Ontario Fishing Tips

Author: Nicky Pilkington

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.

About the author: Find out more about fishing including sea fishing and fly fishing at About fishing

Exploring Ontario in the Winter - Bed and Breakfasting at Nicholyn Farms - A Wonderful Weekend Treat

Author: Susanne Pacher

Driving up to the Nicholyn Farms Bed and Breakfast you get welcomed by the hearty and healthy aroma of 2,200 organically raised pigs. This bed and breakfast was our destination for our quick winter getaway and as soon as we drove up the driveway we realized we had picked a great place.

Bed and breakfasts are one of my favourite ways of travelling since every B&B is unique and usually offers a very personal experience that includes a nice interaction with the B&B host and the other guests, much different from the rather anonymous character of the average motel or hotel chain. Wherever I travel, I find that every B&B owner has a unique story to tell, and Nicholyn Farms B&B was another example.

My husband and I must have travelled to more than 20 B&Bs over the last few years as a home base for an enjoyable weekend getaway. We have stayed in many family-run bed and breakfasts all throughout Ontario and almost always had a really positive experience.

Bed and breakfasting in Canada in somewhat different from the United States since Canadian B&Bs are usually smaller, have fewer guest rooms and there is more direct interaction with the owner/ host. Many Canadian bed and breakfasts have between one and three guest bedrooms with most of the owners living in the same house. As a result, bed and breakfasting in Canada is a more intimate experience, it is truly like staying in someone's house. The United States, on the other hand, features more ""bed and breakfast inns"", many of which are quite upscale and located in renovated mansions with a much larger number of guest rooms, almost along the lines of country boutique hotels.

There are a couple of really helpful websites out there for bed and breakfast travel in Ontario and Canada: - www.bbcanada.com, which provides bed and breakfast listings throughout all of Canada, and - the Ontario Farm and Country Accommodations Association which lists active farm operations that provide accommodation to travellers.

After I had completed my research on these websites and contacted a number of B&B hosts about availability, we selected the Nicholyn Farms Bed and Breakfast, just about an hour and a bit north of Toronto, for our late January getaway.

We checked in at the Nicholyn Farms Country Market, where Nicholyn Farms sells products made from their own pigs which are raised organically in a bio-secure environment, without growth hormones or antibiotics. At this market, they also sell produce and meat products from other local farmers north of Toronto.

Lynda, the owner, explained that their country market sells a whole range of locally grown meats, such as pork, chicken, beef, lamb, turkey, rabbit, goat, cornish hens and even more exotic locally produced varieties such as elk, emu and buffalo. During the growing season they feature fresh certified organic produce from local vegetable and fruit growers, and their popular organic pork products are shipped to people as far away as Ottawa.

At just an hour's drive from Toronto, Nicholyn Farms was the perfect getaway for us. It is located in a beautifully restored farmhouse whose original portion dates back to 1872. The Van Casteren family completely renovated the farmstead in 1996 and won the top prize for ""Most Improved Farmstead in Simcoe County"".

Lynda mentioned that her B&B has hosted guests from all over the world from as far away as the Netherlands, England, the United States, Japan, Australia, Chile and Peru. Many of their European guests stay for 5 days or more since their location is halfway between two major Ontario attractions: Algonquin Park and Niagara Falls, with Toronto easily accessible for day trips.

Our room was the cozy ""Forest Room"" which was located on the second storey and featured 4 beds, perfect for us 3 overnight vacationers. The space under the roof overlooking the farmland was such a welcome quiet sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of the big city. Nicholyn Farms features two other guest bedrooms and all the bedrooms have their own private bathrooms.

This morning we sat down to a wonderful homemade breakfast, that started off with a beautiful assortment of fresh fruit, including strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, green and blue grapes, pineapple, and melons. The Van Casteren's buy their fruit at a special fruit market and the flavour of the fruit is indeed much stronger and sweeter than the fruit found commonly in supermarkets. Lynda and her trusted assistant Joyce called all of us guests to come out and have a look at a flock of about 20 wild turkeys that were pecking away on the field behind the bed and breakfast.

