fishing tour toronto

Pricing & Packages

We are toronto’s guided salmon fishing experts. we also offer pike and bowfin fishing, toronto island sightseeing, birdwatching and history tours. when you choose detour, you’re in expert hands with captain don  .

Salmon Fishing

(1 – 4  fisherman) , june 1st – october 31st, 30 ft sportfishing boat.

(Chinook, Coho, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Lake Trout)

Our speciality. Your trip starts from the Toronto Harbor heading out to the lake. Your Captain will inform you off safety and fishing plans, then we’ll rig and set up all the rods, while also educating you along the way! From teaching a new angler the tricks to salmon, or sharing our knowledge with experienced fisherman, we want to show you what it takes to catch a show worthy salmon. Sit back, let us do the work so you can bring the trophy home!

1/2 day (6hr)

Full Day (12hr)

6 am – 12 Noon

2 pm – 8pm

Pike & Bowfin

(1 – 2  fisherman) , pike – 2nd saturday in may – october 31st bowfin – april 15th – june 1st, 14 ft aluminum with outboard.

Over the last 20 yearsk Pike and Bowfin populations have boomed and living on Toronto Island allows Captain Don to know the hotspots for these gators. We use the small boat to get in the lagoons to persue these fish using troll of  pike over 10lbs and multiple catches are quite common!

Minimum 4 Hours

Birdwatching

(1 – 6  observers) , april to october  .

The Toronto Island and Tommy Thompson Bird Sanctuary is a unique stopover for migrating birds in the spring and fall, with over 316 specifics of birds and 55 breeding species recorded. Captain Don will guide you around by boat to unreachable hidden birdwatching sights!

30 ft Cabin Cruiser

$100/hr min 4hr

14ft aluminum boat

History Sightseeing Tour

(1-8 people), april to october.

As a born and raised Toronto Island native, Captain Don will take you by boat or bike through the island and harbour front, sharing the tall tales of the rich history of this one of a kind carless community.

Community Bike Tour

(1-2 people).

Take a Toronto Island park tour with Captain Don! Explore local eateries, do a bar hop, check out the island beaches,  sneak by Centerville for Kids, or tour Toronto Island homes and gardens. We supply the bikes for up to 1-2 people!

Minimum 3 Hours

Now Booking 2022 Season And Beyond!

Important info, a fishing license is required for all passengers, what to bring along on your tour.

We recommend weather appropriate clothing and soft sole shoes. We highly recommend sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat to protect against the strong sun on the lake. Oh, and we have a ridge onboard so bring food, drink and snacks for your day!

Reservations/Deposit

A 33% deposit is required to book your tour. Any cancellations less than one week from the tour will result in forfeiture of deposit. Weather cancellations are made the day before or dockside at the Captains discretion. In the event of cancellation, alternative dates will be offered of your deposit refunded.

Lake Ontario Salmon Fishing Tours

Toronto fishing charters with Epic Sportfishing are incredible! We look forward to entering our guests in the Great Ontario Salmon Derby.

Enjoy The Outdoors

Great Value

Evening trips off shore in front of Toronto are a sight to behold.

reasonable packages

Great Views of Toronto’s Skyline

Fully equipped fishing charter on the big waters of Lake Ontario!

fishing adventure

Small Personalized Tours

We simply love to fish! There is no experience necessary.

Let’s Go Fishing In Toronto

Welcome Aboard! Contact Today!

call us (416) 688-4662 or get in touch

Tourist reviews.

Aaron is a great captain, very knowledgeable, and has all the gear one could possibly imagine.

Recent Tourist

Another great day of fishing with Aaron. This was our 4th time out with him and he delivered as always. I wouldn’t go out with anyone else!

Customer Reviews

Thanks to those who wrote reviews on TripAdvisor about Epic Sport Fishing. Based on all the comments, I booked with Epic!

Aaron is super knowledgeable and friendly. Had an awesome day. Definitely booking with him again!

Make it a Great Day On Lake Ontario

A great excursion for any group.

© 2022 | Epic Sportfishing, Toronto, Ontario

FISHING CHARTER PACKAGES 

Full Day or Half Day - We've got you covered.

Join us for the day and we provide all the gear and tackle needed. 

  All you need to bring is a valid Ontario fishing license, sun screen, lunch and water/pop and we'll do the rest to get you onto the fish.

Free entry to the Great Ontario Salmon Derby (GOSD) www.greatontariosalmonderby.ca  (Subject to GOSD Rules & Regulations)

$750 (1-4 People)

   $850 (5 People)   

Half Day = 5  Hour Trip

Morning or Afternoon Trips available

$1000  (1-4 People)

$1100 (5 People)

Full Day = 8 Hour Trip

$600 (1-3 People)

$650 (4 People)   

$700 (5 People)   

Evening Special = 4 Hour Trip

* Evening Trips only

Great Ontario Salmon Derby

A chance to share a $10,000 weekly prize or win a 2022 Toyota Tundra Crewmax Limited, TRD Off Road.  Entry into this famous Lake Ontario derby is included when fishing with King's Landing Sport Fishing!   

* Subject to Great Ontario Salmon Derby Participant Rules & Regulations

20'8" multi-species dream boat.

APbassing googan squad

To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key.

all you need to bring

-sunglasses, -valid fishing license, -something to eat, latest youtube video.

