Quebec and New Brunswick, two destinations for striped bass fishing

© Likid Fishing

Eastern Canada is becoming an increasingly popular destination for striped bass. For European bass fishing enthusiasts, it is definitely a good destination to meet this XL version of bass.

Quebec and New Brunswick

In the Canadian provinces of Quebec and New Brunswick, fishing is permitted along the entire Atlantic Ocean, which provides a great playground to explore.

Zone de pêche du bar rayé sur la côté Atlantique du Québec et du Nouveau Brunswick
Striped bass fishing area on the Atlantic side of Quebec and New Brunswick.

The best time

In Quebec, I recommend the months of July and August, because the fish come up here temporarily to feed and then leave.

In New Brunswick, fishing is more regular throughout the year as the fish reproduce. The September and October period is interesting because the fish gather on the coasts and feed more in preparation for the winter.

The regulation

I will not dwell long on the regulations, because they change from year to year and from province to province, especially in Quebec where striped bass fishing is relatively recent. This is the result of a commercial overfishing which led to a total ban on striped bass fishing for several years.

Today, commercial fishing is still prohibited and sport fishing is only allowed under certain conditions. It is therefore advisable to get information when the time comes and depending on the destination chosen. To date, no fishing license is required to fish at sea in both provinces. The opening dates are between April and June and the closing date is often in October but will depend on your destination province.

Finally, the use of single hooks is mandatory and I think that this will not change, it is necessary to plan in advance to change these on swimming fish if necessary.

The material

It is sure that striped bass can reach very nice sizes but you should not over-size your equipment either. A 10/60g rod with a good 3000 size reel will be perfect and comfortable to fish with.

Canne Hearty-rise bass force II + moulinet shimano stella 3000FE
Hearty Rise Bass Force II rod + Shimano Stella 3000FE reel

A 30lbs rod with a 4000 size reel is a good complement to give you maximum success with big fish and to fish in crowded or strong current areas.

Canne Tenryu injection SP73XH travel + moulinet shimano stella 4000FI
Tenryu Injection SP73XH travel rod + Shimano Stella 4000FI reel

Quebec and New Brunswick are great destinations to discover striped bass. From Montreal, it takes a good ten hours of driving but they are still easily accessible by yourself or with friends and do not require specific and cumbersome equipment.

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