After our wildlife encounter, we continued with a tasty breakfast of scrambled eggs, organic pork sausages, toast, homemade pancakes, country preserves and muffins. Portions are not measured and as a result we had several helpings of each dish. We had a nice relaxing and very filling breakfast before we set off on our next adventure for today: snowtubing at Horseshoe Valley.

Staying at a bed and breakfast usually makes for a beautiful getaway since you get to relax in the tranquility of a country home and most B&Bs offer a delicous, filling home-cooked meal that will keep you nourished for many hours, allowing you to take full advantage of the activities for the day. It's a fabulous way to travel.

About the author: Susanne Pacher is the publisher of http://www.travelandtransitions.com. It deals with travel to foreign countries and is chock full of advice, tips, real life travel experiences, interviews with travellers, insights, cross-cultural issues, and many other features. Participate in our travel story contest http://www.travelandtransitions.com/contests.htm and win great prizes, a fabulous cruise to the Amazon. Life is a Journey - Explore New Horizons.

Exploring Ontario in the Winter - Hello from Barrie: Lots of Winter Fun without the Need for High Mountains

Author: Susanne Pacher

Our winter getaway over the last two days was supposed to include a couple of different activities: snow-tubing and outdoor skating. Well, our outdoor skating fell through, due to the extraordinarily warm conditions, however, we had a beautiful day yesterday on Kempenfelt Bay in Barrie, where we enjoyed some great outdoor time on frozen Lake Simcoe.

Today, after our delicious filling breakfast at Nicholyn Farms Bed and Breakfast, we headed off for another adventure: snowtubing at Horseshoe Valley. Unfortunately the weather today was even less cooperative: as the day progressed it went from freezing rain to rain to a veritable downpour as we drove back to Toronto.

Nevertheless the morning was cold enough for our snowtubing adventure. My 8-year old nephew had never been snowtubing before, and knowing his penchant for high-speed adrenaline-filled activities, we knew that he would fall in love with this sport.

Horseshoe Valley is one of several Ontario winter resorts and in addition to downhill skiing, cross-country skiing and skating, it also features a snow-tubing hill. It's a thrill to get pulled up on the hill, sitting on a refunctioned inner tube, and then getting linked up in a group of 2, 3 or 4 snow-tubers, who hold on to their neighbouring tuber's handle and then get pushed down the hill by one of the staff members - with a spin and a momentum that feels almost like a roller coaster!

ATV riders are having fun on Lake Simcoe in Barrie.

Snowtubing is just one of the many fun winter activities that Ontario has to offer. Snow Valley Resort just on the other side of Highway 400 also offers snowtubing. Blue Mountain Resort in Collingwood is another place for Ontario snowtubing enthusiasts.

Skating: Obviously hockey is Canada's national sport and skating runs in the veins of many residents of this northern country. Virtually all Ontario cities, towns and villages have outdoor skating rinks and indoor arenas. Outdoor skating is free in many cases, and indoor pleasure skating is generally a very inexpensive sport.

One of the best known skating Ontario opportunities exists in Ottawa, on the 7.8 km long Rideau Canal, the world's longest skating rink according to the Guiness Book of Records. The City of Ottawa lists its public skating information on the Internet.

Toronto's well-known outdoor skating venues include City Hall, Harbourfront and Grenadier Pond in HIgh Park and the City of Toronto provides a list of leisure skating opportunities in Toronto.

Skiing & snowboarding: Although Ontario certainly doesn't have the greatest vertical drop compared to international ski resorts, but it does offer 41 resorts for downhill skiers and snowboarders at the Ski Ontario website.

Cross-country skiing & snowshoeing: Ontario's more than 120 cross-country ski areas are rivalled only by Quebec for sheer number and variety. Ski areas are operated by various organizations ranging from parks to clubs and resorts. The Ski Ontario website provides an extensive listing of cross-country opportunities across Ontario. Special offers for snowshoeing and cross-country getaways are featured on the Ontario Outdoor website.

Snowmobiling: Ontario offers more than 43,000 km (26,000 mi.) of maintained, interconnected, uncongested trails. It is the longest network of recreational trails in the world. The 248 member clubs of the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs build and maintain this extensive trail network. Find more information about snowmobiling in Ontario in the Ontario Snowmobiler Magazine.

