In short. Each trip starts from one of our route guides and lists the fishing areas we cover near the towns that guide covers. Plan the drive from the guide, then pick the water from the area pages.
Rules change. Seasons, closures and limits change often and can change mid-season. We link to the official pages rather than repeat them, so check them before every trip.
- Vancouver to Tofino
- Vancouver to Kelowna
- Vancouver to Whistler to Kamloops
- Calgary to Waterton Lakes
- Calgary to Drumheller
- Edmonton to Jasper
- Toronto to Manitoulin Island
- Montreal to Gaspé
- Halifax to Cape Breton
- Newfoundland Viking Trail
- Vancouver to Winnipeg
Vancouver Island: Highway 4 to Port Alberni, Ucluelet and Tofino
Vancouver to Tofino
Our guide covers the BC Ferries crossing with an RV, the Highway 4 drive and the campgrounds at Port Alberni, Ucluelet and Tofino. The fishing areas below sit along it.
Fishing areas along the way:
- Port Alberni, Alberni Inlet and Barkley Sound (Vancouver Island): Salmon in the inlet and sound, plus lakes and the Stamp River. 11 listed campgrounds.
- Tofino, Ucluelet and Clayoquot Sound (Vancouver Island): Salmon, halibut, lingcod and rockfish offshore. 17 listed campgrounds.
Okanagan lakes by the Coquihalla
Vancouver to Kelowna
Our guide covers the Coquihalla and Okanagan Connector route, with Merritt and Princeton on the way and Okanagan Lake at the end.
Fishing areas along the way:
- Princeton, Merritt and the Similkameen (Thompson Okanagan): Pennask rainbow trout and kokanee (Allison and Thalia lakes); steelhead named for the region's rivers. 50 listed campgrounds.
- Okanagan Lake and Kalamalka Lake (Thompson Okanagan): Rainbow trout and kokanee (Okanagan and Kalamalka lakes); burbot and whitefish also named for Okanagan Lake. 35 listed campgrounds.
Highway 99 to the Kamloops trout lakes
Vancouver to Whistler to Kamloops
Our guide follows Highway 99 through Squamish and Lillooet to Kamloops, with Lac le Jeune and Cache Creek mentioned on the way.
Fishing areas along the way:
- Metro Vancouver, Howe Sound and Squamish (BC Mainland Coast): Tidal waters of Georgia Strait and Howe Sound. 17 listed campgrounds.
- Kamloops, the Thompson River and the trout lakes (Thompson Okanagan): Rainbow trout in the Kamloops lakes and on the Thompson River; steelhead in the fall (Thompson River). 50 listed campgrounds.
Southwest Alberta: Pincher Creek and Waterton
Calgary to Waterton Lakes
Our guide runs through Fort Macleod and Pincher Creek to Waterton Lakes National Park.
Fishing areas along the way:
- Crowsnest Pass, Pincher Creek and the Oldman River (Alberta Rockies, Foothills and the South): Cutthroat trout, bull trout, walleye, pike and goldeye (Oldman River). 25 listed campgrounds.
- Waterton Lakes and Cardston (Alberta Rockies, Foothills and the South): Lake trout and pike (Upper Waterton Lake). 11 listed campgrounds.
The Red Deer River at Drumheller
Calgary to Drumheller
Our guide covers the badlands drive and campgrounds around Drumheller, which sits on the Red Deer River.
Fishing areas along the way:
- Red Deer River: Drumheller (Central Alberta Lakes and Rivers): Walleye, northern pike, goldeye and brown trout (Red Deer River). 10 listed campgrounds.
Highway 16: Edmonton, Hinton and Jasper
Edmonton to Jasper
Our guide covers Highway 16 through Edson and Hinton to Jasper, with Maligne Lake on the way.
Fishing areas along the way:
- North Saskatchewan River: Edmonton and Drayton Valley (Central Alberta Lakes and Rivers): Walleye, northern pike, goldeye, burbot and lake sturgeon (North Saskatchewan River). 12 listed campgrounds.
