Line fishing and fly fishing
For these types of fishing, your line may be equipped with artificial lures, hooks or flies, and may be baited or unbaited. A hook may be single or multiple. An artificial lure or a fly counts as a hook.
Maximum number of hooks and points
Generally, in all bodies of water, where all kinds of line fishing (angling) is permitted (including fly fishing), your line must not have more than three fish hooks. However, the number of points for a hook or combination of hooks is unlimited.
Special conditions may apply as shown in the table below.
| Place or fishing period | Hooks | Points |
|---|---|---|
| In zone 25 and the portion of lac Saint-François located west of a line drawn from Beaudette point on the north shore to Saint-Louis point on the south shore (zone 8) | 4 | Unlimited |
| In zone 21, for rainbow smelt fishing | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| In zones 1, 18, 19 and 21 for striped bass fishing | 3 | 1 per shaft and 3 in total per line |
| In salmon rivers, where salmon fishing is permitted | 1 | 2 |
| In salmon rivers, where salmon fishing is prohibited | 3 | 3 in total |
Number of lines
You must use only one line at a time (except in winter) and you must monitor it constantly. You must not use a rod and line and a fly fishing rod at the same time.
As a general rule, if one or more people fish under the same licence, everyone is entitled to his or her own line. However, in the case of winter fishing, baitfish fishing or burbot fishing in Lac Saint-Jean, the total number of lines used for the group must not exceed the number authorized for a licence.
Caution
You cannot have a fishing gear in your possession on or within 100 m of a body of water on which the use of this gear is prohibited. Special conditions may apply if you are fishing on a body of water reserved for fly fishing.
Sites reserved for fly fishing
Most salmon rivers and some bodies of water, usually located in controlled harvesting zones (ZECs), are reserved for fly fishing and are posted as such at the information centre or near the fishing site.
When fishing in these reserved areas, the number of authorized hooks and points may vary according to the place and the fishing period, as indicated in the table below.
| Place or fishing period | Artificial flies | Points* |
|---|---|---|
| In bodies of water reserved for fly fishing (elsewhere that salmon rivers) In salmon rivers, where salmon fishing is permitted | 2 | 3 |
| In salmon rivers, where salmon fishing is permitted | 1 | 2 |
| In salmon rivers, where salmon fishing is prohibited | 2 | 3 |
*Valid for a hook or a combination of hooks
If you fish at a reserved site, you must also comply with the following rules:
- The fly line (silk) must be unweighted and mounted on a fishing rod designed for that purpose.
- A maximum of 2 flies can be attached to this line, which must not be a metal-core line.
- Unless otherwise indicated, the fly must not be baited.
Composition of the fly
The composition of the fly is very specific as indicated below:
- It may be dressed with silk, tinsel, wool, fabric, fur, feathers or other similar materials.
- Metal (brass, copper or aluminium) and plastic tubing may form part of the fly, along with the straight pin.
- Waddington shafts are authorized but metal heads and eyes are prohibited.
- The fly must not have spinning or undulating parts or be equipped with weights that cause it to sink.
Maximum authorized hook size
An artificial fly may comprise a combination of fish hooks and must comply with the maximum authorized hook size as shown in the figure below. It must never have more than three points (two points maximum when fishing in a salmon river during the salmon fishing period). There is no restriction on shank length.
The figure above shows the maximum distance (distance between the tip and hook) of the artificial flies based on the number of points.
Note: There is no restriction on the length of the hamp.
3 points
2 points
1 point
Additional information
You cannot have, in your possession, any fishing gear other than that required for fly fishing, on or within 100 metres of a body of water reserved for fly fishing, except:
- When the gear is in a vehicle (other than a boat) or a building.
- You are only crossing or travelling along waters reserved for fly fishing in order to fish in other waters where the use of the gear in question is permitted.
In this case, when you are in the area reserved for fly fishing, you must take the hook (other than an artificial fly) off the line, render your rod unusable by taking it apart into sections, removing the reel or storing it in a closed case.
Printable versions of the rules
General rules, zones’ specific rules and maps (PDF)
Regulatory Information
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Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday: 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. -
Free phone line: 1-844-523-6738
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Last update: April 28, 2023