The kid on the right is wearing shorts! On January 28, 2006!!!

Iceclimbing: The north of Ontario is the heart of Ontario's iceclimbing country and features ice-clad routes with heights of more than 90 m. Special ice-climbing getaways are featured on the Ontario Outdoor Website.

Dogsledding: Dog sledding has evolved from a utilitarian form of transport in northern countries to a unique travel experience. Some dogsledding operators have a guide drive the team, where at other places you may drive the sled yourself. The Ontario Outdoor Website features a variety of dog sledding adventures and getaways.

Urban Winter Getaways: For those who want to enjoy the best that Ontario's cities have to offer over the winter time, there are a variety of special events going on. Many cities and towns throughout Ontario feature special winter festivals, starting with many festivals of light, tree lighting ceremonies and New Year's celebrations in November and December, and continuing with a variety of special events, trade fairs and restaurant promotions throughout January and February. The Success with Ontario website features a listing of Ontario's Festivals and events.

Major festivals include: Toronto's WinterCity Festival and Winterlicious Ottawa's Winterlude Winter Festival Niagara's Icewine Festival

Ontario Accommodation Choices: Ontario offers a wide variety of choices for getaways. From all-inclusive feature-packed resorts, to down-to-earth farm vacations, to cozy bed and breafasts, secluded cottages and chalets and inviting country inns, Ontario has a wide selection of accommodation providers. Unique boutique hotels, and centrally located urban hotels round out the accommodation offers. Ontario Travel's website offers a great overview of the accommodation choices available in Ontario.

There is plenty to do in the winter in Ontario, indoors and out. Nature lovers, urban explorers, adrenaline junkies, and romantic lovebirds will all find something to choose from to brighten up those cold winter days.

About the author: Susanne Pacher is the publisher of http://www.travelandtransitions.com. It deals with travel to foreign countries and is chock full of advice, tips, real life travel experiences, interviews with travellers, insights, cross-cultural issues, and many other features. Participate in our travel story contest http://www.travelandtransitions.com/contests.htm and win great prizes, a fabulous cruise to the Amazon. Life is a Journey - Explore New Horizons.

Canada Quebec - A Lifetime Experience To Treasure Forever

Author: Doug Fowler

After Ontario, Quebec is the second most populated and popular province in Canada with a total population of 7568640. Most of the inhabitants of Quebec have accepted French as their official language. It is however quite surprising that Quebec is the only Canadian province where English has never been able to exert their maximum influence. The capital of Quebec is Quebec City and the largest city of Quebec is Montreal.

If you are looking forward to Quebec fishing vacations then undoubtedly you are surely opting for a fascinating and entertaining pastime. With profuse ecological purity and complete northern isolation, fishing is indeed an exciting job here. Lake Trout in Quebec is the home of a variety of Pike, Arctic Char and Ouananiche. In the surrounding hilly region, you will find a number of streams and rivers, which have become the habitat of big brookies and behemoths weighing from 3 lbs to 9 lb trophies.

Middle of July is the ideal time for Quebec fishing vacations. Trout fishing generally takes place in the “Clearwater” which lies in the far north. A cluster of wooden cabins popularly known as the camp is located on one of the lake’s island. This area is mainly situated at the mouth of the “Clearwater” from where you are able to enjoy the fantastic view of the best Trout action.

If you have the desire to gift your family an implausible holiday package packed with lots of fun and recreational entertainment then vacation rentals in Stoneham Quebec are surely the right options for you to select. These vacation rentals are especially meant for you to enjoy the cultural adventures of the unprecedented beautiful Quebec. Vacation rentals in Stoneham Quebec are appropriate places to experience some wonderful moments of absolute calm and serenity. They also provide ample opportunities to experience the excitement of the astounding collections of wildlife and various coveted species of fauna and flora to admire and appreciate. Other family lodges, resorts and vacation cottage resorts offer play areas, children’s activity programs, beaches, water sports and games amidst the boondocks of nature.

In Quebec, many car rentals will provide rental facilities to enjoy the pleasure of this exciting province. In fact, car hire in Quebec is an inexpensive way to explore and experience the totality of this wonderful destination.

