Michel Mcclish is a bon vivant. A positive guy. A man who’s lucky, his friend Serge would say. Michel certainly feels very lucky to have access to one of Quebec’s finest outfitters, just a three-hour drive from Québec City. But his good fortune doesn’t end there.
At age 12, Michel was already fishing on nearby rivers with his father “I had this small $10 Zellers tackle box, but that didn’t matter compared to the joy of spending time with my dad,” said Michel. His passion for fishing came much later, in his early twenties, after having spent most of his time doing sports. “It was during a fishing trip to an outfitter with my friends that I really got hooked.” After that he started day fishing, which eventually grew into five-day trips at least three times a year.
“I’m a woodsman, nearing retirement. This is where I come to recharge my batteries. The outfitter is my tonic.”
Michel is a loyal man. “I fish with Lina and our two sons or with friends—always the same people, always at the same place.” He’s been going to the Domaine du Lac Brouillard outfitter for 20 years. If all this seems predictable, his fishing stories are the complete opposite!
Geared up and ready for anything
The Domaine du Lac BrouillardThis link will open in a new window is located at high altitude northeast of Charlevoix, not far from the Fjord. The wilderness lakes here are stocked with very combative native brook trout. Adrien, who bought the outfitter three years ago, has always had big plans for it. “He’s currently building a lodge and will soon offer American Plan packages with a restaurant service. We’ll even be able to go there in winter by snowmobile.”
Michel has had his own motor, sonar and several fishing rods for a long time. “It’s important to be well-equipped and have a second rod, just in case.” Ask his friend Serge and his wife, whom Michel taught how to fish seven years ago. They’ve had some memorable trips together, but not everyone is as lucky as Michel.
Happy Birthday, Serge!
Two years ago, for his birthday, Serge received an electric motor, a rod and a battery. In June, they all went to Domaine du Lac Brouillard, happy to kick off the season together. But as soon as they got out onto the lake, Serge started having trouble with his electric motor. “The pin was broken. Wouldn’t work. So we put everything in the car and went back to the cabin. Adrien lent Serge what he needed for the day.” He decided to fish on a different lake that afternoon.
Everything was going well on Lac des Associés . . . until Serge made a slip and dropped his brand-new rod into the water. It promptly sank to the bottom of the lake. Serge was very upset. Michel, who’s always prepared, lent him his spare rod for the rest of the day. “And we all met our quotas.”
But the story doesn’t end there. Two months later, in August, Michel returned to Lac des Associés to go fishing with his son. He thought his line was snagged on the bottom of the lake, or else he’d caught a big one. He pulled hard, pulled again and—you guessed it—he’d hooked Serge’s fishing rod! “My friend was thrilled!”
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Text written by Diane Laberge