12 minute read
GO BIG! GO
WORKING ON YOUR PERSONAL-BEST FISH LIST?
FROM ARCTIC CHAR TO YELLOW PERCH, HERE’S WHERE TO WET YOUR LINE FOR A SHOT AT A GENUINE TROPHY AND MAYBE EVEN A RECORD
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HOW DO YOU boost your chances of catching true lunkers?
Go where they live. That may seem obvious, but with so many excellent places to fish in this great country, it’s not always that simple. Enter our annual hot spots guide. This year, we scoured record books, mined the internet, consulted with contributors and drew on our own experiences to pinpoint where exactly to catch the biggest of Canada’s most popular sportfish. Now that you know where to go, the rest is up to you!
Stay Legal
AS ALWAYS, BE sure to check the local regulations and seasons before heading to any of these waters, especially the sometimes precarious West Coast salmon fisheries. You can find a full list of all provincial and territorial regs on our website at www.outdoorcanada.ca/fishingregs.
#1 ARCTIC CHAR TREE RIVER, NUNAVUT
WHY It was on the Tree in 1981 that Jeffrey Ward caught the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) all-tackle world record char, weighing in at a whopping 32 pounds nine ounces. This remote Far North river continues to produce what are widely considered to be the planet’s largest Arctic char.
BONUS Intrepid anglers can take a daring dip in the Arctic Ocean at the rivermouth, and earn a T-shirt honouring their accomplishment.
MORE INFO www.plummerslodges.com
WHY It’s been 31 years since the commercial cod fishery ended, but recreational anglers can still catch these tasty fish—and giant ones, at that. Head to Notre Dame Bay, where Steve Peddle hauled in a 50-pounder in 2021. For a video of his catch, see www.outdoorcanada.ca/bigcodcatch.
BONUS A prime whale-watching area, Notre Dame Bay is also a good destination for iceberg viewing, if you time your visit just right.
MORE INFO www.newfoundlandlabrador.com
WHY The IGFA all-tackle world record grayling—a freshwater sailfish weighing five pounds 15 ounces—was caught on the Katseyedie back in 1967. But it’s the surrounding waters of Great Bear Lake at the rivermouth that hold the promise of even bigger fish.
BONUS When your arms finally tire of catching grayling on practically every cast, the stark and remote landscape makes for stunning photos.
MORE INFO www.plummerslodges.com
WHY How hot is this river? Flowers River Lodge boasts 20- and 30-pounder clubs, for starters. And just in 2020, the river served up two world-record fly-fishing catches in IGFA’s eight- and 12-pound-tippet categories. Plus, the exceptionally clear water makes for great sight-fishing.
BONUS The river bottom is smoother than on many other Labrador rivers, making it more wader-friendly, and ideal for those not so sure on their feet.
MORE INFO www.flowersriver.com
WHY Mostly known for its huge muskies and northern pike, Wabigoon also has a healthy crappie fishery, serving up good numbers and sizes of fish all year long. Ice fishing is one of the most effective ways to target slabs on this northwestern Ontario lake.
BONUS Wabigoon also offers good fishing for smallmouth bass, walleye and yellow perch; lake trout can be found on surrounding lakes.
MORE INFO www.northernontario.travel
WHY Blue sharks weighing up to 500 pounds have been caught in these waters outside of Halifax Harbour, with fights often lasting for hours. Every blue shark is measured and tagged before it’s released, allowing anglers to help contribute valuable citizen science.
BONUS Blues are the most common shark species here, but porbeagles and makos can be also caught. You’ll see plenty of other marine wildlife, too.
MORE INFO www.bluesharkcharters.com
WHY Way back in 1915, northern Ontario’s Nipigon River produced the reigning world record brook trout, a 14½-pound beauty caught by Dr. W.J. Cook. These days, however, Lake Nipigon is the place to go for a chance to catch a true trophy, with recent catches approaching 10 pounds.
BONUS Aside from brookies, this giant lake also has great fishing for lake trout, trophy pike and massive walleye.
MORE INFO www.superiorcounty.ca
WHY A few years back, Outdoor Canada fishing editor Gord Pyzer and his fishing buddy Mark Stiffel caught three absolute monsters fishing out of this world-renowned port for tuna charters. While their bluefins weighed a staggering 850, 900 and 950 pounds, even bigger fish await.
BONUS Post-angling attractions include the island’s beautiful beaches, delicious seafood, famous hospitality and all things Anne of Green Gables.
MORE INFO www.tourismpei.com
WHY In 1994, angler Richard Matusiak was fishing on the shores of Lake Ontario at Mississauga’s Lakefront Promenade Park when he caught the province’s current record brown trout, a 34-pound 6.08-ounce behemoth. The lake continues to give up huge browns, with the promise of a new record.
