7 fishing hot spots in southern Ontario

7 fishing hot spots in southern Ontario

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Bass

There will soon be five bustling Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World stores in Canada, stocked with everything remotely outdoorsy. When hardcore angler Daniel Notariainni (above) isn’t working in the Vaughan location’s fishing department, he’s casting for bass, fly fishing for trout or float fishing for steelhead. Here’s where.

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More info: Bass Pro Shops, 1-800-227-7776, www.basspro.com

HOLLAND RIVER, ONTARIO

GPS: 44.202, -79.517

FISH: Largemouth bass

HIGHLIGHT: Bass over five pounds hold all year in undercut banks and cover

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WHEN: All season

KEMPENFELT BAY, LAKE SIMCOE, ONTARIO

GPS: 44.392, -79.597

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FISH: Lake trout

HIGHLIGHT: Easy ice access to large, plentiful and cooperative fish

WHEN: January to March

LAKE SCUGOG, ONTARIO

GPS: 44.175, -78.840

FISH: Largemouth bass

HIGHLIGHT: Lots of shallow water and great frog fishing for big bass

WHEN: First two weeks of bass season

LANG, KECIL & TUBE LAKES, ONTARIO

GPS: 46.259473, -82.311144

FISH: Northern pike, smallmouth bass,

HIGHLIGHT: Linked lakes with 40-inch pike, fat smallies and little pressure

WHEN: May to June

NOTAWASAGA RIVER, ONTARIO

GPS: 44.452, -79.898

FISH: Steelhead

HIGHLIGHT: Lots of big ones and room to fish

WHEN: November to ice-up

SPANISH RIVER, ONTARIO

GPS: 46.185, -82.311

FISH: Walleye

HIGHLIGHT: When the walleye run, they carpet the river bottom

WHEN: Victoria Day/walleye opener

UPPER CREDIT RIVER, ONTARIO

GPS: 43.814, -80.016

FISH: Brown trout

HIGHLIGHT: Lots of fishy water, with big trout; single-barbless zones ideal for fly anglers

WHEN: Hatches during trout season

Check out our complete list of hot Canadian angling destinations