THAMES RIVER, LONDON
The Thames River flow is approximately 273 kilometres (170 miles) long, running westward through southwestern Ontario. It flows from the town of Tavistock, through the cities of Woodstock, London, and Chatham, making it an extremely popular shore fishing area. Since it is an extremely long river, there are many not-so-easily accessed and very scenic areas as well.
This popular river has Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, Rock Bass, Catfish, Yellow Perch, Pumpkinseed, White Sucker, Carp, Walleye and Northern Pike.
This may be the best opportunity for local “on foot” anglers to pack a lunch, set out for a day, and simply enjoy the great sport of fishing.
Some of the best city-access areas are Greenway and Harris Parks in London., as well as the Westminster Ponds (these even have fishing platforms). Live bait is always a good choice here; just make sure you are within the Ontario fishing regulations.
TORONTO
Surprisingly, the Toronto area has some of the best shore fishing in all of Ontario. The species list might be the most diverse of all on this list. Access can be hard in certain areas at times, but it is always well worth the effort to investigate.
One of the unsung heroes of areas set off of Lake Ontario is the Northern Pike. Almost every harbour has them and—if allowed access on foot—these Pike become very catchable. Here’s an episode we shot and although we used a boat, it shows just how many Pike can be in these not-so-obvious places.
The Toronto Islands are first to come to mind. A ferry ride to Center Island followed by a quick walkabout, and one can be fishing in no time. There are snack bars nearby with lots of picnic tables for a nice lunch while fishing. There are also trash receptacles spread throughout the island to help maintain a clean, litter-free environment.
Tommy Thompson Park is another great Toronto area shore fishing spot. It has one of the largest natural habitat areas along the waterfront. Great place for fishing and for the family.
High Park in Toronto has a great fishing area called Grenadier Pond. Be sure you look for the designated shore fishing spots.
Interested in Carp fishing in and near Toronto? Then this episode gives you an idea of the size of the fish there.
This is yet another Fish’n Canada Top 5 list that we put together with a lot of careful consideration. Again, there are many other shore fishing areas we left out that very well could have been included in this list. If you think we overlooked some exceptional shore fishing spots, or have suggestions for a follow-up list, please include them in a comment below!
