15 Canadian fishing hot spots—and the stories you just might bring home from each one

CLEARWATER LAKE, Manitoba

Is there anything more enjoyable than fishing on a warm, late-spring day with your best buddy, with no other place to be and three more days of the same in front of you? I’ve fished Manitoba’s Clearwater Lake the past three summers with my pal Brian Hagglund (pictured), and it’s been the highlight of my fishing year. We actively search for trophy-class pike with our fly rods, but the bigger draw is spending a few lazy days together. And isn’t that the very essence of why many of us fish? Brian and I have fished together for many years, but Clearwater’s excellent fly fishing for pike has added a whole new level of interest. If you’re looking to land a 41-inch or better pike on the fly to qualify for a Manitoba Master Angler award, this may be as good as the province’s drive-in opportunities get. Interestingly, most other anglers target lakers on Clearwater, regularly pulling out 40-plus-inch fish.

LEARN MORE: www.evergreenlodgeandresort.com

CREE RIVER, Saskatchewan

Sometimes, you just want to catch big fish, and for giant pike, I know of no better place than northern Saskatchewan’s Cree River Lodge. With access to both the Cree and Wapata Lake, the lodge also offers consistent fishing for walleye and surprisingly large Arctic grayling. It’s on the massive shoulders of the numerous pike, however, that the fishery has built its unrivalled reputation. I landed my personal-best pike there—a 46.5-inch beast—but 50-plus-inch northerns are also boated every year. Lodge owner Pat Babcock employs a team of first-class staff and guides, and they cater to both spin and fly anglers. I opted to only fly fish during my visit and landed the biggest pike in our group, but everybody—whether spin- or fly fishing—landed 42-inch pike or better. For a change of pace one afternoon, I opted to chase grayling and caught as many as I wanted, including a couple in the magical 20-inch class.

LEARN MORE: www.creeriverlodge.ca

ELK RIVER, B.C.

Some rivers are just meant to be fished, and southeastern B.C.’s Elk River is definitely one of them. Running south for 220 kilometres before emptying into the Kootenay River, this angler-friendly freestone river is justly famous for its healthy populations of native westslope cutthroats and bull trout. The cutts are particularly chunky, often displaying a football-like appearance, with days of 20-plus fish stretching to 20 inches not uncommon. And the bull trout, which can exceed 30 inches here, are oddly friendly, unlike the sullen, reclusive bulls in so many other western streams. The numerous access and take-out points make the Elk especially popular for drift boats, although the river can be easily fished walk-and-wade style. While there are several guiding companies doing brisk business on the river, it’s also very welcoming for anglers who prefer DIY fishing.

LEARN MORE: www.elkriver.ca