Algonquin Park has over 1500 lakes, 1200 kilometres of streams, and countless smaller
ponds and bogs, and we have recorded 54 different species of fish in the Park.
Algonquin is well known for its Brook Trout and Lake Trout
fisheries but has other species such as Smallmouth Bass, Lake
Whitefish, Yellow Perch, Northern Pike, Muskellunge, and Walleye.
Why
is Algonquin Park world-famous for its Brook Trout and Lake Trout?
Trout
populations were established in Algonquin after the glaciers retreated
11,000 years ago. The lakes left behind were deep, coldwater lakes
situated on hard granite. Trout are extremely well-adapted to these
seemingly harsh conditions but, as a result, are slow-growing fish
with small populations, and are very sensitive to pollution, development,
and fishing pressure. Fortunately, most of the lakes in Algonquin
are in relatively pristine condition and have not been touched by
development.
Lakes
in the backcountry of the Park are not fished heavily because of
their remote location. Lakes along Highway 60, where fishing pressure
is higher, have special regulations to ensure the populations are
not overfished. As a result, Algonquin Park is considered one of
the finest locations for Brook Trout and Lake Trout in the world.
Spring provides some of the best fishing opportunities of the year.
Many anglers say the best fishing is deep in the heart of Algonquin's
backcountry/Interior, and the indispensable Canoe
Routes of Algonquin Provincial Park map-brochure can lead you
to that "secret lake."
Check
out the following publications to learn more about Algonquin's fishing
opportunities, research, and management.
Algonquin
Park's current fish
stocking list (2004 to 2009) (136Kb
PDF)
If you are looking for angling opportunities near the Highway
60 Corridor, you may want to try fishing for Splake which
is a cross between Speckled (Brook) Trout and Lake Trout.
These hard-fighting and tasty fish are stocked regularly in
lakes along the Highway 60 Corridor.
Fishing in Algonquin Provincial Park
– Many visitors come to the Park with little or no idea
of how or where to fish, or even the kinds of fish that might
be expected. This book is intended to give you the information
that may make the difference between success and failure.
A detailed table in this book describes what fish you’ll
find in many of the Park lakes.
Lake Depth Maps of Algonquin Park
– With the help of current technology, Park staff have
surveyed 23 of Algonquin’s most popular lakes to produce
colour maps showing what is beneath the deep, cold waters
of Algonquin’s lakes. This book, an asset to anglers
and canoeists, includes key lake characteristics such as fish
species present, and historical significance.
Fishes of Algonquin Provincial Park
– Over 50 kinds of fishes occur in Algonquin but their
appearance, behaviour, and ecology are largely unknown to
most visitors. This book fills the gap with outstanding colour
photos of living fish, Park distribution maps, and a definitive
text by two of Canada’s leading ichthyologists.
The Raven Talks about Fish and Lakes
– A compilation of fisheries-related articles from "The
Raven," (the Park's popular newsletter) from 1960 to
2003. This inexpensive publication showcases Algonquin’s
notable concentration of trout lakes compared to other areas
of Ontario, plus their relative pristine state inside Park
boundaries. This enjoyable read also details the impact by
humans upon Algonquin’s fisheries, and sadly, even bigger
changes that seem inevitable.
2010 Fishing Regulations Summary –
(effective January 1, 2010)
Every angler who fishes in the Province of Ontario must obey
all applicable fisheries management regulations. Through research
conducted right here in Algonquin Park, we have learned that
Algonquin Park has unique aquatic environments. As a result,
Algonquin has special fisheries regulations, such as a complete
ban on live baitfish, to ensure the protection of this outstanding
fishery. For more information regarding fishing regulations
in Algonquin Park, download a copy of the 2010
Recreational Fishing Regulations Summary from the Ontario Ministry
of Natural Resources Website.
Fisheries
Research in Algonquin Provincial Park:
Not easily observed in their watery environment, except during the
spawning season, Brook Trout are usually seen by visitors on the end
of a hook, destined for a frying pan. Most people do not give much
thought to how many fish might be in a lake, or the age of the fish
they just caught. For fisheries biologists at the Algonquin Fisheries
Assessment Unit, these are things they think about regularly. To explore
the complexities of estimating and aging one of Algonquin's less visible
animals, visit The
Science Behind Algonquin's Animals, a Website which focuses on
wildlife research in Algonquin Park.
Algonquin Park has over 1500 lakes, 1200 kilometres of streams, and countless smaller
ponds and bogs, and we have recorded 54 different species of fish in the Park. 
