Paul Leblanc owns the most urban hunting and fishing shop in Quebec, Salmo Nature, located on McGill Street in the heart of Old Montreal!
The hunting season officially began on September 30 and lasts until early December. The Club de la Roue du Roy, located 45 minutes from Montreal in Hemmingford, offers group sessions for regular (or amateur) pheasant hunters. This type of hunting is quite popular among their urban clientele due to its easy accessibility. Hunters have the opportunity to venture through the woods and hunt small game birds. Interested? Did you know that you can get equipped and even get your hunting license without leaving the Island of Montreal? The Salmo Nature Shop, in partnership with the Club de la Roue du Roy, is the largest hunting and fishing shop in eastern Canada, and is located in, you guessed it…the heart of Old Montreal!
Most pedestrians ignore or pass by the shop without noticing it, but it is in fact there. Smack dab on McGill Street in the heart of the business district, the two-storey shop specializes in hunting and fishing. Open since 1995, Salmo Nature offers customers an exclusive selection of clothing and luxury accessories, as well as hunting trips thanks to their partnership with Roue du Roy.
Paul Leblanc (on left) and Dan Grimard have been managing the shop for more than a decade.
When we finally confide, albeit a little uncomfortably, that we often walked past his shop without noticing it, the owner – who has been featured on the Quebec television series Le Québec à la Mouche (Fly fishing in Quebec) as Quebec’s best-known fly fisherman -Paul Leblanc laughs: “Everyone passes the store without noticing; it’s kind of the idea!” Really? Mr. Leblanc explains that he did not settle on St. Catherine Street because he prefers welcoming “qualified” customers who are actually interested in hunting and fishing, not just those who go in and out for a quick look. It also explains why they only sell high-end products, reserved for true fans and connoisseurs. Still, a hidden hunting and fishing store in Old Montreal, is kind of special!
“I settled on McGill Street in 1995, mainly because there was nobody here. I was the only one. At the time the buildings were mostly old warehouses with very high ceilings. For me it was an important feature: you need at least a 14 foot ceiling to properly try out a fishing rod” he says. Mr. Leblanc believes his shop has good reason for being in Old Montreal. In the heart of the business district, it has established itself closer to its customers: “My clientele consists mainly of business people, who hunt on weekends or holidays at their cottages. They come to the shop on their lunch hour or after work and enjoy being able to stock up on hunting equipment right next to the office!” If you’re interested in hunting or fishing, Mr. Leblanc can discuss the topic for hours. His goal is to convince even the most ardent skeptics among us to experience pheasant hunting in Hemmingford!
The shop is open Monday to Saturday until 6:00pm, and is closed on Sundays. Included, among others, are premium brands such as Orvis, Harkïla and Simms, etc. The owner assures us that he has the finest selection of clothing and accessories in town … we’ll take his word for it!
SALMO NATURE
110 McGill Street (corner Wellington)
Montreal, Quebec H2Y 2E5
Tel: 514-871-8447
Toll Free: (800) 748-8864
Fax: 514-871-8424
[email protected]
