniferous), the history, the bakeapple pie), but then followed the gravel up to Cartwright.
I don’t remember any transport trucks, but our nerves may have been steeled by all these years on Maine logging roads. I do remember David driving 50 mph in our 4WD pickup on the gravel and yet it was so smooth I could write in my journal.
Some interesting sidelights: little stores closed for lunchtime (it wasn’t always posted, the doors would just be locked), there WERE stores for foods and local foods and gas, and there were Maritime Archaic grave sites and 430 million year old fossil reefs, old Grenfell “hospital” outposts, and accessible Internet offerings at little local schools.
I’d go back in a minute, and will soon, but we’ll probably drive the Loop. And we’ll take the bug jackets again…
My 4wt cane was fine, and I used caddis flies.
Kat
O.K. I’ll admit I don’t get around much. When I saw the subject line I thought, what an odd post on a fly fishing web site but what the heck, I can recommend a couple good kennels.
“Well, thats very different. Never mind!”
Sincerely,
E. Latella
rnelson - thanks anyway I have that “labrador recommendation” handled, I have a black lab laying at my feet right now.
Kat,
I don’t remember any transport trucks, but our nerves may have been steeled by all these years on Maine logging roads.
I like to mention stuff like that as not everyone is used to logging trucks. Like the “city” people 'first time they see an oversize truck near the Adams in BC.
Christopher Chin
Jonquiere Quebec
[url=http://www3.sympatico.ca/chris_chin/:65b37]http://www3.sympatico.ca/chris_chin/[/url:65b37]
Jocelin,
Hi, … Wasn’t sure about June. Wow, your sea runners start pretty late.
We can have some all the way up into Zone 5 early as mid-june (well, not last year, but usually )
Christopher Chin
Jonquiere Quebec
[url=http://www3.sympatico.ca/chris_chin/:8db53]http://www3.sympatico.ca/chris_chin/[/url:8db53]
Thanks very much for the information, greatly appreciated. I’m from PEI so pot holes and bad narrow roads are a way of life.
Jocelin,
Can’t remember the trap numbers, but we have a really nice run of trout each year.
Salmon are down, trout is stable. We don’t get juvi trout 'til late August. Adults stay all summer and we get to fish for trout (salmon closes 15 sept) 'till Oct 31st.
Adult trout is best like you from mid july 'til mid sept (but best to eat before Sept 1st). Juvi’s or Blues are from Sept 16th 'til Oct 31st.
For blues, we have tons and schools can be seen holding in the #8, #9 & #38 in the hudnreds. Cool temperatures, sunny autumn days and dry flies at noon. That’s the life eh !!!
Andre Bernier with the 2002 record (over 7 lbs) #3 pools Zone 5B Rv Ste-Marguerite
Christopher Chin
Jonquiere Quebec
[url=http://www3.sympatico.ca/chris_chin/:390b8]http://www3.sympatico.ca/chris_chin/[/url:390b8]
[This message has been edited by fcch (edited 12 March 2005).]