Musical funnyman Jimmy Flynn’s top spots to catch really big fish

For our 2016 Fishing Special issue, Outdoor Canada recruited a supergroup of acclaimed Canadian recording artists, who also happen to be hard-core anglers. And these fishin’ musicians agreed to sing about their favourite Canadian fishing holes—74 in all. For the full list, see The Fishin’ Musicians.

For more than 30 years, there’s been only one rule at live performances by East Coast musical funnyman Jimmy Flynn: Have a good time. Dressed in his trademark Mackinaw shirt and yellow sou’wester hat, Flynn treats audiences to a high-energy blend of comedy and music. Thanks to his dedicated fans across Canada, seven of Flynn’s albums have gone gold, and his four feature-length comedy videos have gone double platinum. But when it comes to fishing and hunting, this jokester gets serious. Flynn has pursued almost every species of fish and game in Canada, but his all-time top angling spots are in his home Atlantic region.

Learn more: www.jimmyflynn.com

Favourite fish: Atlantic salmon

Favourite type of fishing: Landing stripers

Favourite fishing song: “I Love Going Fishing” by Jimmy Flynn

ATLANTIC OCEAN OUT OF CANSO, NOVA SCOTIA

GPS: 45.340, -60.986

FISH: Bluefin tuna

WHY: Fish up to 1,100 pounds

BEST TIME: July through October

BEST BAIT: Live mackerel

MIRAMICHI RIVER, NEW BRUNSWICK

GPS: 46.559, -66.129

FISH: Atlantic salmon

WHY: One of the best salmon rivers in the world

BEST TIME: Mid-June through August

BEST FLIES: Green Machine, Woolly Bugger

PARK LAKE, NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR

GPS: 52.554, -59.305

FISH: Brook trout, northern pike

WHY: Best brook trout fishing on the planet. In six days, my wife and I caught and released 700 trout between two and six pounds

BEST TIME: Mid-June through August

BEST LURE: Everything works

PORTERS LAKE, NOVA SCOTIA

GPS: 44.766, -63.326

FISH: Striped bass

WHY: Giant stripers up to 67 pounds

BEST TIME: Late May through June, on dark, foggy nights

BEST LURES: Cisco Kid minnowbait, soft-plastic eels

SAINT JOHN RIVER, NEW BRUNSWICK

GPS: 45.507, -66.070

FISH: Muskie, smallmouth bass, striped bass

WHY: The mixed bag: stripers in June, smallmouth from July to November

BEST TIME: July to November

BEST LURES: Large diving minnowbaits