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

PRINCE RUPERT, B.C.

If West Coast saltwater angling turns your crank, there is no shortage of options available. But for my money, it’s tough to beat the opportunities found around Prince Rupert on B.C.’s northwest coast. Whether salmon or bottom fish such as halibut, lingcod and rockfish are on your wish list, the local waters can deliver them all in spades. All five of the Pacific salmon species can be found here—stacking up as they prepare to ascend the Skeena River system—but it’s the big chinook that make the area so popular with anglers. When the runs of big fish are in, 25- to 40-pound chinook are relatively common, and monsters twice as large are not unheard of. Prince Rupert is easy to reach by road or air, and there’s no shortage of capable fishing charters eager to show you what makes this port city so special.

LEARN MORE: www.visitprincerupert.com

RED RIVER, Manitoba

When you feel the tug on your baited hook, you never know what species of fish you’ll reel in on Manitoba’s Red River below the dam at Lockport. Top of mind for most anglers are the beefy channel catfish that swim these turbulent waters, although catches of bullhead, carp, drum, goldeye, lake sturgeon, sauger, walleye, white bass and more are all a distinct possibility. In fact, it’s that very smorgasbord that makes the Red such a rewarding fishing destination. Of equal appeal is the excellent shore accessibility, meaning you don’t need a boat or much in the way of fancy gear to enjoy the superb angling. But make no mistake, it’s the channel cats—often topping 30 pounds—that have top billing here. During one visit with my buddy Brian Hagglund (pictured), the local parking lot was filled with vehicles bearing licence plates from across the prairies and U.S. Midwest.

LEARN MORE: www.huntfishmanitoba.ca

SUTTON RIVER, Ontario

Northern Ontario’s Sutton River has been described as “the world’s best brook trout river” by no less an authority than the late writer and brook trout guru Nick Karas. And no wonder. A trip down the river is equal parts remote wilderness adventure and brook trout fishing that must be experienced to be believed. Just getting there is a feat unto itself. When my long-time friend Dave Kay (pictured) and I pushed off from the shore of Hawley Lake—the river’s headwaters—we wouldn’t see another soul until we’d completed the nine-day paddle to Hudson Bay. I can’t begin to guess how many squaretails weighing up to six pounds we landed, but they attacked any big fly we threw their way, reducing them to little more than thread-wrapped hooks. The challenge was catching trout small enough for the fry pan. The downside? Ravenous bugs and the legitimate worry there could be a polar bear behind every tree.

LEARN MORE: www.hearstair.com