Winter fishing
Depending on the zone, you may use up to 5 or 10 lines for winter fishing. You must monitor the lines continuously.
For information on the number of lines to which you are entitled, please select your fishing zone.
Night fishing
Fishing at night is permitted except in a salmon river, where fishing from one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise is prohibited. See the special conditions to fish for rainbow smelt with a lift net or a landing net.
Fishing with bows or crossbows or spearfishing while swimming
This type of fishing is permitted in most fishing zones. You may spearfish while snorkelling or diving (with or without diving apparatus).
However, these methods are prohibited when fishing for:
- atlantic salmon;
- striped bass;
- landlocked salmon;
- muskellunge;
- lake trout;
- sturgeon;
- walleye in zones 3 to 16 and 26 to 28 (with some exceptions).
These methods are also prohibited when fishing for all fish species:
- in zones 17 and 22 to 24;
- in bodies of water reserved for fly fishing;
- in salmon rivers;
- within 500 m downstream from any point at the mouth of a salmon river in zones 18 to 20, 27 and 28, or from a salmon river in zone 21 located on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River.
Spear and harpoon fishing
The use of a spear or a harpoon is allowed to fish for American eel (without swimming) in the waters of îles de la Madeleine all year long.
Printable versions of the rules
General rules, zones’ specific rules and maps (PDF)
Last update: January 20, 2021
Notice
The information published on this website has been simplified and provides a summary of the main regulatory provisions. It does not replace the official texts of the laws and regulations. For more detailed information on a specific rule, please refer to the Québec Fishery Regulations 
or the Regulation respecting fishing licences .