Fish City Tours Alumacraft 205 BF-150 Honda 

8 Lakes, Endless Catch & Release Opportunities

Fishing trips at Lost Lake Lodge, where fishing opportunities abound, offer our guests four different species to satisfy even the most discriminating fisherman. With a diverse set of waterways, we offer our guests 8 unique and remote lakes for you to explore. Our lakes are abundant in Walleye, Northern Pike, Smallmouth Bass, as well as Brook Trout.

Conservation fishing is promoted on all of our lakes. For over 30 years, our guests have been able to enjoy some of the best catch & release fishing around, as well as some delicious shore lunches. This practice translates into some very large fish now and for generations to come.

We are the only lodge that resides on this chain of lakes and we limit our guests to 20-25 per week. This way, we are able to control the fishing pressure. Imagine the chance to fish your very own private lake for trophy sized catches! At Lost Lake Wilderness Lodge we want to give you an incredible fishing trip, every time.

1-888-279-9977

What’s the catch.

Lost Lake Wilderness Lodge has combined the best of two worlds. For over thirty years, one lake has been an honorary Catch and Release lake while the other 7 were based on conservation fishing. We have recently moved in the direction of enforcing catch and release on all the lakes, which translates into very large Northern Pike, Walleye, Bass or Trout for picture taking.  We promote as much catch and release as possible, but we also like to see our guests keep a couple for the frying pan while here.  We ask that no fish leave camp.  With our policies and diverse choice of waterways it ensures satisfaction for everyone.

Boats & Motors

Our 14′ boats on Lost Lake come complete with 9.9 HP outboards. One is supplied for every 2 full fare Guests. All gas, life jackets, anchor, paddle, minnow bucket, landing net, live minnows or worms and bailing bucket are supplied. All boats have padded swivel seats and a mandatory boater’s safety kit is also included. You will notice from year to year, we will replace older boats with new ones, in an attempt to keep our fleet up to good standards for our Guests to enjoy and appreciate.

The remote lakes are equipped with new 8 HP Yamaha 4 stroke motors and boats that are 14′  long. All remote lake boats also feature padded swivel seats to ensure your comfort.

We offer a daily shuttle service to other drive-to lakes by either our 6 seater Polaris Ranger UTV or by truck for Guest convenience and comfort.

New boating regulations do not allow children under 17 years old to operate power boats. Regulations require a safety kit in each boat. These are supplied for your use.  We also provide a short (10 minute) mandatory boaters orientation given dockside prior to be assigned your boat.

Northern Pike

Smallmouth bass, brook trout, catch a peak….

Fishing Trip Packages

Our Fishing Trip packages include:

A stay at a private cottage with a scenic view of the lake. Each cottage is complete with a 3 or 4 piece bathroom, kitchen, bed linens, Satellite TV, gas barbecue grill and a fire pit.

Boat & Motor (paddle, life preserver, anchor, and net included). We supply all gas, live bait, and lake maps so you can explore all day long!

Meal Plan (Optional) : home cooked meals with added touches of homemade jams, bread, and pies. Breakfast and Dinner is served at the cottage and Lunch is provided packed to go so you can enjoy full day adventures.

Wireless Internet is available at the Main Lodge

Fishing Licenses

Please note that licenses will no longer be sold at the lodge, however you will be able to obtain them prior to your visit.

In order to buy a fishing license, you need to have an Outdoors Card.

You can apply for your Outdoor Card, along with your fishing license using the following options:

• Online  https://www.ontario.ca/page/fishing
• Phone  1-800-288-1155
• Any Service Ontario Location

If you go the online route, your e-license will have a temporary Outdoor Card number validating the license until you receive the permanent Outdoor Card in the mail, usually about 20 days later.

If you already have the Outdoors card, getting a license is a matter of visiting an authorized issuer (Wal-Mart, Canadian Tire) or applying online at  https://www.ontario.ca/page/fishing and printing it yourself.

Non-Canadian residents need an Outdoors Card to fish in Ontario if they are 18 years of age and over.

( NOTE:   Non-residents 65 years of age or older are not exempt from requiring a license ).

Non-Canadian Residents will purchase the 8 Day Conservation Fishing License.

If you have any questions, please give us a call!

Fishing Near Toronto – 15 Best Places To Fish

Fishing Near Toronto For Many Species

There is good fishing near Toronto for travelers and residents to enjoy, and some of this good fishing is a short cab ride away. As the top fishing guide near Toronto, I will give you my tips for both lake and river fishing near Toronto.

Anglers interested in fishing near Toronto have the option of lake fishing, pond fishing, or river fishing and all within a 30-minute drive. Anglers fishing near Toronto could catch large salmon up to 40 pounds, steelhead up to 20 pounds, trout over 10 pounds, and even bass, pike, carp, and panfish.

There are also other places that are 45 minutes to 60 minutes drive from downtown Toronto that can offer world-class fishing.

There are good options for river fishing for salmon, steelhead, Brook Trout , Brown Trout, and Rainbow trout in the rivers to the east and west of Toronto.

Rivers like the Nottawasaga, Wilmot Creek, Bowmanville Creek, Bronte Creek, and the Ganaraska are all within a 60-minute drive. These rivers are great for anglers that want to try spin fishing, fly fishing , and Centerpin fishing .

