Millions of people flock to Canada every year to take advantage of the fantastic fishing locations we have to offer. Canada’s two million lakes and rivers provide excellent fishing trends and give anglers a chance to test out a variety of techniques.
Ontario, in particular, is a popular tourist location for avid fishing enthusiasts. On average, there are roughly 190 million fish caught in Canada each year, and, of those, approximately 60 million are retained. Ontario is by far the largest location for fish harvesting in Canada.
Fishing Trends in Ontario : The Anglers
There are 1.2 million licensed anglers who fish in Ontario on an annual basis. Although this may seem like a lot, this number has actually been steadily declining since 1990. In fact, open water fishing trips peaked at 220,000 in 1990 and fell to less than 100,000 by 1996.
Anglers themselves are aging. The average age for a male angler in Canada is 48 years old and 44 for a female. In 1995, these ages were about six years younger. Because many anglers are from the baby boomer population, this age increase is not unexpected. As baby boomers retire and end up with more free time, they may be more likely to head to Canada for fishing excursions.
Fish Trends: Types of Fish
The majority of fish caught by resident anglers are walleye. They make up less than one-quarter of all fish varieties caught, with trout not far behind. There are 145 fish species found in Ontario, the top five are:
- Walleye
- Trout
- Perch
- Bass
- Pike
Other species of fish make up about 17% of all fish species caught. Walleye is definitely the top fish caught in Ontario — contributing to at least half of the walleye harvest in Canada!
At Wildewood, we expect non-resident angler visitors to stay roughly the same or increase slightly for 2016. These fishing enthusiasts will find walleye, northern pike, and lake trout in abundance on Lake Savant. Join the fun—the early season is projected to produce a substantial yield! Book your fishing trip today by calling (844) 921-0911.
