QUEBEC RED TROUT – THE REAL DEAL
BEING AN AVOWED
trout-fishing nut and
diligent bookworm,
I’ve long been aware
of the legendary
existence of this fish,
but lacked knowledge
of its exact
whereabouts. All that
GRANT
changed 10 years ago
BAILEY
when intel from a
friend enticed me further into the backwoods
of Quebec. And bingo. I found ’em.
Known by such exotic colloquial names
as Quebec red trout, Omble de fontaine,
Truite rouge du Quebec, Canadian red
trout, blueback and Sunapee trout, and
scientifically as Salvelinus alpinus oquassa,
this fish is actually a landlocked Arctic char.
Make no mistake. These are quite different
from what local pecheurs errantly call
Quebec reds, or red trout, which are just
colourful brook trout. Not the same at all.
These guys are distinctly different.
Ever seen one? I expect not, unless you’ve
specifically targeted them (or accidentally
caught one) and correctly identified them
as such. So, here’s your insiders’ guide to a
piscatorial treasure.
Cut off from their accustomed sea
routes after the last glacial watercourses
receded some 10,000 years ago, these
arctic char successfully adapted to life
in isolated lakes where they still thrive
in eastern Quebec, New Brunswick,
Newfoundland and Labrador and a few
New England ponds.
Being lake dwellers, they don’t grow
as brutishly large as their sea-faring kin.
They can weigh in at two kilograms, but are
usually a fraction of that, maxing out at eight
inches in some nutrient-challenged regions.
However, being the streamlined bullets
of crazed muscle they are, they fight like
heavyweights to the end, and tear off again
after release, something exhilarating to see.
In Quebec fishery Zone 15 north of
Montreal, fishing regs allow a generous limit
of 15 omble (char in English). This includes
capture of both Omble chevalier (Arctic char)
and Omble fontaine (brook trout, which is
also a char) combined. The reasoning is that
Quebec reds are not considered a sport
fish of great consequence, and might be an
inadvertent catch, or too small to compete
with brook trout as a quarry. But, I dare to
differ. They are a rare diamond in the hand of
a discriminating trout fisher.
Brian Coad’s 2011 edition of Fishes of
Canada’s National Capital Region states that
in our area, “they may no longer be present
in many of the lakes mapped, through
overfishing and competition with introduced
smallmouth bass.” This is a sad loss since
there were only a handful of Gatineau lakes
ever known to contain them in the first
place. I have investigated most of them,
with dismal results.
AC HYBRID ™
But fortunately they’re more abundant
further east, particularly in lakes north
of Quebec city, so go east my friends, go
east. But, before you do, be aware of some
cheap imitations.
Some prominent outfitters boast of
territories that hold Quebec reds, but do
not. Simple brook trout are what they offer
instead, and a few go to great lengths to
mislead you. Be informed before you go.
Google and YouTube are resplendent with
photos of these brook trout imposters, when
lake-bound Arctic char are really what you
want to find. Thankfully, many pourvoyeurs
do have them, which will give you clues to
their native distribution.
So, how do you tell the difference? Usually
easy enough. Without presenting a full
identification guide here, look at these photos
and notice the lack of essential characteristics
common to brook trout. Just for starters,
there are no red spots with purple halos, no
marking on fins or tail, no vermiculations on
the back, no black margins on fins, but with
a notched tail. More definitive anatomical
characteristics can be found in scientific
papers, past and present, or at this Quebec
government website www.mffp.gouv.qc.ca/
faune/peche/poissons/omble-chevalier.jsp
Even our intrepid “Outdoors Guy” was
once coerced into thinking his ‘mystery
trout’ of NW Quebec were Quebec reds. He
has since determined otherwise.
Although I’ve only caught a few myself,
a day’s drive is not too far to go in order
to land one of these beauties. Up before
dawn, there by 10 a.m., fish till dark,
and back home by midnight, it’s an easy
trout-lover’s outing.
Flies, Mepps, or spinner and worm.
Give it a go. It’s probably on your bucket
list anyhow.
Author Grant Bailey with a nice Quebec Red
harvested in the province’s Pontiac region.
www.fishhuntandride.ca
Gold or Genuine Silver blades
AC 1, 3 & 5
3 Sizes
7 Colours
GOR
• Interchangeable hook
• Strike triggering egg
• Classic Aglia blade
• Comet body
Easy hook replacements
www.mepps.ca
FISH , HUNT RIDE | 9