Some of the world-renowned parks are situated in Quebec. The Parc national de Miguasha on the Gaspe’s Chaleur Bay has successfully made its place on the UNESCO world heritage list. In the Charlevoix region of Quebec, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve has the responsibility of protecting two superbly panoramic parks. These include The Parc national des Grands-Jardins and The Parc national des Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie. Apart from these, Quebec is also a land of numerous gardens and museums. In short, the pristine natural scenario of Quebec is an experience to cherish forever.

About the author: Terry Malone is the owner and developer of http://www.vrul.com. VRUL.com is an established vacation rentals by owner website with over 1000 listings worldwide. Rent directly from the owner and save money.

Hello from Quebec (Magog) - 2

Author: Susanne Pacher

Sunday, March 13, 2005

So I am cheating a little, I am already back in Toronto, writing this little summary of the second half of our trip to Quebec. While we didn't ski on Wednesday because it was too friggen cold, we did have a beautiful day of sunshine on Thursday, albeit a little on the cool side (about minus 15 Celsius...).

Well, it was certainly a perfect day to go skiing on Thursday and we chose to go to Jay Peak in Vermont, just south of the Quebec border. It took us about an hour to drive to Jay Peak from Magog and getting through the US border was very quick. And the US border officials were very friendly and even cracked some jokes with us.

Jay Peak is the largest ski resort in the area. We had skied Mount Orford (1770 feet vertical drop), Owl's Head (1770 feet vertical drop as well) earlier in the week, but Jay Peak clocks in at 2153 feet in vertical drop. It feels like a real mountain, with the rocky outcrop on the highest peak and an aerial tram (or gondola) that ferries skiers up to the highest point.

But we did notice Jay Peak was a fair bit pricier than the ski resorts in Quebec. We had paid Can$34 for a half day at Orford, Can$15 (!) at Owl's Head (the Tuesday and Wednesday full-day special, regular half-day rates are Can$26). Jay Peak came in at US$42 for a half day or US$56 for a full day. Good thing was they were willing to accept Canadian dollars at par as long as we paid in cash, but even so the price differential was substantial.

On the other hand, Jay Peak offers by far the highest elevation as well as the largest number of runs with 75 trails. We had a great day at Jay, we truly enjoyed all the blue and single black diamond runs although we are not daring to touch the double black diamond runs yet. It was a fabulous day and we had a gorgeous view over the Appalachian mountains set against a brilliant blue sky.

Friday morning was the second time we saw sun and I decided to drive to Sherbrooke and do a little photo safari. Sherbrooke is a rather picturesque city of about 100,000 people or so and it has a beautiful cathedral, city hall and various other rather amazing architectural jewels. Driving back on Highway 10 I came over a hill and at one point I was able to see all 3 major ski mountains (Mt. Orford, Owl's Nest and Jay Peak) at the same time, even though the latter two were about 30 or even 50 kilometers away. That panorama was amazing.

Of course the snow drifted back in in the afternoon and rather than to go skiing we decided to play a late afternoon game of tennis at the Centre Sportif de Memphremagog. In the evening we had a beautiful dinner at a great little Italian spot on the main street of Magog: ""La Piazetta"" where we both had one of the best meals in a long time.

Despite my self-professed bent of adventure, I am admittedly a culinary wuss and on Friday I decided to be daring and order escargot (okay, snails) with garlic, camembert and basil. It was truly one of the must succulently delicious meals I ever had, despite ingesting a slightly chewy rendition of mollusks.

Saturday we got our stuff ready and started the drive home, naturally surrounded by snowfall, as we had experienced most of the week. Funny enough, just after the Quebec/Ontario border the clouds started to clear up and we had a clear blue sky all the way home. It took us 7 hours door to door and 657 kilometers. And it was worth every minute. This was a really nice, relaxing vacation.

About the author: Susanne Pacher is the publisher of http://www.travelandtransitions.com. It deals with travel to foreign countries and is chock full of advice, tips, real life travel experiences, interviews with travellers, insights, cross-cultural issues, and many other features. Participate in our travel story contest http://www.travelandtransitions.com/contests.htm and win great prizes, a fabulous cruise to the Amazon. Life is a Journey - Explore New Horizons.