Today’s post comes from professional angler Italo Labignan and the Learn to Fish team!
When it comes to enjoying sportfishing in Ontario, some of the easiest and most plentiful fish to catch — whether from a boat or from shore — are panfish.
The most popular panfish in Ontario are the sunfish family (pumpkinseed, bluegill, rock bass & crappie) and perch.
Here’s what you need to know to catch them:
Fishing is a great way to experience the outdoors, connect with family, and explore new areas. Plus – the excitement of reeling in and landing a fish is hard-to-beat. Safely releasing it back into the water and watching it swim back into the depths is particularly rewarding too.
Fish are amazing critters, as these strange-but-true facts tell us…
Ontario Parks offers some of the best fishing in the world and with sport fishing season just around the corner, now is a good time to take stock and review how you can get the most out of your fishing experiences.
Bob Elliott, the park superintendent at Lake Superior Provincial Park and an avid, lifelong angler who believes in a fair contest (no sonar!), offers these tips for anglers eager to pull up a big catch.
Today’s post comes from Rob Cunningham, Superintendent of Presqu’ile and Ferris Provincial Parks.
I started working at Killarney Provincial Park in 1988, and that was the start of my many wonderful experiences of angling in Ontario’s provincial parks. I’ve been blessed in my career to work at over 14 parks, and I have fished and visited over 40 of them.
And they’re among the most beautiful locations and wonderful angling experiences anywhere.
Continue reading Reflections on 28 seasons of fishing in Ontario Parks
If you live to fish and you’ve never cast your line into a lake in northern Ontario, these five spots in the backcountry you’ll want to add to your bucket list!
They come (in no particular order!) courtesy of Bob Elliott, superintendent of Lake Superior Provincial Park.
A lifelong, avid angler himself, Bob says these five parks provide unparalleled fishing, together with a true wilderness experience, which is why they attract people from all over Canada, the United States and beyond.
Continue reading 5 bucket list fishing destinations in northwestern Ontario
For today’s post, we chatted with Trevor Gibb, Superintendent of Quetico Provincial Park (and longtime angling addict!).
You’ve spent the day on the water. It rained all morning, and you spent the afternoon paddling against that strange weather phenomenon, best described as the multi-directional headwind.
Time to make camp, kindle a fire, and relax listening to the crackling logs and sizzling frying pan.
For backcountry campers at Quetico Provincial Park, the tantalizing aroma wafting from that frying pan is the smell of fresh-caught fish.
Backcountry-lover Scott Elliott, a Partnership Development Specialist from our main office, shares the story of his nine-day wilderness adventure.
Many parks are easily accessible; you just pack your tent and sleeping bag, hop in the car and roll into your weekend campground.
But some parks require planning, motivation, and a refined skill-set.
Missinaibi Provincial Park is one of those parks.
You’re 
never too old or too young to land your first catch!
The Learn to Fish program invites participants to discover a fun outdoor activity the whole family can enjoy! This free two-hour program combines a practical teaching session with hands-on fishing, supported by experienced instructors. Participants learn about fish identification, safety tips and equipment use. All equipment – rods, reels, lures, lifejackets and even a one-day fishing licence – is provided. Everything you need to land your first catch!
Do you dream of skimmers, tip-ups, pop-ups and giant pike or walleye? Do you measure the days of winter by the increasing thickness of ice on your favourite lakes? Or are you just excited to try out your new ice fishing rod for the first time?
Imagine setting your line in with little to no one else around, in middle of nature! Ontario Parks are able to offer you amazing and seemingly endless ice fishing opportunities. No matter where you decided to take your auger, it is important to check you have all your fishing and safety equipment, you have let others know where you are and you dress in layers to keep warm. Another imperative step is making sure you know your local fishing regulations! As parks are specially protected areas, so are the fish.
Following these regulations, and understanding why they exist, is an important part of maxing out your time on the ice, while ensuring you are helping maintain a sustainable ice fishing practice.
Continue reading The cold hard facts about ice fishing rules and regs
Imagine a couple newly in love ditching their trip down south to sleep in a yurt in northern Ontario and snowshoe the week away while communing with nature.
That is exactly what one young couple did a few years ago after deciding to winter camp at Windy Lake, north of Sudbury. With the wood stove to keep them warm at the chalet and a whole lot of wanderlust to help them snowshoe through the park, the couple had a blast. And why not?
Continue reading Winter camping or ice fishing anyone? North, south parks have it all