The Toronto harbor, the Toronto Islands, and the Lake Ontario shoreline offer opportunities to catch big bass, pike over 20 pounds, carp over 20 pounds, musky, steelhead, brown trout, Chinook salmon, Coho salmon, and Atlantic salmon. All these within 10 minutes of downtown Toronto

You could even do ice fishing near Toronto in some of the bays on this list. A 30-minute to 1-hour drive west and north can put you on some great ice fishing lakes like Island Lake or Lake Scugog. In fact, Lake Simcoe is about 60 minutes away and is known as the ice fishing capital of the world.

But let’s focus on the river and lake fishing near Toronto that are all within that 30 minutes drive.

If you are new to fishing near Toronto, A Perfect Drift Guide Company is the best local river guide service that offers lessons and guided trips to some of these great rivers.

River Fishing Near Toronto

I’ll start with river fishing near Toronto because anglers have a dozen options that are close by. Some of them will be covered below in more detail.

For river fishing near Toronto you have these options, Humber River, East Humber River, West Humber River, Cold Creek, Silver Creek, Black Creek, Don River, Rouge River, Duffins Creek, Soper Creek, Credit River, East Credit River, West Credit River, Bronte Creek, 16 Mile Creek, Oakville Creek.

These are some of the best rivers for river fishing near Toronto and they offer anglers opportunities to fish for salmon, steelhead, trout, bass, and more.

For more detailed information on river fishing near Toronto and in Ontario visit these pages:

Trout Fishing Near Toronto: Tips From A Top River Guide

• The Best Rivers In Ontario For Trout And Steelhead

Ontario Fly Fishing: 15 Best Places And Methods To Try

Where can i fish on the credit river 18 best access spots, fishing the humber river.

The Humber River enters Lake Ontario and is only about 5 kilometers from downtown Toronto. This is a great destination for anglers that want to try fishing near Toronto and want to stay within the city limits.

At the mouth of the Humber River, anglers can fish for bass, pike carp, and panfish and they can do this from shore during the summer months.

Casting lures or drifting a bait under a float is a good option in the deeper slower water.

Big carp will move into the lower river in late May and June and can be caught using heavier rods and baits. Some big pike can also be found in the slower water of the lower river and along the Lake Ontario Shoreline. Bass can also be found in this area.

Anglers can also target multiple fish species along the shoreline of Lake Ontario where the Humber enters into the lake.

Anglers fishing the Humber River can fish for the spring and fall-run steelhead which can grow to over 15 pounds and can enter the Humber River by the thousands. The lower Humber river is open to angling for trout and steelhead all year long.

Most anglers that fish for steelhead catch very few simply because they just do not fish very well. Steelhead is my specialty and I have taught thousands of anglers how to catch them.

I share my tips and tricks for fishing Ontario steelhead on this website. I even discuss how to know when the steelhead will run in Toronto.

At this time anglers can fish from Eglinton Avenue to Lake Ontario 12 months of the year. This is a huge section of the river that allows anglers to spread out and fish for trout, salmon, bass, carp, and maybe pike.

Fishing for steelhead can be done with fly rods, spinning rods, and Centerpin rods.

For the best methods, best times to fish for steelhead, and places to fish for steelhead check out our steelhead page .

Anglers fishing near Toronto can also catch giant salmon up to 40 pounds off the banks near river mouths and up in rivers like the Humber River and the Don River.

The big Ontario salmon can run up the Toronto rivers by the thousands and they can be caught easily using the methods that I use when I guide for them. You can see my advice on my Salmon Fishing page.

There are Chinook, Coho, and Atlantic salmon that will run up these rivers to spawn. The most common salmon which can enter the rivers by the thousands is the Chinook salmon.

The salmon usually start running up the rivers after the first big rain in September and will continue after each rain until November.

Many people like to watch the salmon jumping at the small damn at the Old Mill Park. This is also a popular spot for anglers but it can get very busy there when the salmon are in thick which is why I recommend fishing further up the river for fewer anglers.

The main branch of the Humber River has good populations of brown trout and brook trout. The best fishing occurs upriver of the town of Bolton. Be careful of the many sinkholes in this river and watch out for poison ivy.

There are many trails along the river that anglers can use to access the river. A Perfect Drift Guide Company does guide trips for trout on the Upper Humber River.

West Humber River

The West Humber River is a warm water river with mostly bass, suckers, and carp. Anglers fishing this branch often focus their efforts around the Claireville Reservoir which can be good fishing for largemouth bass, carp, and catfish as well as panfish like pumpkinseed, and perch.

Fishing The East Humber River

Fly fishing Toronto area can be done on a great section of the Humber River.

The East Humber River is a tributary to the Humber River and can be a great place for anglers to try for steelhead and trout.

It’s about 45km from downtown Toronto and is a nice little trout and steelhead creek that offers fishing near Toronto.

It’s a smaller river that has been getting stocked with steelhead for many years and it can be very good for trout and steelhead fishing.

The east Humber River is lesser known than other nearby rivers so it does not get as much fishing pressure. Anglers can access the river through Boyd Conservation Area.

Fishing The Don River

Fly Fishing Toronto can be done within the city limits on the Don River which flows along the eastern edge of Toronto. Here you can catch steelhead, salmon, bass, pike, and carp.

