Jigging

The old-timers tell stories about Brochu Beach, for example, most of the time you cannot see the mountains on the other side of the Saint Lawrence River because it is so wide here, but on the days when they show their pointy peeks the old ones say that means it will rain tomorrow.

The low mountains that run behind the cottage, starting from the rocks at the end of the beach, are called Les Jambons on our topographical map, and lest you think this is due to the pink coloured granit that brings to mind cured ham, the real story, according to the old folks, is that a truck hauling hams tipped over spilling its goods onto the 138 (le cent-trente-huit), causing that hill on the highway to be known forever after as the "côte de jambon" or ham hill.

The hook above looks like the kind that was used back in the day when the cod were thick just off the beach. The cod were huge,  the old-timers say. You could get into your small boat and sit with your cord dangling into the salty brine, weighted and sporting a nail bent into the shape of a big hook. When you felt the cod playing with your line you jerked it up, catching the fish. This is called jigging for cod.