Ice fishing increasingly popular in the ZECs of Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean

Ice fishing on lakes is gaining popularity in the ZECs of Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean. In recent years, there have been more and more fishermen there. This is a way for many to wait while waiting for the ice to form on the Saguenay Fjord.

Using an auger, Dany Dufour drills holes in the thick ice of Lac de la Rivière, with the majestic scenery of Zec Anse-Saint-Jean in the background, in Bas-Saguenay.

There’s ice cream!says the one who is vice-president of the ZEC, finishing drilling the first holes.

Approximately 16 inches (40 cm) of ice cover the body of water which is accessible after a few kilometers by snowmobile or tracked all-terrain vehicle (ATV), from the entrance to the ZEC.

Many do like him and are now taking advantage of the winter season to tease speckled trout.

Dany Dufour notes that more and more fishermen are doing this, while waiting for the ice to form on the Saguenay Fjord, which is still mostly whitewater.

With ice fishing on the Saguenay starting later in the season, we have a lot of traffic.he explains.

Interest in fishing in the ZEC has increased in recent years, as the effects of climate change make it difficult to maintain ice cover on the Saguenay Fjord at the start of the groundfish fishing season.

We have seen growth since ice fishing, it has been slow to take off year after year, adds the president of the ZEC, Tommy Lavoie. It’s no surprise to anyone, it’s quite common every year that the ice, ice fishing on the fjord, is later and later.

The president of the Promotion Pêche organization, Rémi Aubin, invites fishermen who usually practice their leisure on the ice of the Saguenay Fjord to consider ZECs to practice their leisure. He himself likes to go fishing on lakes at the beginning or end of the season.

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You have to be patient. But for the moment, for security, I like it, because it makes a great alternative and it allows us to develop another economy. Because there are still 10 ZECs in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean regionhe emphasizes.

An addition to meet demand

The ice fishing experience on a lake is different, but just as enjoyable, assures Dany Dufour.

It’s a bit the same principle as ice fishing on the Saguenay. It’s three hooks, with a fishing rod, then… We fish, then we jigging! […] It’s good to eat! Then, the tranquility as we can see… The scenery is very beautiful!

Zec Anse-Saint-Jean is not the only one to welcome more and more fishermen to its lakes.

Interest is growing in all the ZECs in the region.

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The ZECs have developed their offer in recent years, in response to demand.

It happens to be a complementary offer, so we judge that there is a good market for it. Then, in fact, it is also in our mission to ensure accessibility to the territory, then to promote wildlife.

The Zec du Lac-Brébeuf, in Saint-Félix-d’Otis, was added to the list this year. It will be possible to ice fish on certain lakes from January 15.

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The number of lakes open to ice fishing varies according to the ZECs. The Ministry of the Environment, the Fight against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks issues an authorization, depending on the state of the fish population.

The lakes are mainly accessible by snowmobile or VTT tracked. Some are sometimes accessible by car, like some from Zec Martin-Valin.

A way to diversify income

Ice fishing is also a way for ZECs to diversify their income, while they receive less and less money from Quebec, reports Tommy Lavoie.

From year to year, subsidies are increasingly rare, so you have to be truly independent and financially self-sufficient. So, having activities 12 months a year is what we want to develop with.

For example, the ZEC wishes to add accommodation near Lake Moreau, develop snowshoe trails, promote deer hunting and develop its campsite which is located near Lake Rivière.

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These new activities will be important to ensure the future of the ZECs, which are non-profit organizations whose boards of directors are made up of volunteers.

Financing opportunities are fewer, so it goes without saying that for us, for the ZECs, diversifying the range of activities is a way forward, to avoid simply driving at a slow pace and do the minimum, due to lack of fundsunderlines Alexandre Mathieu.

The important thing is to seek other funds, to develop the territories and to open up to other activities as well.he adds.

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