- Hinton, Edson and Grande Cache (Alberta Rockies, Foothills and the South): Pike, walleye, perch, whitefish, burbot, and brown, rainbow, brook and cutthroat trout (Yellowhead County lakes). 21 listed campgrounds.
- Jasper and Maligne Lake (Alberta Rockies, Foothills and the South): Lake trout and brook trout (Maligne Lake). 7 listed campgrounds.
Bruce Peninsula and Manitoulin Island
Toronto to Manitoulin Island
Our guide compares the Chi-Cheemaun ferry from Tobermory with the all-road route to Manitoulin Island.
Fishing areas along the way:
- Bruce Peninsula and Owen Sound (Georgian Bay): Georgian Bay waters (fish not yet matched). 23 listed campgrounds.
- Manitoulin Island (Georgian Bay): Georgian Bay and North Channel waters. 10 listed campgrounds.
Gaspé salmon rivers on the Route 132 loop
Montreal to Gaspé
Our guide drives Route 132 around the Gaspé Peninsula, stopping at Matane, the Matapédia valley, Gaspé and Bonaventure.
Fishing areas along the way:
- Matane and the Madeleine River (Gaspésie Salmon Rivers): Atlantic salmon (named by Tourisme Gaspésie). 6 listed campgrounds.
- Matapédia Valley: Causapscal, Patapédia and Sainte-Florence (Gaspésie Salmon Rivers): Atlantic salmon (named by Tourisme Gaspésie). 10 listed campgrounds.
- Gaspé: York, Dartmouth and Saint-Jean rivers (Gaspésie Salmon Rivers): Atlantic salmon (named by Tourisme Gaspésie). 9 listed campgrounds.
- Bonaventure River and Chaleur Bay (Gaspésie Salmon Rivers): Atlantic salmon (named by Tourisme Gaspésie). 4 listed campgrounds.
Cape Breton: Baddeck and the Cabot Trail
Halifax to Cape Breton
Our guide covers the Cabot Trail loop, with Baddeck and the Margaree valley named in it.
Fishing areas along the way:
- Baddeck, Whycocomagh and Bras d'Or Lake (Cape Breton): Atlantic salmon in the Baddeck and Middle rivers, and sea-run trout in streams feeding the lake. 10 listed campgrounds.
- Margaree River, Inverness and Mabou (Cape Breton): Atlantic salmon, with trout on nearby rivers. 2 listed campgrounds.
Newfoundland: Deer Lake, Gros Morne and the Viking Trail
Newfoundland Viking Trail
Our guide covers the ferry, Deer Lake, Gros Morne camping and Route 430 north.
Fishing areas along the way:
- Humber River, Deer Lake and Howley (Western Newfoundland and Labrador Straits): Atlantic salmon and brook trout (the Humber River is named by Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism). 5 listed campgrounds.
- Gros Morne, Bonne Bay and the Northern Peninsula (Western Newfoundland and Labrador Straits): Waters not yet matched to fish. 10 listed campgrounds.
Across the Prairies on the Trans-Canada
Vancouver to Winnipeg
Our guide lays out a 10-day Trans-Canada itinerary. Kamloops, Revelstoke, Golden, Moose Jaw and Regina are named in it.
Fishing areas along the way:
- Kamloops, the Thompson River and the trout lakes (Thompson Okanagan): Rainbow trout in the Kamloops lakes and on the Thompson River; steelhead in the fall (Thompson River). 50 listed campgrounds.
- Invermere, Golden and Revelstoke (Kootenay Rockies): Mountain streams and an alpine lake (named for Panorama and Revelstoke areas). 52 listed campgrounds.
- Buffalo Pound and Moose Jaw (Qu'Appelle Valley and Southern Lakes): Perch, walleye, pike and burbot (Buffalo Pound Lake). 4 listed campgrounds.
- Last Mountain Lake (Qu'Appelle Valley and Southern Lakes): Walleye, pike, perch, whitefish and burbot (Last Mountain Lake). 4 listed campgrounds.
How we match fishing to a route
An area is listed only if a town in it is named in the route guide. We have not checked drive times, ferry bookings or road conditions here, so use the guide for those. Fish are named on each area page with their sources.