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The Deep In Backing Blog
About the Author
My name is Jocelyn LeBlanc. I am an Atlantic salmon angler, fly tyer, guide with more than 25 years of experience, and the owner of The Feather Shed.
Atlantic salmon have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Over the years, I have watched our rivers change, salmon returns decline, and the challenges facing this remarkable species continue to grow. Those experiences inspired me to create Deep In Backing.
This blog is not about claiming to have all the answers. It is a place where I share field observations, research, data, and personal reflections on Atlantic salmon conservation and river management.
My goal is simple: to encourage thoughtful discussion, promote evidence-based conservation, and help ensure that future generations will still have the opportunity to witness wild Atlantic salmon returning to their home rivers.
Because protecting Atlantic salmon is about far more than fishing—it's about preserving a natural legacy for generations to come.
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100, 50… salmon… and still no line. How far are we going to fall?
We are witnessing the worst salmon run in modern Québec history. Not just a dip. Not a cycle. A collapse. The numbers are unequivocal: 11 rivers below 100 salmon, including 7 under 50. At that point, we’re no longer talking about fishing. We’re talking about survival. And meanwhile… nothing. No strong measures. No clear signal. No plan to guarantee something essential: that every salmon returning can spawn. We keep making marginal adjustments, talking about catch-and-release,
Jocelyn LeBlanc
Apr 282 min read
Protecting the salmon… or protecting the illusion?
On April 25, 2026, a few weeks before the opening of salmon fishing in Quebec, one reality is clear: we are moving forward blindly. After two of the worst fish runs ever recorded, no structural measures have been announced. No emergency plan, no major adaptations, no clear signal that the exceptional situation our rivers are experiencing is truly understood in its full gravity. The data, however, is undeniable. In 2024 and 2025, 11 Quebec rivers recorded average runs of fewer
Jocelyn LeBlanc
Apr 253 min read
Is Quebec managing... or is it finishing off its salmon?
Want to be frank? The 2025 report has just been released…and the results are troubling. In Quebec, in 2024 and 2025, 11 rivers saw their salmon populations fall below 100, and of those 11, 7 had fewer than 50. (Average salmon run for 2024 and 2025) These are no longer populations. They are the last survivors. And yet…we continue to open the waters. We continue to fish. We continue to present ourselves as responsible managers. 2025 Review: Salmon Farming in Quebec 2025 But th
Jocelyn LeBlanc
Apr 182 min read
Atlantic Salmon in Quebec: The Paradox of a System That Funds Its Protection Through Its Exploitation
The collapse of Atlantic salmon runs in Quebec — which reached a historic and alarming low in 2024 and 2025 — highlights a deep systemic flaw: the paradox of funding its own protection. The dilemma: financing monitoring through exploitation Quebec’s salmon management model falls under the authority of the Ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs and relies on a structure in which the Fédération québécoise pour le s
Jocelyn LeBlanc
Apr 83 min read
Preserving the Broodstock: Why the Status Quo Risks the Future of Our Rivers
With recent optimistic announcements from some salmon conservation organizations regarding the salmon's return, a return to the "status quo" risks forcing the opening of the harvest after a crisis that has lasted for more than three years and could present specific biological risks to the salmon resource. Short term (1 to 2 years): Immediate reduction in spawning success: Each salmon harvested is one less spawner. If the 2026 run is good but the harvest is too aggressive, the
Jocelyn LeBlanc
Apr 42 min read
The 20 °C Protocol: A Life-Saving Shield for Atlantic Salmon
A heat protocol based on a target temperature of 20°C is an emergency measure designed to reduce physiological stress and mortality in salmon when the water becomes too warm. Here's why this measure is beneficial for the species' survival: 1. Prevention of Heat Stress Atlantic salmon are cold-water fish. Their metabolism accelerates as water temperatures rise: At 20°C and above: Salmon enter a state of stress. They draw on their energy reserves (necessary for reproduction) si
Jocelyn LeBlanc
Apr 42 min read
Climate: When Rivers Seek a Second Wind
Protecting thermal refuges has become a priority for the survival of Atlantic salmon, a cold-water species particularly vulnerable to rising temperatures due to climate change. These refuges are areas located in rivers where the water remains significantly colder, often situated at the mouths of small streams fed by underground springs. Why protect these areas? Preventing heat stress: When water temperatures exceed 20°C, salmon experience intense physiological stress that can
Jocelyn LeBlanc
Apr 41 min read
Chantal Dompierre
Contact Chantal https://www.facebook.com/chantal.dompierre.2025
Jocelyn LeBlanc
Apr 41 min read
The Urgency of Letting Our Rivers Breathe:
The Urgency of Letting Our Rivers Breathe: Why Suspend Subsistence Salmon Fishing? Atlantic salmon, once the king of our rivers, are currently facing an unprecedented crisis. While subsistence fishing is a right and a deeply rooted tradition, the current biological situation necessitates a forced pause to prevent irreversible extinction. Here's why this precautionary measure has become essential: 1. The Survival Threshold Has Been Reached In many rivers, the number of salmon
Jocelyn LeBlanc
Apr 42 min read
La Campagnol
La Campagnol Variation (Jocelyn LeBlanc), the Campagnol pool is a retention pool on the Rivière aux Rochers where salmon from the...
Jocelyn LeBlanc
Mar 14, 20241 min read
Step by Step Fly Tying the Overtaker Salmon Fly
The Overtaker Hook- Hooks, Mustad Signature DL70UBLN Double Size 4 Thread- Thread, Uni-8/0 Fire Orange Tag, Small Gold Oval Tinsel Tail-...
Jocelyn LeBlanc
Mar 10, 20241 min read
Step by Step Tying the Bugger Chartreuse Salmon Fly
Creation & Tier - Jocelyn LeBlanc Chartreuse Bugger Hook - Patridge Salar Gold #5 Tag - Holographic Mylar Gold with UV resin Tail- Black...
Jocelyn LeBlanc
Mar 10, 20241 min read
La Fergy
La Fergy Step by Step Fly Tying The Fergy is a creation of Mr. John Edward who was a guide on the Moisie River at the height of the...
Jocelyn LeBlanc
Mar 6, 20241 min read
Step By Step The Black Hackle Olive Wolly Bugger Trout Fly.
One of North Shore best fly for brook trout and sea run brook trout, this olive wolly bugger (Black Hackle) is a local favorite for early...
Jocelyn LeBlanc
Mar 5, 20241 min read
Guinea Fowl Feathers
Guinea feathers are extremely versatile, have a flexible stem and can therefore be used as hackles to tie several sizes of wet flies,...
Jocelyn LeBlanc
Mar 4, 20241 min read
New AAA Polar Bear
Polar bear hair is a common material used in fly tying for fly fishing. Its soft, dense and translucent appearance makes it a popular...
Jocelyn LeBlanc
Mar 4, 20241 min read
The Schmoon Variation (Jocelyn LeBlanc)
The Schmoon Variation (Jocelyn LeBlanc), the Schmmon River is an important tributary of the Rochers River upstream of Walker Lake. Hooks...
Jocelyn LeBlanc
Mar 4, 20241 min read
The Pastor Variation (Jocelyn LeBlanc)
The Pasteur Variation (Jocelyn LeBlanc), the Pasteur River as well as the lake of the same name is an important tributary of the Aux...
Jocelyn LeBlanc
Mar 4, 20241 min read
Tanuki - Finn Racoon
Tanuki - Finn Raccoon has been a "Scandinavian secret" for many years and is one of the best tube and hook fly materials a fly tyer can...
Jocelyn LeBlanc
Mar 4, 20241 min read
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