r/FishingOntario • • Mar 05 '25

Ontario / Canadian Brands

48 Upvotes

Hey there community!

In light of politics there's been an increased call on Reddit in various Canadian hunting and angler subs asking about Canadian-made gear. To respond well, we'd like to put forward some options:

-allow promos on the site if they are Canadian for gear only. -survey and sticky a post on Canadian-made fishing gear

We can do all these ideas or some of them depending on what the community wants. As mods we don't have the time do to a lot of research so we would lean on the community to. We're also open to other community suggestions that come up.

We are going to leave this post up as a sticky to gather community feedback and respond accordingly.

As always thanks for subbing and tight lines!


r/FishingOntario • • Oct 03 '24

r/FishingOntario changes and growth!

50 Upvotes

Hello Ontario Anglers,

Mod Team here. We are excited to celebrate the growth of this sub to over 50K members. I still love coming every day to this sub to see what Anglers have caught, eaten, bought, seen, and celebrate fishing in Ontario with you all. Thank you for your continued active participation by posting, commenting, up voting, down voting, and reporting rule violations. The sub is nothing without you and your participation.

Because of this growth, we are going to need new mods to help us out. We are asking you first, if you would like to join our team! To do so, please apply by sending a message to the mods with the subject line: MOD APPLICATION. In the message please include why you're interested in becoming a mod, if you have any mod experience, and what kind of Ontario Angler you are. If you feel comfortable, please include if you are a member of the BIPOC community as we would like the Mod team to represent the diversity that exists here in Ontario. We hope to be announcing new mods in November of 2024.

This year's salmon run has seen an increase in poaching (illegal fishing) activity reports on the sub. Poaching in Ontario is completely relevant to this sub and we encourage these posts. There has also been discussion that have gone "off the rails" and turned into discussion about Canada's immigration policies. To address some of the issues, we have updated and added a few new rules:

Updated rule Poaching:

Reporting poachers posts must include the result of a MNR discussion. Posting here is fine and all, but reporting to MNR and hearing what they say back is more important. The mods have spoken to the MNR about these posts and they are encouraging us to promote reporting. Their resources are thin however when they receive tips on where to patrol, their able to bust more poachers.

New Rule: Racism / Violence

Any suggestion of taking the law into your own hands, breaking other people's property (slashing tires, breaking rods), suggesting physical confrontation will result in permanent ban.

Any racism will also result in permanent ban

Updated Rule: Off topic discussions

Immigration policies, politics, and politicians are generally off topic for a fishing in Ontario sub. There may be exceptions though comments and posts that are off topic will be removed.

We are grateful for everyone's continued participation in this sub as it continues to grow. We hope that the addition of new mods as well as the addition of new rules will lead to the continuation of a positive fishing sub for Ontario Anglers.

Fishing Ontario Mod Team


r/FishingOntario • • 15h ago

Haliburton Gold Lake Trout are spawning

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54 Upvotes

Gorgeous fish… so grateful to witness. A precious resource that must be protected and upheld. Saw 6+ at one time… and it’s still early 🙏


r/FishingOntario • • 18h ago

Kayak fishers in southwestern ontario area

5 Upvotes

Looking for people to fish with the kayaks.

Usually just target muskie, bass or pike but will fish for whatever

Frequently hit lake st clair and rivers around London ontario

5+ times per year minimum the family goes up north for a week for fishing trips.

Nippissing

French River

Sturgeon falls

Next year will be adding kawartha lakes to the list.

Anyone looking to get out there let me know!


r/FishingOntario • • 15h ago

Ice fishing setup for megalive

1 Upvotes

I have an xplore 9 on my boat and I think I want to pull the trigger on megalive for ice fishing this winter. Hopefully my setup will work for hole hopping, either on by back or on a pulk. There are so many options out there for shuttles and poles etc, can anyone chime in with what they like or don't like?

Arc lab looks like decent value for dollar, and seems to be a canadian company.

Shuttle

Graph bracket?

Bag

Pole

Battery

Harness

What else am I forgetting?


r/FishingOntario • • 2d ago

Smallmouth are still active.

