Our Ice Fishing Experience in Saguenay

In our latest article about our stay in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, I shared my experience of winter via ferrata at Parc Aventures Cap Jaseux, an activity I was lucky enough to try. During that outing, my guide mentioned another experience that I’m going to tell you about today: renting an ice fishing hut to try fishing on the frozen fjord.

A few days earlier, we had noticed countless little huts scattered across the ice around Saguenay and La Baie, but at first we had no idea what they were. My guide finally explained it during the via ferrata outing. Mélanie had already spotted the activity on Manawa, although we had not originally planned to book it. Once we were there, though, we changed our minds. It looked like a fun experience and, above all, a great opportunity to spend time together on the ice as a family.

As with our other articles, I should mention that this post was written in partnership with Manawa, the outdoor activity booking platform we have recommended for years.

We may not have been particularly successful on the fishing front, haha, but we still had a wonderful time. I hope this article makes you want to try the experience for yourself, because it certainly felt out of the ordinary to us—especially coming from Guadeloupe.

Because I had been there a few days earlier, I already knew the way. The hut is rented for the full day and is available from 8 a.m., but we were staying more than an hour away and, since we were on vacation, we had no desire to get up quite that early. We arranged to arrive at Parc Aventures Cap Jaseux at 10 a.m. The forecast was calling for what locals might describe as a “warm” day, and when we arrived it was only -2°C. After several days at -15°C to -20°C, the difference was immediately noticeable. Light snow was falling and expected to continue through the morning, creating a lovely winter atmosphere, even if it was not exactly the weather for bright blue skies, haha.

We check in at reception and walk down to the same pavilion where I had met the team for the via ferrata, at the bottom of the site. Émilie, our guide, is already waiting for us, and she immediately gets along well with both us and the kids. The activity is simple, so the briefing is fairly short. She explains that she has already switched on the heater and prepared everything in the hut, then goes over which fish may be kept and which must be released. A few minutes later, we leave the pavilion on foot and head toward our fishing hut for the day. There is no real food service on site, so we have brought a picnic to eat with the kids inside the hut.

We make our way down to the shoreline. The fjord is completely frozen, and our bright red hut is easy to spot from the coast. Along the way, we pass impressive piles of broken ice shaped by the area’s strong tidal range of around 6 meters. Ice builds up at the edge, then cracks and shifts into beautiful formations. We watch our footing near the water before setting off on a short ten-minute walk across the ice. Everyone is excited to be there, and the snow is still falling.

Émilie meets us at the hut by snowmobile and explains a few final details, especially how to use the stove. She gives us her phone number in case we have a problem or need anything during the day. Our little hut is only a few square meters, with a bench, shelves for our bags and belongings, and four holes drilled through the ice that morning. Four fishing rods hang on the wall, and reception has provided us with small pieces of chicken to use as bait.

We settle in at around 10:30 a.m. and prepare the rods. Émilie has explained that most fish are found near the bottom here, at a depth of roughly 60 meters, so there is little point in spending time at mid-depth or close to the surface. We lower our bait like the expert anglers we clearly are, haha. The technique is straightforward: wait for the line to go slack when the bait reaches the bottom, then reel it up gradually through the water column before starting again. The kids are delighted with our tiny, overheated cube of a hut. In fact, we soon have to turn down the stove because it is far too warm inside, even though the temperature outside is barely 0°C.

Mélanie and I are pleasantly surprised by how patient the kids remain, even though nobody catches a thing for more than two hours. The main frustration is that our lines occasionally become tangled, and each time we have to spend a while sorting them out. At noon, we take a proper lunch break inside the hut, which does everyone good. At times, snow is blowing hard outside, making the shelter feel especially cozy, although the kids understandably begin to lose interest after so long without a bite.

I bundle up with Téo and head outside for a while. It is the warmest day we have experienced since arriving in the region, and the conditions feel surprisingly pleasant. We take a few photos while Téo runs around on the ice and throws himself into the snow. Simply walking across a frozen fjord is part of the experience—it feels wonderfully strange to stand in the middle of such a wide, open space. We spot a few people fishing outside in the distance and decide to walk over. After about ten minutes, we meet a father and son enjoying the day together. They explain that the fishing is slow and that success depends on many different factors. Some days are excellent; on others, like this one, the fish simply do not seem hungry. They show us their sonar, a small device that displays the fishing line and passing fish underwater. It is fascinating to watch fish follow the bait, approach it, and sometimes swim straight past. It is a very different, more technological way to fish, but it still looks like fun. Even so, they have caught only one tiny red fish since the morning.

We spend about half an hour with them, and they are kind enough to give the kids a KitKat. Téo and I continue walking because it feels so good to be outside. In several places, existing fishing holes are marked by lines resting above the ice, ready for use by the people assigned to them.

We return to the hut beneath intermittent snowfall, but Mélanie and Louis still have not caught anything. Téo and I make another attempt, with no better luck, and we end the day empty-handed. Even so, we have had a wonderful time in the hut. At around 3:30 p.m., we pack up and walk back toward the edge of the fjord, where Émilie is waiting for us at the pavilion. We thank her for the day before heading off.

We had a wonderful day, largely because the small hut gave us a chance to slow down and spend uninterrupted time together as a family. Walking across the frozen fjord was another highlight. Although we would obviously have preferred to catch a few fish, that is simply how nature works. We stayed for about five hours, which felt like the right amount of time with the kids, although the full-day rental makes it possible to remain much longer.

Travel time will naturally depend on where you are staying in the region. We were based in the countryside near Alma, about an hour away. To make the Discovery Center easier to find, you can view the exact location on Google Maps here.

Having a car is the most practical way to explore Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean independently. As on many of our trips, we used DiscoverCars to compare rates from several rental companies and found a very good deal. It is worth reviewing the different offers to find the option that best suits your itinerary.

For this trip, we tried HomeExchange for the first time. The platform uses a points-based system that allows travelers to exchange homes, and the points we had accumulated enabled us to stay in the home of a Quebec family nearby. If the idea appeals to you, you can explore the platform and sign up through our referral link. Both you and we receive 250 bonus points, which may cover roughly two nights depending on the destination.

If you prefer more traditional accommodations, these are a few options worth considering in the area:

• Gîte du Lac Docteur: This lakeside guesthouse in Saint-Honoré offers comfortable family rooms with balconies and direct access to canoes, kayaks, and pedal boats. The peaceful setting is close to the Monts-Valin, and the property is known for its warm welcome and generous homemade breakfast.
• Exode en Nature: Located in Sainte-Rose-du-Nord, this eco-friendly cabin for four offers an unusual forest stay with a private hot tub, sauna, and river views. The surroundings are especially quiet and close to the Saguenay Fjord.
• Ferme Jardin Potager: Set in an early-20th-century farmhouse in Sainte-Rose-du-Nord, this charming property offers rooms and apartments with beautiful fjord views. The atmosphere blends heritage and nature, with attentive hospitality and a homemade breakfast.

You can also browse the map below to find other accommodations in whichever part of the region best suits your plans.

That brings us to the end of this article about our ice fishing experience. I hope you enjoyed it and that it has inspired you to try the activity for yourself. For something more active, read our account of dog sledding in Saguenay, an experience we found even more memorable than the one we had tried the previous year in the Laurentians.

See you soon,

Written by Sylvain PONS

I had the opportunity to explore the beauty of this country I love on several different occasions and in different places (Canadian Rockies, the Island of Newfoundland for 1 month, Yukon and Québec)!

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