Did you know that tomcod are a Quebec winter tradition? Learn more about these little wrigglers that have been a favourite of ice fishers for nearly 80 years!
Also known as Atlantic tomcod, channel fish, loach or, for the more scientific among us, Microgadus tomcod, tomcod migrate from the St. Lawrence estuary to Sainte-Anne River here in Sainte-Anne- de-la- Pérade, bringing with them scores of people who also migrate to the area for the love of ice fishing.
Tomcod usually ride the rising tide and follow the current to fresh water and the river’s shallow waters to have their families. They lay their eggs in the spawning area, which is a favourite spot for ice fishers. The Centre de pêche Marchand is right next to this area, which makes it the best site for tomcod fishing!
Atlantic tomcod normally arrive around mid-December, just in time for the holidays. That’s why they’re often called “Christmas fish.” Mid-February marks the end of the tomcod fishing season, an activity that attracts nearly 100,000 visitors from Quebec and outside the province.
Join the ice fishing fun! Book your fishing cabin and see for yourself how tomcod fishing is a true Quebec winter tradition. Whether you fry up your catch or simply release it back into the frigid waters, you’ll enjoy a fishing trip that you won’t soon forget!