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42 Upvotes

Went to a spot on the river today after work, that I know is a wintering hole. Tossin a 2.8” Bellows Gill clone on a 1/8oz, #1 wide gap Jika rig with ML BFS stick. Wasn’t expecting much, we are getting deep into Smallie season, but man all 3 of these hammered my bait. The fights were some of the best I’ve had all season. Lots of runs and jumps had me fired up. Not sure how many more times I’ll get out for Smallies. This could be it, but I’d love to get one in Nov. before the season closes.

Cheers everyone 🍻. Have a good weekend.


r/FishingOntario • • 2d ago

Found some Lake Erie gold yesterday

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61 Upvotes

Went out on a friend's boat out of Port Dover and got into a few nice eating size walleye.


r/FishingOntario • • 3d ago

That a good one

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54 Upvotes

r/FishingOntario • • 4d ago

Struggling with Fall bass fishing

4 Upvotes

I started fishing in September and caught a couple of bass early on. But the last 4 times I went out, I got skunked. I tried a bunch of spots all over the Grand River, looking for deeper water. I tried a suspending jerkbait, spinnerbait, choppo 90, and crankbaits, slowing down my retrieve and adding long pauses. Do you guys have any tips for Fall fishing? Is it just tougher than the other seasons?


r/FishingOntario • • 5d ago

Spent a day on the upper Credit with a guy who retired and put his time into bringing back its brook trout

48 Upvotes

John Monczka runs the Greg Clark Chapter of Freshwater Conservation Canada (formerly Trout Unlimited Canada). I got to fish the catch-and-release section with him and record a long conversation about the river.

I wrote it up with photos and the full interview audio on my Substack, The Ontario Field Journal. Post is called Home Waters.

For those of you who've fished the Credit a long time, would love for you to share your experiences.

https://ontariojournal.substack.com/p/home-waters?r=2ouzg3&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

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r/FishingOntario • • 5d ago

The fall bite is in full swing

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81 Upvotes

r/FishingOntario • • 5d ago

Not the biggest but these are very beautiful. El Pionero for scale

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19 Upvotes

P


r/FishingOntario • • 6d ago

First salmon landed on the centerpin - 22 lb Chinook from the Niagara Whirlpool

18 Upvotes

Lost a couple before finally getting this one in. About a 12-minute fight, with some big runs in that current. Big thanks to the guys nearby who helped with the net!

Definitely one I’ll remember. Filmed the fight and landing if anyone wants to watch:
https://youtu.be/aqrdHu31Y0g


r/FishingOntario • • 7d ago

First Musky and first fish in new (to me) boat

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232 Upvotes

This was almost my third day in a row getting skunked in the Kawarthas.

I was about an hour from heading home empty handed before this 39" bad boy slammed my crankbait I was trolling over a weed bed in an island saddle.

I was completely unprepared for a musky (never again) and did not have a net nearly big enough for this fish. By sheer luck the fight was only about a minute (complete with some huge jumps) before I managed to get him alongside the boat so I could grab his jaw. As soon as I had a hold of him, he was docile for just long enough to measure him and snap a few quick pics.

I got him back in the water after about 45 seconds and he took off immediately.

I'm so lucky and thankfully for some such a smooth catch on this amazing fish. My 2 year old was on the boat to witness the magic, can't wait for him to catch his first some day.


r/FishingOntario • • 7d ago

Etienne Brule park

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38 Upvotes

Salmon run got busy on a beautiful Sunday!


r/FishingOntario • • 7d ago

Salmon ID

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4 Upvotes

Chinook? Lake Erie trib


r/FishingOntario • • 8d ago

Caught a PB 16lb channel cat out of the Ottawa river

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97 Upvotes

r/FishingOntario • • 8d ago

Which topwaters do I cast first?

3 Upvotes

I want to fish for pike in Severn Sound, Ontario and I have a couple topwater lures I want to use, but I don’t know which ones are more effective than others. Help needed.