BONUS Once you catch a trophy brown, you can target the lake’s numerous other big fish, including salmon, lakers, walleye and pike.
MORE INFO www.ontariofishcharters.ca
BULL TROUT LOWER KANANASKIS LAKE, ALBERTA
WHY Home to Alberta’s record bull trout, a 17- pound 15-ounce beast caught way back in 1947, Lower Kananaskis Lake continues to regularly produce big bulls. No wonder this mountain lake is so popular with anglers during both the open-water and hardwater seasons.
BONUS Anglers also have the chance to catch rainbow and cutthroat trout amid stunning mountain scenery that’s nothing short of majestic.
MORE INFO www.optimumanglingco.ca
WHY With the Red River running through it, Selkirk, Manitoba, touts itself at the “Catfish Capital of the World,” and for good reason. The stretch of river between Selkirk and Lockport is world famous for its population of trophy-sized channels cats, with 20-pounders considered average.
BONUS This stretch of the mighty Red also has opportunities for catching the area’s renowned greenback walleye.
MORE INFO www.citycats.ca
WHY Saskatchewan’s largest natural waterbody, Last Mountain Lake is also one of the province’s premier fisheries, complete with hefty, double-digit burbot. The best time to catch these fish is during the icefishing season, although they can also be targeted once the ice is out.
BONUS Opportunities for trophy walleye, northern pike and carp are also on offer at this long, narrow prairie lake.
MORE INFO www.getfishing.ca
SALMON RIVERS INLET, B.C.
WHY In 2021, seasoned angler
Gayle Gordon boated a complete tank of a chinook here, then promptly live-released it without official verification. Based on the fish’s measurements, it weighed more than 100 pounds, enough to pip the existing world record of 97 pounds four ounces from Alaska.
BONUS Along with the opportunity to catch other species of wild Pacific salmon, the area’s scenery and wildlife viewing are spectacular.
MORE INFO www.riversinlet.com
CHUM SALMON EDYE PASSAGE AREA, B.C.
WHY Located between Prescott and Porcher Islands south of Prince Rupert, B.C., Edye Passage is where the current world record chum was caught in July 1995.
Angler Todd Johansson was using herring as bait when he landed the giant 35-pounder, which stretched the tape to 38½ inches.
BONUS There are also opportunities to catch other Pacific salmon species, as well as a variety of groundfish, while taking in the pristine natural beauty.
MORE INFO www.hellobc.com
WHY Although the 31-pound Canadian record coho was caught in Vancouver Island’s Cowichan Bay area way back in the 1940s, it’s still possible to tackle big fish here if you know where to look. The best bets include nearby Porlier Pass, Sansum Narrows and Pender Bluffs.
BONUS The bay’s like-named Cowichan River, said to be one of B.C.’s finest trout streams, offers fly fishing for steelhead and introduced browns.
MORE INFO www.tourismcowichan.com
#16 COMMON CARP LAKE ERIE, ONTARIO
WHY Angler Allen Babakhani (pictured) caught the current Ontario record for common carp on Lake Erie near Crystal Beach in 2018. He landed the 41-pound 14-ounce lunker while fly fishing, also earning him IGFA’s world record in the eight-pound tippet category.
BONUS Lake Erie is also a worldclass destination for largemouth and smallmouth bass, rainbow and brown trout, walleye, yellow perch and more.
MORE INFO www.canadiancarpsociety.com »
WHY Weighing in at 9.9 pounds, Alberta’s record cutthroat trout was caught by angler Ernest Brazzoni on the South Castle River in 1990. Access is limited here, so you can expect to see few others as you walk and wade. The lower reaches of the West Castle, on the other hand, are more accessible.
BONUS Besides the solid fishing on offer, the scenery is spectacular. It’s also a good river for paddling, tubing, birdwatching, wildlife viewing and hiking.
MORE INFO www.crowsnestcafeandflyshop.ca
WHY The 10 biggest goldeye recognized by Manitoba’s Master Angler program were all tackled in the Saskatchewan River, making it a good bet for catching record fish. The largest was a 21¼-inch bruiser, caught and released by angler Robert G. Lake (pictured) in October 2021.
BONUS The Saskatchewan is also home to walleye, sauger, perch, pike, whitefish, goldeye, burbot, rainbows, browns and lake sturgeon.
MORE INFO www.huntfishmanitoba.ca
WHY In 1993 off B.C.’s Langara Island north of Haida Gwaii, California angler Doug Lavallee reportedly caught the biggest halibut ever landed on a rod and reel in Canadian waters. The 320-pound leviathan succumbed to a white scampi tail on an eight-ounce lead jig head.
