Ontario Fishing Tips

Getting ready 

1.	If you’re bound for a fishing trip to the North Country, expect to spend much on transportation, your outfit, licenses and permits. For a lot of people, the trip’s highlight will be fishing. For this reason, you should get yourself a new line on your reel. 

2.	Protect your eyes while fishing and you should only invest in a good quality pair of polarized sunglasses, as it will not only aid in protecting the eyes, but will also provide superior visual penetration into the water.

3.	Keep mosquito repellent as well as plastic worms in a separate compartment, making sure it is out of the tackle box as both items do contain lacquer solvent that can soften the paint of any metal, plastic, or wood lure and the soft paint may never harden.

4.	Always keep a small file or a small stone handy to be used to keep the hooks needle sharp.

5.	Learn how to tie good knots.  Practice carefully until such time that you are already certain that they will hold.

General fishing guidelines:

1.	Don’t fish with any bait in just one spot for more than 10 casts. If, by those casts, nothing changes, it’s time you change location.

2.	Properly position the canoe, not too close or too far from the fish. If you are too close, you will frighten the fish.  If you are too far, you can not accurately place the lure in position.

3.	When doing top water fishing, do not set the hook until you can really feel that the fish is on the lure, being very careful not to surprise the fish. Just keep on working the lure cautiously towards you.

4.	Be very patient. Just be certain that you know you are in a suitable fish-producing area.

5.	Always be quiet, as sound can travel through the water better than through the air. 

6.	Release carefully, instantly and safely any fish that you do not plan to eat. Preservation of Ontario’s fishing resources is essential and needed for fishing to continue thriving. 

7.	While waiting for your catch, or when you do catch anything or none at all, look at the scene behind you, take a deep breath and enjoy the only lakeland wilderness in the entire world!

Fishing Regulations

Carry your license with you

Residents of Canada should have a fishing-version Outdoors Card and must have a fishing license tag that is attached to it so that it can be considered as valid. 

Non Canadian residents should have their basic license form signed and have the correct license tag fastened in order that it can be considered valid.

Keep in mind always that a Outdoors Card or non-resident license card is non-transferable; it grants privileges to you alone. It should be carried with you each time you go fishing.

Note too, that whenever a Conservation Officer requests to see and examine your license, the law requires you to show it. 

State and District Regulations

State and District rules control angling in Ontario. The key and major State law with regards to fishing is the Ontario’s “Fisheries Act”; this defends guards and takes care of and save fish and its habitat. Likewise, it controls the fishing seasons, limits to catch, possession, and size, and the gears allowed as well as fish sanctuaries. On the other hand, the “Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act” is the major provincial law that regulates fishing.  It is stated in this decree, that fishing licenses are issued.

Wildlife Protection and Preservation Officers 

Wildlife Protection Officers have the authority to inspect, search, arrest, and seize under the different act they carry out, together with Ontario’s “Fish and Wildlife Preservation decree” as well as the “Fisheries Regulation and Act”. During the Conservation Officers duty, they may do the following: 

1.	Ask important questions that are in relation to the inspection they are conducting; 

2.	Review and examine buildings; 

3.	Stop and examine a boat, vehicle, or aircraft; 

4.	Confiscate certain items which are related to the offence that an individual may have done; 

5.	Search and investigate having a warrant to legalize such search; 

6.	Search and investigate having no warrant to support the search in situations that require immediate attention and action; 

7.	Arrest anybody that the Wildlife Preservation Officer supposes and believe has committed, or is on the act of performing, or is about to perform a violation or offence. 

Open Seasons

The opening and closing dates of fishing season changes and is determined by the species on the area. It is illegal to try catching a fish for which the season has already been closed, even if one is going to release it after. Do understand that closed seasons protect the fish at time of the year when they are most susceptible especially during spawning. 

Unless specially stated, species that are not on the list have a year-round open season. 