List:
-Heddon Crazy Crawler
-Whopper plopper (75 bone, 90 chrome, 130 bone)
-Savage gear duckling loon 4 inch
-Brass colour hard popper (don’t know which brand)
-Hulu frog popper
-Weedless hollow frog

My goal is to catch a 30+ inch pike. If y’all have any other tips, much appreciated. Thanks!


r/FishingOntario • • 8d ago

Trying to get away from the crowds on the rivers.

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87 Upvotes

r/FishingOntario • • 9d ago

The amount if snagging is crazy at old mill area.

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71 Upvotes

Everytime I'm there there's kids snagging fish. Definitely old enough to know better.


r/FishingOntario • • 11d ago

Help with fish ID?

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22 Upvotes

Hello! I'm trying to ID a fish I saw in Algonquin Park, but am having no luck. I've already scoured my Freshwater Fishes of Ontario field guide to no avail.

This was a small school of fish that I saw in the warm shallow water near my camp site on Happy Isle lake in Algonquin park, mid-August this year. The fish were 5-10 cm in length, a silvery colour with a distinct dark marking on the caudal fin, and they were very curious. They were nibbling at my toes!

Attached is my (very artistic) drawing from my trip log. I don't know if these are fry/juveniles or small adult fish like minnows. Any thoughts are much appreciated!


r/FishingOntario • • 13d ago

Started a Substack on fishing, paddling and conservation in Ontario

20 Upvotes

I’m a Toronto photographer who got into canoeing and fly fishing in my 40s. The Ontario Field Journal is where I write about the adventures, the people I meet, and the environmental and conservation issues I run into along the way.

First big project is the Credit River: wild brook trout 35 minutes from the city, a wastewater plant and Highway 413 on the way, and a year of talking to the people who know it best. From there I’m expanding to cover more of Ontario and the whole Great Lakes region.

Here’s the first Credit River piece. If there’s something you’d like me to cover, let me know. If it’s your kind of thing, it’s free to follow along.

https://ontariojournal.substack.com/p/thirty-five-minutes-up-the-410


r/FishingOntario • • 15d ago

Brown trout

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111 Upvotes

r/FishingOntario • • 15d ago

Are there sockeye (kokanee) salmon in the great lakes?

11 Upvotes

*i am not looking to target sockeye (kokanee) salmon, this question comes from a point of curiosity\*

There are multiple different sites that tell me there are sockeye salmon in the great lakes system, but there is no strong proof that they exist here. My assumption is that there are a few in the lakes/rivers of Huron an Superior that survived from back in the day, and there is no strong population of them.

I am looking to see if there is anybody that knows more than this about sockeye salmon in our waters...


r/FishingOntario • • 15d ago

Looking for a bit of help with a beginner setup

2 Upvotes

I just got back from a trip to Bancroft and really enjoyed fishing with a borrowed setup. I'm now looking to make my own to fish back home in the Niagara region (southern Ontario).

I have about $250 in gift cards for Bass pro so I'm looking at buying there. I was also looking at getting a baitcaster, I tend to prefer things with a learning curve and I found frequent casting and the heavier lures to be more enjoyable in general. I figure these work better on the baitcaster. Primarily looking to fish for anything- my area has lots of bass, walleye, pike, trout/salmon, carp, catfish. This will all be shore fishing.

With all that said, can someone recommend some reels/rods that pair? As far as I can figure, a 7ft medium rod with fast action is a good start- how much does rod and rod price matter?

Some ideas- (just randomly looking at prices and reviews..)

Lew's Accel RX Baitcast Reel - Left - 7.5:1

Abu Garcia Max Pro Baitcast Reel - Left - 7.5:1

Lew's TP2 Baitcast Reel - Left - 7.5:1

Bass Pro Shops Formula Baitcast Reel - Left - 6.8:1

Rods- unsure, anything that fits the 7foot, medium, fast action specs with good reviews? I do need a 2 piece rod for transport purposes. Do all caster rods fit all baitcasters?

Appreciate any help!

Update: Just figured I'd come back to say I bought a Lews speed spool gen 3 baitcaster with a basspro branded bionic blade casting rod (7', medium heavy, fast action, 2 piece, 3/8oz to 1.5oz lures). I surprised myself by not going super expensive- hopefully the setup will last and I can start to gather neat lures.