The Don River is a little-known fishing spot because it has been considered by many people to be a dirty polluted river. This river has been cleaned up over decades and considering its close proximity to millions of people it’s actually a nice little river set in the Don Valley.

Because of this, not many anglers will fish it but the Don River has some salmon and steelhead that will run up this river to spawn which can provide anglers with opportunities to catch these fish with no other anglers around.

You may also find bass and carp in the lower sections of the river.

Don Valley Park is a good spot to access the river if you want to try and fish the Don River. There are a lot of nice trails and many parks along the river for anglers to access.

Check out this YouTube video to see the Don River and some salmon spawning there.

Fishing The Credit River

For many hard-core fly angles, fly fishing in Toronto means fishing on the nearby Credit River for many species of fish. The Credit River is a good option for the angler that wants good trout, steelhead, and salmon fishing near Toronto.

Located about 25 kilometers southwest of Toronto is one of the best salmon rivers in Ontario. The Credit River is also well known for its spring and fall steelhead fishing and its good trout fishing in the upper sections of the river.

The steelhead and salmon do not make it past the town of Norval due to 2 dams. Most salmon and steelhead fishing is done downriver of Streetsville.

Anglers that want to fish salmon in the fall should try a day or two after decent-sized rains in September and October.

A great place for both salmon and steelhead is Erindale Park in Mississauga.

Anglers can find good fishing for trout in the upper sections above Inglewood.

This upper section of the Credit River has special regulations at the time of print. Zero trout may be kept, no organic bait permitted and only 1 single point hook allowed. This makes this section a popular destination for fly anglers.

Anglers can try some of the park areas for fishing access.

A Perfect Drift Guide Company is the top guide service on the Credit River. Watch them in action on the New Fly Fishing Show. Fishing The Upper Credit River video and Fishing The Lower Credit River video .

Along the upper Credit is the Ken Whillans Resource Management Area which has stocked rainbow trout, bass, pike, and panfish. This is a paid access area and a good place for a relaxing day of fishing.

At the headwaters of the Credit River in the Town of Orangeville is Island Lake which is a good destination for Ice fishing in the winter and lake fishing in the spring and summer. There are big largemouth bass, pike, crappie, and perch in this lake. you can fish at the Island Lake Conservation Area

Fishing The Toronto Islands

Let’s not forget about the warm water species when fly fishing Toronto. Fishing near Toronto is as easy as fishing the west shore of the Toronto Islands which are based at the foot of downtown Toronto.

The weedy bays and shorelines offer anglers great fishing for big bass, pike, carp, panfish, and maybe even a musky or a walleye. There is also a chance for roaming migratory brown trout in the spring and fall or salmon and steelhead.

The channels and inlets can be fished from shore or boat and they have a good population of huge carp. Pike over 20 pounds are caught in this area every year and there is a good population of big largemouth bass.

Anglers that want to fish on the Toronto Island usually access it by the Island Ferries. you can get information on fares and schedules at www.torontoharbour.com/toronto-island-ferry

Fishing Ashbridges Bay

Ashbridges Bay is a small bay just east of the Toronto Islands and can be a good option when fly fishing Toronto area. The shoreline can be walked on foot and provides anglers fishing for smallmouth and largemouth bass, pike, panfish, and carp.

The outer shoreline along lake Ontario gives anglers an opportunity to cast for carp, salmon, steelhead, and big migratory brown trout in the fall.

Anglers can access the bay at Ashbridges Bay Park through the trails and paths that run along the shoreline.

Fishing The Rouge River

The lower rouge river has pike, bass, and carp fishing available most of the year.

Big pike up to 20 pounds can be caught in the lower river in the spring when the river is still cold.

Smaller pike can be caught all summer.

Steelhead run up the Rouge River in the spring around March and April and then again in the fall. You can catch rainbow trout up the river in the summer months. The Rouge River also gets a small run of migratory brown trout.

Salmon will start to run the river after the first big rains in September and throughout October.

Fishing Frenchman’s Bay

Frenchman’s Bay offers fishing near Toronto for warm water species with good numbers of bass, pike, and carp. There are also walleye and lots of panfish.

There is good access along the shoreline for anglers to explore. This enclosed bay is suitable for canoe and small boat anglers.

Fishing Duffins Creek

Duffins Creek is located about 45km on the east side of Toronto. It is one of the best steelhead and salmon creeks in the area and it’s a popular destination for anglers that want to fly fish near Toronto.

Duffins Creek splits into two forks which are both good for fishing. Up the west fork above the dam in Whitevale is good fishing for brook trout.

There are some brown trout in the river and there are some reports of Lake trout catches in the lower river.

There is good access along both forks of the river. On the west for there are parks and access points to the Seaton trail which runs along much of the river.

On the east Duffins Creek, you can access the river from the TransCanada Trail system and from the Greenwood Conservation Area or at Devonside Park.

On east Duffins Creek, there is a long section of the Trans-Canada Trail in the lower section that will give you access or you can try at Devonside Park or from Greenwood Conservation Area.

Milne Dam Conservation Park

Milne Dam pond is a pond within the Rouge River system. The pond and the river have carp, bass, pike, and panfish. There is easy access around the pond and this is a good fly fishing area for anglers that live near this area.

It is not an area I would make a lot of effort to get to since there are better options for fly fishing Toronto area.

