The storm that came in the night before last is still upon us so I have spent the day speaking with the owner of the lodge, Alain Legace, and the other guests about fly fishing in Ungava for Arctic Char. The other guests have fly fished for Arctic Char all over Ungava and are of the same opinion that Rapid Lake and the Barnoin River Camp are by far the best places to come. The quality of fishing, the quantity and size of the fish and the experience and work ethic of the staff make this operation the benchmark against which all over Arctic Char lodges should be measured.
The only disappointing thing I have heard about this area has been the gradual rise in temperature that has been witnessed over the last 25 years. Those who have been coming to Northern Quebec and Labrador for a number of years all agree that there has been a significant decrease in the number and size of icebergs in Ungava Bay and the same has occurred with the permanent icefields in the Torngat mountains – they are fewer and smaller. Less noticeable but of equal importance has been the rise in temperature of the rivers and lakes in the Nunavik region. In the last few years swimming has become tolerable (for a hearty few souls) and more significantly for anglers the rise in temperature has changed the biosphere of many of the watersheds. Many lakes and rivers that have been known for generations as excellent brook trout destinations are now too warm to sustain them and warm water species such as pike can now be found in growing numbers. This does not mean that the Arctic Char sport fishery is in danger but it does provide further concrete evidence of global warming…
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