Sea Fishing on the Wharves and Beaches of Gaspésie

From a wharf or on the beach, enjoy the experience of sea fishing in Gaspésie! Here is information about the main species that are fished recreationally (striped bass, plaice, mackerel and capelin) as well as other practical fishing information for your stay in Gaspésie.

Sea fishing is free; it does not require the purchase of a provincial fishing licence. However, you will need to bring your own gear, and it is recommended that you wear a life jacket.

The rules and regulations concerning fishing periods, the number of catches allowed per sector and the types of hooks to be used vary from one species to the next and are updated regularly. Before you go fishing, make sure you are well informed about the regulations in effect by visiting the “Sport Fishing” section of the official website of the Government of Québec.

Fishing for striped bass

Striped bass is a delicious white fish that is abundant in the salt waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. A highly combative fish, it is a prized catch among recreational fishers. A daily catch limit has been set to preserve the species; in addition, only striped bass between 50 cm and 65 cm can be kept. Anglers may fish for striped bass with a single hook only, without natural bait, for a maximum of three hooks per line.

At rising tide, it is possible to fish for striped bass from the beach. Anglers can mostly be found in Carleton-sur-Mer, Caplan, Saint-Siméon, Bonaventure, Percé, Coin-du-Banc, Barachois and Gaspé (Haldimand, Boom Defense and Sandy Beach wharf). In Carleton-sur-Mer, you can go fishing for striped bass on a boat with Pêche Sportive Baie-des-Chaleurs.

Fishing for plaice

From a wharf or in a boat, try your hand at fishing for plaice, a groundfish. The white flesh of this flatfish is delicious! Earth worms, raw clams or sea worms (nereis) can all be used to fish for plaice. The daily catch limit is 15 plaice per person.

Fishing for mackerel

If you hit a shoal of mackerel, you may be able to catch loads! Hang a series of hooks on your line and you can reel in several fish at the same time.

With the exception of a few places such as Forillon, where the daily catch limit is 10 per person, there are no catch limits for mackerel. However, a regulatory amendment is currently in the works to set the limit to 20 fish. Only mackerel that are longer than 26.8 cm may be kept.

Fishing for capelin

Have you ever heard of capelin “rolling” on the beach? In Gaspésie, you can observe this unique phenomenon between May and June; however, you will need to be at the right place at the right time, since the capelin roll only lasts a few days. You can visit eCapelin.ca to see where others have observed this phenomenon (or submit your own data).

These small silvery fish are accustomed to following the waves and “rolling” in schools on the beach during spawning season. Capelin can be caught and kept without restrictions on size or quantity. During the capelin roll, these fish are usually harvested by hand with a bucket, without any fishing gear.

Recreational fishing on a wharf

Many residents of Gaspésie enjoy fishing from the village wharf, which means it is also great place to strike up conversations with the locals! Here is a list of the wharves in Gaspésie where you can go fishing.

Tools and important information

• Interactive map of fishing periods, limits and exceptions in Québec
• Sport fishing regulations in Québec (fishing periods, quotas, limits, etc.)
• Harpon mobile app by Télépêche for anglers who want to fish in Gaspésie

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