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Cascapedia Wading Sectors

3K views 7 replies 6 participants last post by  Silver Fox 
#1 ·
I have not fished the Cascapedia as the guided sectors are beyond my desired price point. I have fished the public water on the Matapedia and the three rivers at the town of Gaspe. Next year I am considering trying the wading sections on the lake and salmon branch of the Cascapedia in July or August. I will be entering the November draw hoping to get lucky. Any info on these sectors would be appreciated.
Is the lake branch or salmon branch preferable?
Which of the wading pools are the most productive?
Is the success rate comparable to the three rivers at Gaspe?
Thanks in advance.
Good luck to all in the November draws.
 
#3 ·
Once you win then you will need to decide. You should know that both branches can offer good fishing. But, like anywhere, water level is everything. A rain can be a blessing but a heavy rain can be disastrous. They cut too many trees a number of years ago and I am hoping it has grown back enough up there to the point where the runoff is not immediately muddy. Oddly enough, I too am planning on entering the draw for the same area for the first time in many years. I too have great memories of these waters! One thing for sure is that it is remote.

Good luck
 
#4 ·
Neither branch is generally as productive as the river from the forks downstream, though Alder Island is a holding water on the lake branch that can have a lot of fish. The salmon branch is usually better than the lake branch. Basically, all this is reflected in the price -- you get the fishing you pay for. I had 3 days on this sector in 2010 and had not a single pull. Saw 1 fish show. Pools 78, 79, 80 are on 2-h rotation, most others on a noon rotation.

The pool roads can be very steep and in poor condition. On some, 4WD is essential. I have spoken to people who went down a pool road in a 2WD sedan and got to spend the night there. Also, I now carry an axe in the truck since getting trapped down at the bottom of a pool road by a fallen tree. There is no cell phone service in that area and it is a long wait for help to turn up.
 
#5 ·
I am curious what happens when you win the wading sector. How many days can you select these days, is it 3?

Timing as I said is everything, Sounds like Mr. Thrasher just didn't have good timing.

The lake branch has the largest holding water, Alder Island has fish that are on there way to the Lake! However, the majority of the fish travel up the Salmon branch hence the name. At the head of the salmon branch is the major spawning escapement sanctuary, Definitely do not attempt to drive there!
 
#6 ·
I fished the salmon and lake branches for 5 years, ending 3 years ago. In my opinion the salmon branch is far superior as , under good conditions, the fishing and catching can be excellent. I never found that to be the case on the lake branch. The problem with the salmon branch is that the water can get too low to fish, and those days just might be yours.
 
#7 · (Edited)
I fished both wading sectors of the Cascapedia the last week of June 2010. The water was perfect on the Salmon Branch and second day on the Lake Branch. The fishing conditions widely varied on the Salmon Branch. The water levels for our morning beat on the Salmon Branch were perfect for that beat, yet our afternoon Salmon Branch beat was really tough due to the water being much too high for those pools making them almost impossible to fish.

The first morning I hooked a very big fish in Indian Brook beat which is on the Salmon Branch. Lost the fish 10 minutes later. Nothing for the rest of that morning on that beat. Really nice water though, but the fish seem to hold in one particular holding pool on that beat. The afternoon we had to switch to another beat on the Salmon Branch but the pools were almost inaccessable due to the high water conditions for that beat. So the afternoon was a bust.

Next day fished the Lake Branch, I think it was pool 87. Missed one very subtle take. That was it for the rest of the day. There is some very nice water on the Lake Branch, but to me, the Salmon Branch seemed to hold more fish.....or at least that is what I felt.

As mentioned before, water levels will dictate which beat is most fishable, as there seemed to be drastic differences between branches and especially from pool to pool. While one beat may be perfect, the next beat may be unfishable.
 
#8 ·
Thanks for Your Comments

Thanks to all that responded. I haven't entered the draw for the wading sections yet. Its always an adventure and thrill to fish new waters so I'm tempted. But as someone said I haven't won a spot in the draw yet. One last concern for me is that we drive an ordinary car (Civic) and I wonder if the road will be an issue if we were lucky enough to win some water? I've driven to Moose Bogan and Wild Rose but that is about as adventuresome as I want. Thanks.
 
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