Other Spots To Try Fishing Near Toronto

Lakefront promenade park.

Lakefront Promenade Park can be good for bass, pike, carp, and panfish. You can fly fish the shoreline here and possibly catch some huge fish. You can more information and access it here .

Fishing Professors Lake

Professors lake in Brampton has some good bass and panfish in this lake. There is also carp and Catfish. I used to live near here and I fished Professors lake as a kid.

it is surrounded by a walking path which is surrounded by houses so don’t expect a scenic type of lake. This is a good location if you live close by but if you want a more scenic destination in the area try Heart Lake or travel the 30 minutes north to Island Lake in Orangeville.

You can access Professors lake by the trail that circles the lake and you can park at the Recreation Center .

Heart Lake Conservation

Heart lake is a good choice for bass, rainbow trout, and panfish. You can access it at the park entrance .

I fished this many times as a kid and the fishing here can be very good. This lake is also surrounded by forests and hills making it one of the more scenic fishing destinations near Toronto.

There are many rivers and creeks that are 30 to 45 minutes further from Toronto. Check out our page The Best Rivers In Ontario For Trout And Steelhead for some great areas to try.

My name is Graham and I have been fishing around the great lakes region for over 36 years and I am considered the top river guide in Ontario.

I specialize in Fly fishing, Centerpin fishing, and Float fishing for Trout, Steelhead, and Salmon, and I am the first full-time guide to offer Centerpin fishing. You may have seen me on TV, in books, and in magazines, or at trade shows and fishing events. I am known as an easy-going and patient guide who loves to teach.

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Toronto Fishing Trips

Plummer's Arctic Lodges is a popular destination for Toronto fishing trips. Avid anglers will fish trophy   lake trout ,   arctic char , and   arctic grayling .  Getting to Plummer's on Great Bear Lake is fairly straightforward. Guests staying at Plummer's will fly to   Yellowknife   from Toronto. You will depart Yellowknife on a Saturday morning, and will return to Yellowknife the following Saturday around mid-afternoon. Most major airlines fly into Yellowknife through Calgary or Edmonton, and we would be happy to help you arrange the first leg of your trip to Yellowknife.

Once you arrive in Yellowknife, you will be met at the airport by a Plummer's staff member. They will ensure that you get to your accommodations and provide you with exact plans for the morning fly out to Great Bear Lake.

On Saturday morning, a shuttle will take you from your hotel to the charter terminal for your flight to   Great Bear Lake Lodge   or   Trophy Lodge . These charters typically depart Yellowknife mid-morning, arriving at the lodges around noon. Guests for   Arctic Circle   will go to Great Bear Lake Lodge, be served lunch and then board a float plane for Arctic Circle Outpost. Guests for Plummer's Trophy Lodge will go directly from Yellowknife to Trophy Lodge. 

There are no flights on Saturday morning from the south that will connect with our charters, so you must arrive in Yellowknife from Toronto on Friday.

Getting to Plummer's Lodges from Toronto

• You will book a flight for your party from the Toronto Pearson International Airport to the Yellowknife Airport, via Calgary or Edmonton, for a Friday arrival. This is usually booked through WestJet or Air Canada. The staff at Plummer's would be happy to help you plan your flights to Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. You will book a hotel room in Yellowknife as you will depart for Great Bear Lake or Great Slave Lake on Saturday.
• A Plummer's Lodge representative will meet you at the Yellowknife Airport as you arrive from Toronto, Ontario and provide you all the information about your Saturday itinerary for your charter flight to Plummer's Arctic Lodges.
• On Saturday morning, a shuttle will take you from your hotel to the charter terminal.
• We will likely depart mid-morning, arriving at the Plummer's around noon. Note: Guests for Arctic Circle will go through Great Bear Lake Lodge, be served lunch and then take our float plane to the Arctic Circle. Guests for Trophy Lodge will go directly from to Trophy Lodge via the charter flight.
• Anglers visiting Tree River Lodge will do so through Great Bear Lake Lodge.

Explore Our Lodges

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Fish-On Ice Fishing

Great day of fishing for Yellow Perch on Lake Simcoe

The only completely all-inclusive ice fishing experience located 40 minutes from Toronto on Lake Simcoe. We offer a fully-guided ice fishing experience and even cook lunch! Each guest gets their very own underwater fishing camera to see the fish surround their lure in real time. ​ Lunch Options Include: Fresh Perch Fish Tacos, Chinese Hot Pot*, or Fish & Chips

 We specialize in catching the world-famous Lake Simcoe Jumbo Yellow Perch. Our professional ice fishing guides will be with you to ensure that you have the best ice fishing possible. 

You will be warm and cozy with our large and roomy, top-of-the-line ice fishing shelters. We have lots of heaters that keep you warm and comfortable.

Lunch on the ice never tasted this good. We are famous for our fresh beer-battered perch fish Tacos, served as you fish.

Toronto's Best Fishing Locations

Welcome to fishing toronto.

Toronto has amazing fishing and ice fishing opportunities in the different bays, rivers and ponds in the Toronto area. Whether you are close to these areas or not, many of these are accessible via public transit. With some fish open year round, fishing is one of the best things to do in Toronto with great fishing action available without the need for a boat. A fishing license is not required for those under the age of eighteen years old or above the age of sixty four. Fishing is a great activity for kids to enjoy especially in highly populated bodies of water in Toronto. Some locations have very high populations of sunfish and bluegill such as Grenadier Pond , which makes more enjoyable fishing for children.

