Where do Outdoor Canada’s writers and photographers go fishing? At these 27 awesome hot spots, from coast to coast to coast

#17  SKOOTAMATTA LAKE, ONTARIO

THE FISH: Largemouth bass, northern pike and smallmouth bass

A stone’s throw from Bon Echo Provincial Park, Skootamatta can take your breath away—and your topwater presentation. Pike and bass hit hard and fast here, attacking from lily pad-covered back bays, as well as along rocky points graced with sprawling weedbeds. And don’t forget to probe the sunken lumberyards with cranks and tubes. Skootamatta is a family time hot spot, where locals and guests alike take pride in the lake’s stewardship. —Robert Pye

LEARN MORE: www.skootamatta.ca/lake-stewardship

#18  LAC KIPAWA, QUEBEC

THE FISH: Lake trout, northern pike, smallmouth bass, walleye and whitefish

This sprawling, irregularly shaped lake just north of Témiscaming is a true multispecies angler’s dream. Here you can troll for lake trout in the morning, catch a limit of walleye in the afternoon and fish all day in between for chunky smallmouth bass and trophy-sized pike. A reliable boat properly equipped with safety gear and a GPS is essential for exploring the large lake’s labyrinth of arms, bays and channels. —Stephan Lukacic

LEARN MORE: www.tourismetemiscamingue.ca/en

#19  LEAF RIVER ESTUARY, QUEBEC

THE FISH: Arctic char, Atlantic salmon and sea-run brook trout

At northern edge of Quebec’s Nunavik wilderness, the 16-metre tides constantly change the complexion of this 40-square-kilometre estuary. Isolated between two imposing falls at low tide, the brackish water serves up rod-bending Atlantic salmon and Arctic char, which feed in the deep water during summer. The slower sea-run brookies, meanwhile, can be found tight to the shoreline rocks, avoiding the beluga whales and seals. —Patrick Campeau

LEARN MORE: www.leafriverestuarylodge.com

#20  BEAVER BROOK, NEW BRUNSWICK

THE FISH: Brook trout

Twisting through classic mixed forests from its headwaters in the highlands of Carleton County, the brookie-blessed Beaver races hard, as any good trout water should. Walking and wading yields wild fighters keen to crush any offering, with purists pursuing their finned quarry over ripples and across beaver ponds. Rods should be light and limber, and all the tackle you need ought to fit in a shirt pocket. —Cary Rideout

LEARN MORE: www.tourismnewbrunswick.ca/fishing