Canadians have never shied away from a challenge and with over six months of winter each year, adapting the sport of fishing for the colder months has become a popular pastime and a tourism opportunity for many smaller communities across the country.
For those new to ice fishing, or those looking for a different kind of challenge, here are some top ice fishing spots in Canada.
Lake Erie, Ontario
Home to about half of the fish in the Great Lakes, Lake Erie is a great place to ice fish for the novice or experienced. According to
Ontario Tourism, the spot is “the most abundant in fish populations.” Anglers can find several warm huts set up around the lake that can be rented from local businesses. Lake Erie offers an opportunity to catch yellow perch and northern pike.
Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade, Quebec
This small community in Quebec offers anglers a chance to catch a unique species of fish: tomcod. The fish has flaky meat and is easy to bait, especially at night, a local fishing information
website says. It’s advised to put the fish on ice quickly after catching it. Between late December and February, the town comes alive, and visitors can choose from several local services that offer ice fishing cabins. “Slides, sleigh rides, crafts, and an illuminated park make this a real winter family vacation setting,” says
FishingBooker.com, a fishing tourism company.
Tobin Lake, Saskatchewan
Cold winters and big skies on the prairies make it an ideal spot for ice fishing. Tobin Lake also made it onto FishingBooker’s list of top ice fishing spots in Canada for 2024. The area is located along the Saskatchewan River and gained some fame when a visiting fisherman
caught an 18.3-pound walleye almost 20 years ago. Fishermen can also find northern pike, yellow perch, and lake whitefish in the water. The location has become a popular tourist destination, offering cabins, access to 285 kilometres of snowmobile trails, an ice skating rink, and cross-country skiing trails.
Falcon Lake, Manitoba
For the competitive angler, the
Falcon Lake Winter Fish-Off presents a chance to win some money while enjoying ice fishing on the lake. The tournament has been running for 19 years and is held in March each year. There are over 3,400 holes drilled in the ice for competitors who are looking to win one of the prizes that have been valued at over $61,000.
Great Slave Lake, N.W.T.
Another one of the top ice fishing spots named by FishingBooker.com, Great Slave Lake, has an abundance of northern pike, lake trout, walleye, and N.W..T’s iconic whitefish, according to the Northwest Territories Tourism
website. “ Ice fishing shacks and tents pop up in Yellowknife as early as December, and people fish all winter long, but late March through to early May is the best season for ice fishing,” the site said.