Fly fishing during certain seasons of the year can produce a trophy trout during peak seasons in certain rivers and streams. Trout travel upstream to search for spawning areas. At this time hundreds of trout travel from Lake Ontario and during their passage through these rivers. Anglers have most luck either fly fishing or using spinners and spoons. Brown trout , lake trout and rainbow trout are the most common fish to catch through the different rivers of Toronto.

Toronto has ten different great fishing locations that have great action for a majority of the year and some others like Frenchman’s Bay , where ice fishing is common where anglers search for a trophy walleye due to the hot water that is omitted from the Pickering powerplant . Select your desired fishing location above to find out more information about the types of fish that are in each location. Also fishing tips for what bait to use can be found in our Fishing Gear section.

Fishing Spots in Toronto

• Ashbridges Bay
• Bluffer’s Park
• Colonel Samuel Smith Park
• Duffins Creek Marsh
• G. Ross Lord Park
• Grenadier Pond
• Humber River Marina & Marsh
• Marie Curtis Park
• Rouge River
• Tommy Thompson Park
• Toronto Islands

Fish Profiles

Salmon fishing toronto.

Recommended Lures for Salmon:

• Minnow Baits

Pike Fishing Toronto

Recommended Lures for Pike:

• Crank Baits
• Wire Leaders

Carp Fishing Toronto

More Fish Profiles

• Black Crappie
• Brown Bullhead
• Northern Pike

Find the best lure to land that BIG catch!

Fishing Lures

Fishing Lake Simcoe

Fishing regulations.

Although Toronto does have amazing fishing opportunities, be sure to check and see which fish are open in each zone prior to fishing. It is important to follow the regulations to ensure together we can preserve the fishing in Toronto for years to come. To view which seasonal fish are open and the limits to keeping these fish please refer to the Recreational Fishing Regulations Summary .

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36 Hours in Portland, Maine

By Chelsea Conaboy June 20, 2024

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By Chelsea Conaboy Photographs by Greta Rybus

Chelsea Conaboy is a writer and editor who lives near Portland.

From the fishing piers and wharves lined up like piano keys along Commercial Street to the ocean views and historic Queen Anne-style homes atop Munjoy Hill, Portland offers a lot for visitors to take in. And then there is the food. Maine's largest city has long been nationally known as a top food destination, and just this year two Portland bakers won James Beard Awards. To host travelers, culinary or otherwise, five boutique hotels have opened since 2020. The hotel construction, new high-end condo development and rising coastal real estate prices have exacerbated a housing crisis here. But the elements that make this New England city such an attractive place to visit — a dynamic creative economy, juxtaposition of the old and the new, and the distinctive character of a working waterfront — endure.

Recommendations

• The Eastern Promenade offers picnicking, beach access and a playground with an unbeatable view, plus lots of food trucks to explore.
• The Portland Museum of Art , which stretches across four buildings, has a collection of established and emerging Maine artists and includes a small sculpture garden.
• Fort Williams Park in the nearby town of Cape Elizabeth provides visitors the excellent combination of breathtaking views and a good lobster roll.
• Casco Bay Lines , with a ferry terminal on Commercial Street, offers an affordable tour of Casco Bay or a quick trip to the islands.
• On Peaks Island , three miles off mainland Portland, one should meander, swim and enjoy the view.
• Portland Paddle organizes a three-hour kayak tour of Fort Gorges every day in the summer, starting from East End Beach and including time to explore the Civil War-era structure built on a ledge in the middle of Casco Bay.
• Công Tử Bột has a cheerful dining room, a family-style Vietnamese menu and a counter with a kitchen view.
• Ugly Duckling is a sweet luncheonette with memorable breakfast sandwiches.
• Il Leone is in its fourth season of turning local ingredients and naturally leavened dough into wood-fired pizza magic on Peaks Island.
• Luke’s Lobster was known for exporting Maine lobsters to a chain of lobster shacks around the globe, then returned to Maine to build a restaurant very close to the catch, on the Portland Pier.
• Bar Futo serves yakitori-style skewers and sharing plates with creative cocktails and whiskey highballs that will make you want to order another.
• Hot Suppa! brings from-scratch Southern cooking to this very northern city — and the crowds show up.
• Bite Into Maine ’s Fort Williams food truck offers a very Maine experience: eating a lobster roll with a lighthouse in view.
• Oxbow Blending and Bottling is where this popular Maine brewery blends and packages its aged beers, with a large bar and patio area and frequent live music.
• Anoche offers Spanish gin, wine and a wide array of hard ciders, plus all that goes with it, including Spanish cheeses, meats and tinned fish.
• One Longfellow Square draws folk and roots musicians and their fans to its intimate performance space.
• Blue Portland Maine is expanding its legacy as a jazz bar to include other genres, with an emphasis on live sound quality in this small listening room.
• Rabelais sells rare food-and-drink books and will operate a tiny pop-up shop on Washington Avenue this summer.
• Open House is a showroom of antique, vintage and handmade furnishings and clothing.
• Onggi is a market and newly opened cafe with a focus on fermentation.
• Strata is a high-end kitchenware shop with an emphasis on beautiful quality knives.
• Back Cove Books is a neighborhood bookstore with a lovely children’s section and a cozy reading nook for the littlest readers and the grownups.
• At Print: A Bookstore , the staff are funny on Instagram and helpful in real life.
• The Longfellow Hotel , named after Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Portland’s most famous poet, opened in May, with 48 guest rooms and a spa on the edge of the historic West End neighborhood. A bar named for Longfellow’s five-man literary group, the Five of Clubs, is the lobby’s focal point. Rooms start at $499, higher during the summer season.
• Canopy by Hilton on the Portland Waterfront opened in 2021 and has one feature that truly sets it apart: a year-round rooftop bar, called Luna , where you can watch the sky over the Fore River change colors in the evening. With 135 rooms, it sits on a quieter block on Commercial Street, a tourist destination for shopping, dining and exploring the waterfront. Rooms start at $399 during the warmer months, higher for a water view.
• The Holiday Inn By the Bay is a more affordable mainstay. Guest rooms and event spaces in this 239-room hotel, built in 1973, have been renovated since 2020. The location is convenient — a block from the Portland Museum of Art — and room rates start around $160.
• While regulated Airbnbs are allowed in Portland, short-term rentals can be hard to find in summer months. With advance planning, look in Munjoy Hill, for easy access to the Eastern Promenade. To expand your search, consider staying in South Portland, just across the Casco Bay Bridge.
• Many attractions on the Portland peninsula are within walking distance of one another. Greater Portland Metro’s bus service offers connections to the Portland Transportation Center, with bus and train service from Boston and other points, and also runs a route that circles most of the peninsula. A single ride for most adults is $2. Be sure to check for updated schedules . Uber and Lyft offer generally reliable service. The city has a biking culture but a long way to go in developing bike lanes . Those who travel by car should read parking lot signs carefully, as ticketing can be aggressive.

