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

LAKE OF THE WOODS, Ontario

When I think of Lake of the Woods, I think of personal firsts—after all, it’s where I caught my first muskie, black crappie and largemouth bass. Shared among Manitoba, Ontario and Minnesota, this is one vast (4,350 square kilometres) and diverse (more than 14,500 islands) body of water, offering a variety of fishing opportunities found in few other places. While you can find 47 of Ontario’s 145 fish species here, the prime targets are walleye, lake trout, muskies and bass. To me, muskies are a near-mythical fish, relegated to dreams and the covers of outdoor magazines from the ’60s, pictured leaping above frothy pools with a red-and-white Dardevle embedded in their jaw. Black crappies, meanwhile, have a reputation for being near-impossible to find, even in lakes where their populations are thriving. As for largemouth bass, I’d never fished many waters before that hold them. Lake of the Woods made all three a reality for me.

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MIRAMICHI RIVER, New Brunswick

Some waters are worth fishing simply because of their history, and New Brunswick’s Miramichi River is one of them. Since the Acadians first settled the region in the 18th century, the river has been acknowledged as having the best Atlantic salmon run in eastern North America. Sadly, it’s not the same river today, plagued as it is by overfishing, pollution and other factors affecting the continent’s entire Atlantic salmon population. There are still fish to be caught, however, and landing a Miramichi salmon nurtures a feeling of satisfaction extending far beyond the fish itself. I’ve fished this historic river a total of four days, landing but a single salmon. It was on a chilly autumn afternoon, with the eastern hardwoods ablaze in colour, the river running cool and clear, and a great friend at my side. It was a moment I’ll never forget, permanently placing this majestic stream on my list of favourite fishing destinations.

LEARN MORE: www.ledgesinn.com

OLDMAN RIVER, Alberta

Picture a trout river that’s Goldilocks-perfect and you’ve got Alberta’s Oldman. This prairie stream is not too big, but not too small. It’s also not too turbulent, or too slow. And while it’s easily accessed, it’s not too busy. In short, the Oldman is just right. It’s home to cutthroats, rainbows and hybrids of the two, as well as mountain whitefish and some very big bull trout. What makes the river particularly special to me, though, is that it’s one of my wife’s favourites. Most years, Jane (pictured) and I spend two or three days together walking and wading several sections of the upper stretches. The fish are generally quite eager, so we exclusively cast dry flies and always manage to land enough fish to keep us interested. Below the reservoir, the cutts disappear, but brown trout take their place. You can also find some decent pike in the quieter waters downstream.

LEARN MORE: www.crowsnestcafeandflyshop.ca