Popular Fishing Spots in Ontario

Ontario has more than 250,000 lakes — a fifth of the world’s fresh water — and fisheries to match: world-class smallmouth on the Great Lakes, walleye across the Shield, muskie in the Kawarthas, and steelhead in every Lake Ontario tributary. Here are the spots that consistently produce.

The big-name waters

• Lake Simcoe — giant smallmouth, jumbo perch, lake trout and whitefish; Canada’s ice-fishing capital, an hour from Toronto.
• Lake Erie — the walleye capital of the world, plus elite smallmouth around the islands and reefs.
• Lake of the Woods — 14,500 islands of walleye, muskie, pike, crappie, and bass in the northwest.
• St. Lawrence River — a conveyor belt of big smallmouth, plus muskie in the Thousand Islands.
• Ottawa River — underrated trophy water: walleye, muskie, sturgeon, and channel catfish.
• Kawartha Lakes (Rice, Sturgeon, Pigeon, Scugog) — classic cottage-country mix of walleye, muskie, and both bass.
• Bay of Quinte — famous late-fall trophy walleye run on Lake Ontario.
• Grand River — a brown trout tailwater that fly anglers rank among the best in the East.
• Niagara River — steelhead, brown trout, and lake trout all winter long.

What to fish for, and when

Fishing near Toronto

You don’t need to drive north: Lake Ontario harbourfronts hold pike, bass, and salmon; the Credit, Humber, and Ganaraska rivers get steelhead and salmon runs; Simcoe and the Kawarthas are within 90 minutes.

Rules, zones & licences

Ontario is split into 20 Fisheries Management Zones with different seasons and limits — the walleye and bass openers matter. See the Ontario fishing regulations guide and the licence guide.

More guides