BONUS Several lodges and outfitters offer fishing trips around Langara for a wide variety of species, from salmon to abundant groundfish.
MORE INFO www.hellobc.com
WHY The Yukon River watershed’s inconnu may migrate up to 1,500 kilometres to spawn and, as result, grow much bigger than their lakebound cousins. Also referred to as sheefish, this largest and fastestgrowing species of whitefish typically weighs four to 22 pounds, but much bigger fish await.
BONUS The Yukon River watershed is also a prime fishing destination for several other species, including grayling, northern pike and trout.
MORE INFO www.travelyukon.com
WHY This is hands down the place to go for the biggest lake trout on the planet. After all, it was on Great Bear in 1995 that angler Lloyd Bull boated his 72-pound giant, the IGFA all-tackle world record. And the lake continues to produce trophies, including most of IGFA’s other laker category records.
BONUS Remote Great Bear also features outstanding fishing for trophy northern pike and abundant Arctic grayling.
MORE INFO www.plummerslodges.com
WHY Georgian Bay may lay claim to the Ontario record whitefish—a 14.77-pounder caught in 1995—but Lake Simcoe appears to be producing more trophies these days. Most are caught by ice anglers during the winter, which is when the vast majority of the lake’s whitefish action takes place.
BONUS This large southern Ontario lake also has a great fishery for smallmouth and largemouth bass, perch, pike and lake trout.
MORE INFO www.destinationontario.com
BASS ST. LAWRENCE RIVER, ONTARIO
WHY Named one of North America’s top 10 bass waters in 2021 by Bassmaster magazine, the St. Lawrence River may be best known for its smallmouth fishery, but it also holds huge largemouth bass—and in big numbers, as witnessed at recent fishing tournament weigh-ins.
BONUS With its diverse range of aquatic habitats, the St. Lawrence is also home to a wide variety of other fish, including muskies, pike, perch and walleye.
MORE INFO www.destinationontario.com
WHY According to long-time gar aficionado Andrew Bunker, the Ottawa River is home to “Canada’s biggest and baddest longnose gar.” And the record books back up his claim—in July 2014, the river gave up the current Ontario record, a 21.2-pound, 51½ -inch rocket caught by angler Steve Grail.
BONUS Other popular sportfish in the Ottawa include walleye, sauger, smallmouth and largemouth bass, pike and muskies.
MORE INFO www.destinationontario.com
WHY Over the past couple of years, several 60-inch-plus muskies have been caught in the St. Lawrence at the outflow of Lake Ontario. Despite a recent decline, the river also boasts Ontario’s fastest-growing muskies, and it’s one of fisheries expert John Casselman’s candidates for producing the next world record.
BONUS The “Larry,” as locals call it, is also a prime fishing destination for a host of other species, including bass, perch, pike and walleye.
MORE INFO www.destinationontario.com
WHY Located in the northwest corner of Saskatchewan and the northeast corner of Alberta, Lake Athabasca is the eighth largest lake in Canada. And with such big water comes big fish—the Saskatchewan portion routinely serves up giant northerns, with trophies pushing 55 inches.
BONUS Athabasca also contains 23 other species of fish, including hefty lake trout, walleye, whitefish and yellow perch.
MORE INFO www.lakersunlimited.com
WHY Four IGFA record pinks have come out of the Kitimat, more than any other Canadian waterbody. In August 2014, Sherrell Carter caught the two-, four- and eight-poundtest category records, while Zane Andrews notched up a Junior World Record with a 10-pounder in 2015.
BONUS Along with the incredible scenery and wildlife, the productive Kitimat also has abundant steelhead, chinook, coho and chum.
MORE INFO www.nicholasdean.com
WHY Hardcore angler Sean Konrad caught the IGFA all-tackle world record rainbow here in 2009, a beastly 48-pound triploid that topped his twin brother Adam’s 43-pound 10-ounce record (pictured). The Konrads say Diefenbaker is still producing giant ’bows, including a 24-pounder they caught last year.
BONUS Fishing for other species in the lake includes burbot, lakers, northern pike, sauger, walleye, whitefish and yellow perch.
MORE INFO www.lakediefenbakertourism.com
#29 SAUGER SOUTH SASKATCHEWAN RIVER, SASKATCHEWAN
WHY Although complete details of the catch aren’t well documented, this is where a seven-pound 13-ounce fish earned Saskatchewan’s sauger record back in 1990. The South Saskatchewan remains a popular destination for anglers targeting sauger, typically using the classic pickerel rig.
