Fishing Information
Northern Ontario is a nature-lover’s paradise. People visit us from all over the world to experience the lush Canadian wilderness and enjoy fishing in our thousands of beautiful interconnected lakes. Before you head off to one of our wilderness camps, here are some tips to help you have an enjoyable fishing trip!
Fishing In Ontario
All of our outpost camps are located within Fisheries Management Zone 6. Please note that live fish are not allowed to be used as bait within this region. More information can be found in the 2021 Recreational Fishing Regulations Guide, which can be downloaded for free here and contains fishing information for Ontario residents, Canadians who live in other provinces and International visitors.
Best Fish to Catch in Our Lakes
Walleye
Walleye are named for their large round “wall-eyes”, which are specially adapted to the dark waters to help them find their food at night. Also known as yellow pike or pickerel, they are delicious to eat and are most commonly found in dark, cool waters.
Best bait: Minnow-imitating lures and soft plastic-tipped jigs.
Northern Pike
Northern Pike, often just called Northerns, are most commonly found in cool, dark waters. They are aggressive feeders and have razor-sharp teeth, so it's best to use a heavy leader to catch them (and watch your fingers!).
Best bait: White or yellow coloured in-line spinners, spoons and minnow-imitating lures.
Lake Trout
The elusive Canadian Lake Trout are deep water fish, commonly found in depths below 15 metres. They can be found in shallow water during the spring, and are best caught early in the mornings during the summer.
Best bait: Silver spoons, vertical jigs and brightly-coloured spinning rods.
Whitefish
Usually weighing between 3-4 pounds, Lake Whitefish can be found in large numbers in our Northern Ontario lakes. They are best found near the surface during late spring, or in deep waters during the summer.
Best bait: Small jigging lures and wax worms.
Fishing Licences
Everyone over the age of 18 who plans to fish at our outpost camps requires two documents:
- Ontario Outdoors Card
- Fishing Licence
Anyone younger than 18 years old does not need their own fishing license or Outdoors Card, but must be accompanied by someone who carries them. Remember that any fish caught by someone under the age of 18 counts towards the limits of the license holder.
Your Outdoors Card and Fishing License can be bought online via this link. Outdoors Cards usually take around 20 days to arrive by mail so we recommend purchasing it at least one month before your trip. Your licence will be printed on the back of your Outdoors Card so if your card does not arrive before your trip, you'll want to print out the Licence Summary to keep with you. We suggest doing this before your arrival in Armstrong.
Already booked your wilderness adventure with us? Check out our local guide for more information to help you plan your trip!
Gallery
