Kipawa bait & tackle

[smitty55]

If your fishing in Quebec - I believe all your bait must be purchased in Quebec.

Can you cite a reference for this? I've never heard of any restrictions.

Corinne closed last year due to Covid. I suspect she's watching what the situation is this summer. Her phone number has been disconnected if says anything???

I should have specified minnows. There are still some areas in QC that allow dead minnows to be used, but it's been a long time now since they were legal up in Kipawa. Up until the mid 80's you could still use live minnows bought off lodges on the lake and had the receipt. After that it was always salted Emerald shiners. That's how I always fished for Lakers with gang trolls. It wouldn't surprise me if they had restrictions on leeches even but I don't know.
However on the Ottawa River if you get caught with minnows in your boat on the QC side of the border you better have a voucher from a bait dealer on the QC side or you be in big trouble, they love checking Ontario boats.
Greg would be more familiar with the QC regs, he fishes the river East of Ottawa plenty

[Greg]

Ya, I don't really fish the Ottawa with any kind of live bait, as I fish usually a 3 to 5 hour slot each weekend morning and be home in time for lunch and the normal yard work, prepare bbq supper, car washing and other chores after that.  I mention the 4 or 5 hours at a time as keeping the bait fresh, taking it home, putting in the fridge and remembering it the next morning when I am half asleep is a pain.

My Ottawa river fishing focuses on shallow bays for pike, bass & musky and there are plenty of lures that work just fine that I really don't see the need for purchasing live bait.  I've already caught 5 different species in 6 different mornings of fishing all on spinner baits and a few on buzz baits.

I am confident what has been said is correct though, buy your bait on Ontario side of the river (keep your receipt), launch from an Ontario launch, with receipt/license/outdoors card and your ID showing where you live and you are fine.  I'd need to do some more research on Quebec regs to tell you more.

25 more days (we hope) for Alwaki!

Greg