BONUS There are many other fish to also go after here, including goldeye, lakers, pike, rainbows, walleye, whitefish and yellow perch.
MORE INFO www.scpo.ca
#30 SOCKEYE SALMON HARRISON RIVER, B.C.
WHY While many of B.C.’s sockeye fisheries have been experiencing dwindling runs in recent years, the Harrison River continues to enjoy a decent fall return, with plenty of big fish. Mid-September to November is the time to catch and release these chrome beauties.
BONUS After a long day of productive fishing, you can relax and enjoy the natural hot springs and spa at the Harrison Hot Springs Resort.
MORE INFO www.bcsportfishinggroup.com
#31 SMALLMOUTH BASS LAKE ERIE, ONTARIO
WHY Lake Erie’s smallmouth bass grow very big, as evidenced by the brute Ohio angler Gregg Gallagher (pictured) caught on the Canadian side in November last year. The biggest smallie ever recorded on Erie, the 10.15-pounder topped Ontario’s 9.84-pound record, caught by Andy Anderson on Birchbark Lake in 1954.
BONUS Lake Erie is also an awesome sportfishery for largemouth bass, walleye and yellow perch.
MORE INFO www.ontariofishcharters.ca
#32 SPLAKE ALGONQUIN PARK LAKES, ONTARIO
WHY Ontario regularly stocks 27 lakes in Algonquin Provincial Park with splake, the hard-fighting hybrid spawn of female lake trout and male brookies. Many of the stocked lakes are along the Highway 60 corridor running through the south of the park, making for fairly good access.
BONUS Algonquin boasts an impressive system of trails, canoe routes and camping sites for all levels of outdoor adventurer.
MORE INFO www.algonquinpark.on.ca
#34 STEELHEAD KISPIOX RIVER, B.C.
WHY Located north of Hazelton in northwest B.C.’s Bulkley Valley, the Kispiox River is widely regarded as home to some of the largest native steelhead in the world. Fish pushing 20 pounds are common, but there’s also the chance to wrestle with steelies topping 30.
BONUS Within a half-hour’s drive, anglers can also enjoy excellent fishing in the Babine, Bear, Bulkley and Skeena Rivers.
MORE INFO
STRIPED BASS MIRAMICHI RIVER, NEW BRUNSWICK
WHY Long considered one of the world’s best Atlantic salmon rivers, the fabled Miramichi has also become a premier destination for tackling big striped bass. An estimated 1,000,000 fish enter the Miramichi system to spawn each year, making for countless opportunities to land a lunker.
BONUS When you want a break from casting, you can make your way to the Atlantic Salmon Museum in Doaktown for fix of local fishing lore.
MORE INFO www.tourismnewbrunswick.ca www.chromersportfishing.com
TWIN LAKES, MANITOBA
WHY As Manitoba’s top fishery for tiger trout, Twin Lakes has produced more Master Angler tiger awards than any other waterbody in the province. The largest Twin Lakes tiger on record is a 28-incher, caught and released by ice angler Garrett Bettker in April 2017.
BONUS Nearby Roblin, the Fly Fishing Capital of Manitoba, hosts the Bug Chucker Cup, a popular still-water tournament for fly anglers held each May.
MORE INFO www.swanvalleysportfishing.com
#36 WALLEYE LAKE WINNIPEG, MANITOBA
WHY In just one late-winter weekend on Lake Winnipeg, it’s said that ice anglers catch more walleye than on all of Canada’s other lakes combined throughout the entire winter—and that includes Ontario’s famed Bay of Quinte. The current record greenback is a 34-incher iced, in 2015.
BONUS Not just a winter fishery, Lake Winnipeg is also a proven producer of big walleye during the open-water season, too.
MORE INFO www.huntfishmanitoba.ca
#37 WHITE STURGEON FRASER RIVER, B.C.
WHY Every year, anglers catch and release mammoth white sturgeon from the Fraser River’s carefully regulated fishery. The current rod-and-reel Canadian record is an incredible 11.65-footer (pictured), landed on the Fraser last year by anglers Pete Peeters and Jake Driedger. BONUS The Fraser is also home to numerous other fish, including varied runs of chinook, coho, sockeye, chum and pink salmon.
WHY This widened portion of the St. Lawrence River between Cornwall, Ontario, and Quebec’s Salaberry-deValleyfield regularly serves up numbers of jumbo perch. In 2020 on Lake St. Francis, angler Dominic Touchette (pictured) caught the current Ontario record, a chunky 2.52-pounder.
BONUS Covering 272 square kilometres, this is a huge multispecies fishery with opportunities for bass, muskies, pike, trout and walleye.
BY SCOTT GARDNER
