Backcountry brookies
The best fishing is far afield, but the rewards are more than worth the effort
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Get off the beaten path
Algonquin Provincial Park is a brook trout mecca for many and fishing its remote, backcountry waters has become a lifelong addiction for generations of anglers. It spans 7,653 square kilometres of rivers, lakes and sprawling forests. That said, the park’s best trout waters lay well away from any road access. Because of this, travel into the Algonquin interior is limited mostly to canoe, and portaging is required—you have to work to get to the good fishing. Any fisherman who’s made the journey at the right time of year knows it’s well worth the effort though.
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In this shot, I’m cruising across a backcountry lake with my rod at the ready. Trout lakes in Algonquin are deep, spring-fed, cold-water lakes that naturally have no other species of gamefish in them. Lightweight canoe materials such as Kevlar and carbon fibre in stable hull designs are a good choice when accessing backcountry lakes and rivers for fishing. On this trip, I paddled a 15-foot Nova Craft Prospector. It’s a good size to solo, particularly for larger people like me.