FishUSA.com Fishing Tackle

Author Topic: 2015 Trip to Square Tail Lodge near Chibougamau, Quebec  (Read 9374 times)

O

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 208
My friend and I had a very nice trip to Square Tail Loge in Quebec the second week of June 2015.  The camp had just opened up the week before, so we were in before the black flies got too bad.  This was our first time to this outfit, and I am sure we will return again.  We had planned to fly fish for brook trout in the adjoining Broadback River, but high and fast water cancelled those plans.  No matter, as there were plenty of fish and action in the 15 mile long lake.  (Lac Troilus)  

The camp offers American (meals included) and European (no meals) plans.  We were on the American plan, and our experience with the cook was excellent.  Hearty breakfast of french toast, bacon, cereal, coffee, tea, crepes, etc. started our day at 7am.   Dinners were excellent as well, and seconds were always offered, as well as dessert.  We certainly ate well!

At 8am it was off to the boat with a cooler lunch for a day of fishing with our dedicated guide.  I was unsure of being required to use a guide for the entire week, as I thought it might be a drag on our ability to explore, or to fish our own style.   Not so.  Our guide was excellent!  Not only did he know this vast and varied lake as well as the back of his hand, he was a pleasure to have in the boat to talk about not only fishing, but jazz, Cuba, life in the Canadian bush, mining, and more.    Additionally, due to the high water at the time, several rocks and other hazards were partially covered, and I am sure we would have damaged the boat or worse if left to our own.  

The cabins are typical fishing camp fare, plywood structures with a small propane heater (used on 2 of the nights) and hot water shower, flush toilet, and sink.  Certainly comfortable enough for a fishing camp.  I do recommend that you bring a mosquito screen bed covering; there was just no escaping them.



To get to the camp, there is 85 miles of good gravel road from Chibougamau to the camp.  Chibougamau is 12 hours from the 1000 Island bridge.  You are required to purchase a permit to enter the Troilus Territory, as well as a Quebec fishing license.  



The lake and surrounding area are beautiful.  My friend is a much better photographer than I am, so the better pictures are his.



I got my largest pike ever, 37", 14.5#s on a Mister Twister Curly Tail on a jig head, single hook, no barb (Square Tail Lodge requirement)



One of the many streams feeding the lake.  Nice Walleye Hot Spot!



A nice stringer of walleye, average length was 19" and 3.5 to 4 pounds.  We totaled over 130 walleye in six days of fishing.  Biggest one was 25" and 5 pounds.



Shore Lunch was provided one day by the guide.  As are all shore lunches, it was excellent!



We caught a few Blue Walleyes too.



And I was lucky enough to break my one day old Personal Best with this Northern Pike: 40", 17# 12 oz.  This time on a hot orange Gulp minnow again on a single barb less hook jig.  



As I said above, we will definitely be back to SQUARE TAIL LODGE!  Maybe we will get a chance to catch a brookie in the river or the lake.  

Mac Attack

  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 10,159
Re: 2015 Trip to Square Tail Lodge near Chibougamau, Quebec
« Reply #1 on: Jul 01, 2015, 02:39 PM »
Nice write-up.
Thanks for sharing.
I love Canadian fishing trips.

O

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 208
Re: 2015 Trip to Square Tail Lodge near Chibougamau, Quebec
« Reply #2 on: Jul 07, 2015, 07:11 AM »
I love going up there.  I drive by a lot of great fishing when I do, but you can't beat the solitude. 

Raquettedacker

  • MFF Mod Team
  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 11,601
Re: 2015 Trip to Square Tail Lodge near Chibougamau, Quebec
« Reply #3 on: Jul 07, 2015, 06:42 PM »
Great pictures and great fish. Congratulations... :clapping: :thumbup_smilie:
My wife, son an I just looked at the pictures and even my wife said thats beautiful... But my wife said wouldnt be be able to handle that road.... ::) ::) ::) ;D ;D ;D Guess I would have to leave here home... :whistling: :whistling:
Sometimes we live no particular way but our own.....<br />Strangers stopping strangers just to shake there hand...<br />\"Dying is the easy part. Learning how to live is the hard part....\"

O

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 208
Re: 2015 Trip to Square Tail Lodge near Chibougamau, Quebec
« Reply #4 on: Jul 07, 2015, 08:38 PM »
Raq, tell her that gravel road is better than most of the roads in NYS.  I was going 60-65 MPH on most of it.  You just need to watch out for the loaded logging trucks!

Raquettedacker

  • MFF Mod Team
  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 11,601
Re: 2015 Trip to Square Tail Lodge near Chibougamau, Quebec
« Reply #5 on: Jul 07, 2015, 08:44 PM »
No, its better she doesn't know...     ;)    ;D ;D ;D
Sometimes we live no particular way but our own.....<br />Strangers stopping strangers just to shake there hand...<br />\"Dying is the easy part. Learning how to live is the hard part....\"

Longrange

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 3
Re: 2015 Trip to Square Tail Lodge near Chibougamau, Quebec
« Reply #6 on: Jul 08, 2015, 08:38 AM »
Looks like a great trip. Exciting to see.

