The great history of how freshwater sport fishing developed in Quebec begins with the arrival of English soldiers at the end of the 18th century. The first local fishing tales are romantic adventure stories featuring the idyllic holes of our fly-fishing paradise, its great salmon runs and thousands—maybe millions!—of lakes chock-full of fish. Then, little by little, fishing was democratized and new territories opened up, thanks to progress in transportation. Soon, everyone was fishing! And when weekends off work became widespread, the masses could enjoy this sport with the family, among friends or in blissful solitary tranquillity. In every era, fishing stories have been tweaked and exaggerated, but all shine bright with the pride of their casual, serious and big-time fishermen for having tamed "their" freshwater monster.

All these tales—most of which are true, of course; others maybe a little less so—are part of the exhibition Fishing Stories. Showcasing some 350 objects from the Musée de la civilisation collections, the exhibition takes visitors on a journey inspired by nature. From rivers to lakes and forests, by way of the cabin, every element of a good fishing trip can be found here, inspiring both the most skilled of fly-fishing connoisseurs and the youngest of kids out catching sunfish for the very first time.

Want to go on your very own fishing trip? But you don't feel like getting your feet wet?

Head off on your adventure with our interactive game Go Fishing. To start, download the My MCQ app free of charge.

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