Post Supply

A four-block stretch of Washington Avenue is a food hub good for shopping as well as eating. Start your stroll at Onggi , a fermentation market and cafe, where shelves are stocked with sake, chili crisp, pickled blueberries and more. Buy a hojicha-butterscotch oat cookie ($3.25 each) to enjoy as you wander south to browse high-end kitchenware and Maine-made home goods at Strata and Post Supply , found inside what once was the J.J. Nissen bakery, where the New England top-split hot dog bun was created. On the way: The repurposed shipping containers at the Black Box , which serve as five tiny shops with month-to-month leases. Arriving in July is a pop-up version of Rabelais , a renowned seller of rare food-and-drink books.

On to the eating, but how to choose? Texas-style barbecue is served on Terlingua’s sprawling back decks (one pound of house-smoked meats with a side, cornbread and pickles, $35), while sake and shared plates, such as fried tofu with jalapeño soy sauce and bonito ($7) or sautéed udon noodles with duck breast and vegetables ($15) can be found at Izakaya Minato . Công Tử Bột offers a warm welcome, with Vietnamese food ordered family style, great cocktails and a buzzy dining area that’s especially pleasant when the garage-style doors are open. Try the salad of puffed rice, oyster mushrooms and “pickled stuff” dressed with chile oil ($17) or the twice-cooked eggplant ($14). Leave room for chè chuối, a dessert of tapioca, coconut and banana that is more than the sum of its parts ($11).

After dinner, take a short stroll up Munjoy Hill, which dominates the eastern end of the city’s peninsula, to enjoy not one but two incredible views. At the end of Marion Street, follow the stone steps up to Fort Sumner Park, which looks west over Portland’s Back Cove. On a clear day, you can see the peak of Mount Washington and an exceptional sunset. From there, walk up Quebec Street to arrive at the Eastern Promenade, a 78-acre park that looks east over Casco Bay. Lounge on the grass or head back downhill on Congress Street to sit outside at Oxbow , one of the many Maine breweries that make beer in Portland or have outposts here, or choose from a long list of ciders on tap (from $7.50) at the Basque-inspired Anoche .

A four-block stretch of Washington Avenue is known for good shopping as well as good eating, including at places like Island Creek Oysters.

Ugly Duckling

Ugly Duckling , which opened in 2023 with a big U-shaped counter and a come-as-you-are vibe, is the latest project by Ilma Lopez and Damian Sansonetti, owners of the nearby Spanish-French brasserie Chaval. Breakfast sandwiches come on housemade English muffins. The No. 2, which includes two fried eggs, house pork sausage, American cheese and ketchup, is a popular order ($11.75). You might need a fork to finish the Como Se Dice Buongiorno ($12.75): fried egg, hash brown, prosciutto, jalapeño, arugula and garlic aioli on an English muffin with everything-bagel seasoning.

Catch the 10:15 a.m. boat to Peaks Island at the Casco Bay Lines ferry terminal on Commercial Street. The island, with nearly 1,000 year-round residents, was once home to an amusement park and now has a no-shoes-required vibe. Part of the city of Portland, it sits just three miles offshore but feels much farther. During the 17-minute trip (from April to October: $14 roundtrip for adults, $7 for seniors and children), take in a view of Portland from the water, watch for harbor seals and pass by Fort Gorges, a formidable granite military fort built in the mid-19th century and now a frequent host to kayak tours and history buffs.