A few of us are heading up to Square Tail the second week of August.  Hopefully we are coming in after most of the black flies have past. I hear horror stories of using more DEET than gas up in Northern Quebec. I was hoping you could answer a couple questions...

Did you guys stay at the Nordic Motel before heading into camp? Did you see anything in Chibougamau that you would have rather had stayed at?

Any suggestions to someone going up? Things you wish you had done differently?

I'm thinking of taking a fly rod now, going in August will probably be a good time with the water getting lower. Will be nice to get out of the tin boat now and then.

O

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 208
Re: 2015 Trip to Square Tail Lodge near Chibougamau, Quebec
« Reply #7 on: Jul 08, 2015, 07:47 PM »
No, its better she doesn't know...     ;)    ;D ;D ;D

Any, gotcha!

O

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 208
Re: 2015 Trip to Square Tail Lodge near Chibougamau, Quebec
« Reply #8 on: Jul 08, 2015, 07:59 PM »
Looks like a great trip. Exciting to see.

A few of us are heading up to Square Tail the second week of August.  Hopefully we are coming in after most of the black flies have past. I hear horror stories of using more DEET than gas up in Northern Quebec. I was hoping you could answer a couple questions...

The bugs were not bad at all, only on shore and even then very bearable.  Not sure about August though.  There was almost always a breeze on the water.

Did you guys stay at the Nordic Motel before heading into camp? Did you see anything in Chibougamau that you would have rather had stayed at?

We stayed in St Felician at the Hotel Borealis, it was very nice.  We didn't go inside the Nordic but it didn't look like much to us, glad we stayed at Borealis.  There were nicer places in Chibigomou I think. 

Any suggestions to someone going up? Things you wish you had done differently?

White plastic jigs, lots of them.  Brown and orange too.  I used gulp and mister twister Paddletails, curly tails.  Heavy heads 3/8 up to 1 oz.  Remember to pinch down the Barb.   Don't forget the mosquito screens for your bed, well worth the $$.

I'm thinking of taking a fly rod now, going in August will probably be a good time with the water getting lower. Will be nice to get out of the tin boat now and then.

I'm not much of a fly fisherman, but was looking forward to trying it.  Next time. You can probably fly fish out of the boat if you wanted to.

Mac Attack

  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 10,159
Re: 2015 Trip to Square Tail Lodge near Chibougamau, Quebec
« Reply #9 on: Jul 08, 2015, 08:31 PM »
Looks awesome.
What was your drive time to get there from Baldwinsville?

O

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 208
Re: 2015 Trip to Square Tail Lodge near Chibougamau, Quebec
« Reply #10 on: Jul 08, 2015, 09:09 PM »
On the way home we drove straight through and it was 15 hours, stopping for lunch, dinner and gas.  And a police officer with flashing lights... :'(

Mac Attack

  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 10,159
Re: 2015 Trip to Square Tail Lodge near Chibougamau, Quebec
« Reply #11 on: Jul 08, 2015, 09:15 PM »
On the way home we drove straight through and it was 15 hours, stopping for lunch, dinner and gas.  And a police officer with flashing lights... :'(


Well that sux.


Long a$$ drive!!!

I was plotting it on a mapping program I have and it said 16-17 hrs.
But I'm 2 hrs west of you in Buffalo.

Looks like an awesome place.
Glad you had fun and caught tons of fish.

Mac

O

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 208
Re: 2015 Trip to Square Tail Lodge near Chibougamau, Quebec
« Reply #12 on: Jul 09, 2015, 07:01 AM »
I'm sure there are lots of places closer to you.  The attraction here was the river and being able to fly fish for brookies.  That didn't work out for us, but it was still a great trip.   I've been to two other places in that general area.  Square Tail had bigger average size walleyes then both of those.  My friend has been to 8 or 9 places in Quebec and he said the same thing.

Longrange

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 3
Re: 2015 Trip to Square Tail Lodge near Chibougamau, Quebec
« Reply #13 on: Jul 15, 2015, 11:33 AM »
One last question O, we are using the boats provided by STL, and paying for camp fuel. Do you have an idea of how much fuel you guys were using every day roaming around?

I see in one of your pictures, it looks like he is running four stroke yammis. are all the boats he has the same?

O

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 208
Re: 2015 Trip to Square Tail Lodge near Chibougamau, Quebec
« Reply #14 on: Jul 15, 2015, 08:46 PM »
I think because we were on the American plan, everything, including fuel was included.  We had no extra charges. 

Yes all the boats were the same and they were plenty roomy for 2 fisherman and a guide and had very comfortable seats.  Bring your own life jacket.

 



Iceshanty | MyFishFinder | MyHuntingForum
Contact | Disclaimer | Sponsor
© 2004- MyFishFinder.com
All Rights Reserved.