text and photo by Tom Adamchick The Ultimate Fish A tribute to Canada's favourite sportfish, featuring our exclusive guide to tackling the country's top hot spots Yeah, we know: some of you are going to disagree. But we’ll take our lumps. Because these fish are worth it. Well worth it, actually. In our estimation, they’re the best of the best Canada has to offer when it comes to sportfishing. Sure, in some cases there are bigger, bolder or prettier fish, but of all of this country’s awesome piscatorial offerings, these six consistently promise the most action on the water, whether in terms of numbers, size or pure pleasure. And for that, we can confidently proclaim them to be Canada’s favourite fish. But don’t just take our word for it. Here’s everything you need to know to tackle the country’s top hot spots—and put our claim to the test. BROOK TROUT Brook trout are a gift of natural beauty. The wormlike tracings on the olive back, the ivory-tipped fins and the tiny red, yellow and blue spots on the flank serve as totems of lands to the north, far wilder and far less compromised than the homes of many other sportfish. And when you’re lucky enough to touch a brook trout, the skin has a silky feel, not slimy, but more like the softest leather imaginable. Taxonomically it’s a char, and Canada is blessed with the cold water it needs to survive. Like the spruce and fir that spread south during the last ice age, the feisty brookie has colonized vast stretches of eastern North America. There, water temperatures hover between 13 and 18°C—optimal for a fish that needs temperatures ranging between 0 and 22°C to survive. In a period of global climate change, these magnificent creatures have become the environment’s equivalent of the canary in the coal mine, their mere presence serving as a sign that the land is doing well. And yes, they can be gullible, scrappy, skittish or moody in equal measures—not to mention impossible to catch or as lively as sunken driftwood. Take your pick, but their beauty will still capture your heart. LOCAL BUZZ The only outfitter on the watershed is Coopers’ Minipi Camps; check out its Web site (www.minipicamps.com) for local fly-tying recipes. GETTING THERE Air Canada has regular flights from Halifax to Goose Bay/Happy Valley, Labrador. From there it’s a float plane to the camp (see below). LEARN MORE Coopers’ Minipi Camps, 1-877-366-7377; minipicamps.com MINIPI WATERSHED, LABRADOR The promise Almost every fly-fishing world record for brook trout has come from the lakes and rivers of the Minipi watershed, where squaretails average five pounds plus. Top tackle & tactics The season coincides with the mayfly and caddis hatches, from mid-June soon after ice-out until mid-September. Five- to 8-weight fly rods are standard, as are weight-forward floating lines with six- to eight-pound tippets. Best bets for dries are size 8 to 12 Brown and Green Drakes (drakes emerge from mid-July to mid-August, as do good numbers of caddis and stoneflies). As the hatches tail off, entice trophies with streamer patterns, such as Woolly Buggers, Mickey Finns, bass bugs and even mice. HUDSON/JAMES BAY WATERSHED, ONTARIO The promise With brookies weighing up to eight pounds, the Sutton, Winisk, Ashwig, Fawn, Ekwan, Misehkow and Washegam Rivers have a special place in the hearts of squaretail fanatics. LOCAL BUZZ From late July through the first week of September, the Sutton River provides as many three- to five-pound sea-run brookies as your arms can handle. GETTING THERE Take Highway 17 northwest from Thunder Bay to Ignace, then continue north on Highway 599 to Pickle Lake. From there it’s a float plane right to your destination of choice. LEARN MORE Canoe Frontier, 1-866-285-8618; www.canoefrontier.com Top tackle & tactics During June and September, the fish lurk close to the surface in deeper water, immediately upstream and downstream from shallow riffles and rapids. Small spoons, Little Cleos, Floating and Countdown Rapalas, size 0 or 2 Mepps Aglias and Daredevles all work well when combined with a seven- to nine-foot medium-action rod and reel spooled with six- to eight-pound test. Fly rodders will want to use 5- to 7-weight outfits with weight-forward floating lines in combination with sink tips and full sinkers for deep pools. Flies include mayfly and caddis patterns in sizes 10 to 14, and nymph and caddis pupae in the same sizes. Stock up on stonefly adults and nymphs for electrifying riffle and rapid action. Streamers, Bucktails, Clausers and Woolly Buggers round out the arsenal. BROOK TROUT: Part 1 | Part 2 CHINOOK SALMON: Part 1 | Part 2 LAKE TROUT: Part 1 | Part 2 PIKE: Part 1 | Part 2 SMALLMOUTH BASS: Part 1 | Part 2 WALLEYE: Part 1 | Part 2 MORE HOT SPOTS