My friends (3) want to hit one of the big 3 reservoirs in August for fishing and camping. Dozois, Basca or Cabonga. I want to canoe and fish. They have a large power boat. Plan is to do some kind of hybrid trip where we head into one of the reservoirs and change spots every night. Going to tow or probably just put my canoe on the deck of his boat and head towards a general area. Spending a week or less. Any info and suggestions would be appreciated. I've tried the website but most of the info directs you towards a lodge. Doesn't say anything about campsites that you can pitch a tent on or if it is an option. I have done parc LaVerendrie years ago on a circuit route Capitichoane) so know about lack of rangers having firsthand info when we do get there.

I doubt you will find what you want in LV. Have a look a Gouin reservoir. Large with good fishing, many islands with beautiful sandy beaches and you will be by yourselves once you get out a ways. Good maps and GPS needed. Bring backup GPS.

GG

_________________
A smart man learns from his mistakes,
A wise man learns from the mistakes of others.
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email: geraldguay@hotmail.com

He has a G.P.S with new info up-dated. Plan is to leave from my camp in Lachute. Gouin might be too far but I'll start looking. Thank you.

Too far. 8.5 hours from my camp. Save that for down the road when I retire in 18 months and 5 days. Cash is tight also this year and not a big fan of lodges as I have a camp. Are there not any campsites on any of the 3 reservoirs that can be used away from the trailer park areas that they show .

I concur with Gerald on La Verendrye.

Power boat fishing and canoeing are distinct activities. You cannot use a canoeing campsite with a power boat but you can use a SEPAQ campground for canoeing. The SEPAQ campgrounds are not managed by CCLV.

Réservoir Cabonga:
- Established canoe routes with ban on power boat camping at canoeing campsites.
- Several SEPAQ campgrounds.
- Numbered markers to aid in orienting.
- Relatively easy access from 117.

Réservoir Dozois:
- No established canoe routes, old canoeing campgrounds not maintained.
- Several SEPAQ campgrounds.
- Numbered markers to aid in orienting.
- Direct access from 117.

Réservoir Baskatong:
- Lots of cottages / camps in the southern section.
- Privately owned campgrounds in the southern section.
- Relatively easy access from 117.

Réservoir Gouin:
- Access is an adventure in itself

Usually power boat users will base camp at a campground with road access. A canoeing oriented campsite does not always offer the amenities required to shore a power boat. You may need to display a lot of creativity to merge power boat fishing with canoe camping.

Plan was to drop anchor near remote campsites and 2 people sleep on boat and pitch a tent on the site and just shuttle back and forth with the canoe. think we can get away with this on Dozois? I hate the campgrounds. Did that in part Laurentide years ago and takes away from the experience. Like pitching a tent in your backyard.

This is a link to an old map of La Verendrye so you can locate unmaintained canoeing campsites on the Réservoir Dozois. They are now used mainly as shore lunch spots.

http://www.cartespleinair.org/Canot/04/ ... te1989.jpg

Even tough regulation enforcement is close to non existant would you be kind enough to comply with a minimum such as paying a daily fee plus fishing permit to the SEPAQ for the power boat and CCLV for the canoe campsite?

I sure hope not. On Kondarionk in a storm I had to sleep on a portage due to motorboaters taking up a campsite. They had a rowable Zodiac for shuttle. They were not amenable to sharing.

Canoe campsites are not plentiful. Please be mindful of that.

To be accurate, there are 2 campsites on Réservoir Dozois that are part of a maintained canoe route. They are located close to the mouth of the Chochocouane.

I've slept in the bush in LaVerendrie for same reasons. Portage trail had a dump site on it and a person was killed that year by a black bear so didn't want to sleep near that. All campsites (3) were taken and too late portage to the next site. The ranger at the domain told me he hadn't been into the interior of the park in 5 years ( no idea on water levels, campsites or anything not related to fees.) which is one of the reasons I hope to have a plan in place before I go. Thinking reserve somewhere in Dozois at the campsites and then hopefully I can find a quiet spot to canoe and camp by myself or with 1 other paddler. . Abandoned or unused campsite would be great away from the boaters and off the beaten path with a mind to sharing the site if I have to. My footprint is small. Never been on the large reservoirs. My crossing large lakes solo days are over so hoping to be able to get to sections of the reservoir that are quiet and I can still get some canoeing in.

Please, avoid unused and closed campsites that are part of maintained canoe routes if you plan on having a power boat around.

Be careful paddling a canoe on a reservoir. They are usually paddled in sea kayak.

Thank you for the advice Frederic. I'll be careful. Looking towards finding a site or 2 exploring the North east section towards (maybe) Lake Neurey. Have my friends drop me off and hopefully no powerboats in that section. Anyone been in that area?

CCVL has always agreed my requests to use unmaintained campsites on Réservoir Dozois.

I would suggest you talk with them and let them know the sites you intend to use. They may not allow camping where no sites have ever existed unless you are facing an emergency.

I'll give them a call this week. Navigating their web-site can be difficult. Just found the English button after a week of looking. LOL. Getting old. A lot of the Sepaq campsites are booked or close to it. Had to cancel my spring canoe trip due to a family illness so just hoping to salvage some kind of season that has a paddle in my hand other than at the cottage. The site is difficult when booking because the map they use show sites as being part of the reservoir when they are actually separate lakes, like Nichcotea and canimina.