People go Atlantic Tommy cod ice fishing since 1938 in the municipality of Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade, which is considered as the tomcod Capital of the world. At that place, you can comfortably sit in a heated and lighted fishing lodge and fish for tomcod. you can experience the magic of winter tommy cod fishing with your family or friends from December 26 to February 15!
Do you know the history of the tommy cod fishing, the reasons why this kind of winter fishing is practiced over such as small period of time and why it is only practiced in winter?
The tomcod, also called Atlantic tomcod or winter cod, is part of the cod family. This small cod is a salt water fish that runs up the St. Lawrence River to the mouth of the Sainte-Anne River in Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade. These fish run up the river only during the cold season to spawn in semi frosted ice (slush). This ice is formed in the rapids located upstream our fishing places.
This is what it look under water!
and over the ice!
The season time is only about 6-7 weeks, so as soon the ice is enought thick to walk on it, they start water pumps to made it more thicky the fasted they can, to install all the village and animation on the river!
Depends of seasons, around 100k-130k fishermen go there.