You can explore the island by foot, but a bike is handy to make the nearly four-mile loop around the perimeter. Bring your own on the ferry for an extra fee ($7 adult, $3.50 children), or rent one from Brad & Wyatt’s Island Bike Rental ($20 for two hours, $30 for four hours — rentals are first-come, first-served, no website). You’ll find great spots for exploring the rocks on the east side of the island, with views of the Atlantic Ocean. Before catching the return ferry, circle back to Il Leone for salad and pizza cooked in a wood-fired oven and eaten at a shady picnic table. The menu typically includes at least one pie that follows the harvest, highlighting Maine-grown garlic scapes, heirloom tomatoes or squash blossoms (pizzas start at $17.95).

Think of an indoor flea market and you might imagine rows of booths, some full of beauty, others full of dust. Back on the mainland, Open House instead arranges furniture in cozy living-room vignettes throughout its 10,000-square-foot shop on Congress Street, which has a large selection of vintage clothing and handcrafted goods. Items range in price from $5 for packable trinkets to a few thousand dollars for midcentury-modern antiques. And the owners welcome browsers — no stuffy gatekeepers here.

Maine has a rich literary past and present — for starters, Stephen King and Lois Lowry live and write in the state. In Portland, used, independent and specialty bookstores abound. Linger in the beautiful children’s section at Back Cove Books , in the Woodfords Corner neighborhood, which displays its biographies and current affairs books in an old bank vault. Or visit Print: A Bookstore , with its expertly curated staff picks and a large section highlighting Maine writers. Both shops draw an impressive slate of author readings and other events each month, so check their calendars online.

Plenty of restaurants in Portland serve lobster, but few get you as close to the lobster boat as Luke’s Lobster , a lobster-shack chain that has a full-service restaurant on the end of Portland Pier, off Commercial Street. The two-story restaurant, with a view of the Fore River as it meets Casco Bay, sits next to the company’s commercial lobster-buying facility, where lobster boats dock to sell their catch, some of which goes directly to the kitchen. (No reservations during the peak summer season.) Or reserve a table at Bar Futo in the Old Port to try skewers of squid, fish, pork belly or chicken ($7 to $9 each) grilled over binchotan, or Japanese charcoal, alongside a perfectly carbonated whiskey highball made with a Suntory Toki machine ($14).

Blue Portland Maine

Portland’s go-to venue for summer concerts by nationally touring artists is Thompson’s Point , an outdoor stage near the bank of the Fore River. Included in the 2024 lineup are Goose, Counting Crows and Dark Star Orchestra. But One Longfellow Square , in the West End with 180 seats, has a cozy feel that lends itself well to the folk and roots music that makes up most of its shows. Ticket prices vary but start around $20. Just half a block away is Blue Portland Maine , which hosts jazz and more. Half the shows are ticketed, with prices between $10 and $20, and half are free with a hat passed for the artists.

The Old Port, with its cobblestone streets and old brick buildings, is Portland’s traditional tourist district.

Start your Sunday at Hot Suppa! , with some shrimp and cheesy grits ($22) or scrambalaya ($17) — that’s eggs scrambled with jambalaya. Don’t choose your meal without consulting the specials, which highlight the kitchen’s from-scratch Southern cooking and seasonal produce. Recently, they included eggs Benedict with bacon and ramps ($23). And if your plate doesn’t already include corned beef hash, order a side for the table ($16).

Intricacy and devotion are on display in “ Jeremy Frey: Woven ,” through Sept. 15 at the Portland Museum of Art . Mr. Frey is a seventh-generation basketmaker from the Passamaquoddy tribe in Maine whose works have been shown at art markets for years and are found in major museums across the United States. This is the first solo museum exhibition for Frey, with more than 50 baskets and a short film documenting his process. While at the museum, you can see paintings by Winslow Homer and N.C. Wyeth, but don’t miss the work of artists who have broadened and deepened the legacy of Maine art in recent decades, including paintings by Reggie Burrows Hodges and Daniel Minter , and sculpture by Lauren Fensterstock . (Admission free for ages 21 and under. Seniors and students, $18. All others, $20.)

Portland Head Light

Leave time for the 15-minute drive out to Fort Williams Park , a 90-acre park owned by the nearby town of Cape Elizabeth that has a cliff walk, a children’s garden and a panoramic view of Casco Bay. It’s also home to Portland Head Light , a historic and much-photographed lighthouse. If you haven’t eaten a lobster roll yet (or even if you have), visit the Bite Into Maine food truck to choose between a Maine-style with mayo or a Connecticut-style with butter, or try the picnic-style roll, with lobster piled on a bed of coleslaw ($29.95). Yes, these rolls are pricey, but consider the view.

Have a weekend to explore a destination? We’ve got the perfect travel itinerary.

Colorado Springs: ​​Colorado’s second-largest city, which brims with outdoor activities , is enticing visitors with a new museum and revamped hotels.

Minneapolis: Springtime is best for exploring this Midwestern city’s lakeside trails, robust arts scene and top-notch restaurants .

Maui: The beauty and hospitality of this Hawaiian island, still recovering from last year’s wildfires, remain as vibrant as ever .

Toronto: Savor the diversity of this lakefront city through its hidden bars, small-but-fascinating museums and vibrant restaurants .

Cape Town: Take a food and storytelling tour, cruise one of the world’s most beautiful coastal drives and see contemporary African art in this city with stunning views in every direction .

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