text by Brad Fenson map by Robert Biron Have It All You want to fish. Your significant other doesn’t. And the kids? Well, they just want to have fun. Here are Canada’s top 10 vacation destinations for keeping everyone happy and you on the HOT SPOTS (all 72 of them!) Planning a family holiday can be a tricky affair, especially if not everyone is as gung-ho about fishing as you are. And let’s face it, what’s a vacation if you can’t wet a line? With that in mind, we asked a select group of contributors to pinpoint the 10 best holiday destinations in the land for fishing and fun for everyone—non-anglers included. Their brief? The destination had to offer comfortable, family-oriented digs, a wide variety of stuff to do and see, and, most importantly, awesome fishing. Here, then, are their picks, along with enough information to get you well down the road in planning that next big family vacation. Words to the wise: This guide is meant only as a starter kit to help you decide on how best to spend those precious days off (and those precious dollars). Dates, contact information and the like may have changed by press time, so be sure to double-check the information before you make a firm decision. Also note that our lists of accommodations, etc. are not exhaustive or meant as endorsements of the businesses listed. Finally, be sure to consult the local fishing regulations and licensing requirements for each region. HAINES JUNCTION, Yukon Territory Land of the midnight sun: Tackle mountain streams or track the local wildlife Crisp mountain air. Clean, crystal-clear waters. Beautiful scenery. Those attributes alone make the Yukon, and the village of Haines Junction in particular, a popular vacation destination for the outdoors-oriented family. Nestled beneath the towering mountain peaks of Kluane National Park and Reserve—making for a picture-postcard setting amid the vast, surrounding wilderness—Haines Junction offers a handy staging point for adventure afield. It’s also a great place to kick back and enjoy the quaint shops, coffee houses, festivals and wildlife. Then there’s the fishing: anglers can expect to find everything from lake trout to salmon in the surrounding mountain lakes, rivers and streams. With nearly 24 hours of daylight, sleep is just another option when it comes to things to do. THE HOT SPOTS ANGLING ADVICE 1 Bates, Louise, Mush and St. Elias Lakes (Kluane National Park and Reserve): Arctic grayling, lake trout 2 Dezadeash Lake: Arctic grayling, burbot, lake trout, northern pike, whitefish 3 Kathleen Lake: Arctic grayling, Kokanee salmon, lake and rainbow trout 4 Kluane Lake: Arctic grayling, burbot, lake trout, northern pike, whitefish 5 Pine Lake: Burbot, lake trout, northern pike, whitefish 6 Tatshenshini River (at Dalton Post): Chinook, coho and sockeye salmon • Guide Jordy McCauley (Tatshenshini River), (780) 835-2443 • Kruda Che Wilderness Guiding, (867) 634-2378 • Paddle Wheel Adventures (Kluane National Park and Reserve), (867) 634-2683 BEYOND FISHING • Camping, canoeing, hiking, horseback riding, interpretive centres, mountain biking, mountain climbing, whitewater rafting: Kluane National Park and Reserve, (867) 634-7250 • Guided tours: Kluane Ecotours, (867) 634-2626 • Museums: Kluane Museum of Natural History (Burwash Landing), (867) 841-5561 • Native performers: Dakwakada Dancers (Haines Junction), (867) 634-2288 GETTING THERE GOINGS ON Haines Junction is located 158 kilometres west of Whitehorse, where the Alaska Highway (Highway 1) continues along the St. Elias Mountains, and Highway 3 heads south to Haines, Alaska. • Alsek Music Festival: June 13 to 15, (867) 634-2520 • The Kluane to Chilkat International Bike Relay: June 21, (867) 633-2579 LEARN MORE •The Village of Haines Junction, (867) 634-7100; •Kluane National Park and Reserve, (867) 634-7250; •Yukon Tourism, (867) 667-5340; 1 - HAINES JUNCTION, Yukon Territory 2 - BAMFIELD, B.C. 3 - KANANASKIS COUNTRY, Alberta 4 - LAST MOUNTAIN LAKE, Saskatchewan 5 - WHITESHELL PROVINCIAL PARK, Manitoba 6 - THUNDER BAY, Ontario 7 - LAKE NIPISSING, Ontario 8 - PAPINEAU REGION, Quebec 9 - ANNE'S LAND, P.E.I. 10 - WESTERN NEWFOUNDLAND