Outdoors

Spring: Perch is school of thought on Simcoe

What snow remains on the grounds in York Region is now just a remnant of what winter had left behind earlier in the year.
These days, the mercury is slowly inching its way upward.
And the grass is turning green.
Signs of the much-anticipated days of spring are upon us.
For those who like to wet a fishing line in the open water, these days couldn’t come soon enough after a long, cold winter.
One of the first early spring rituals of open water angling takes place on Lake Simcoe when the jumbo yellow perch can be found cruising the shoreline areas.
Wil Wegman, an ardent angler whom I’ve had the good fortune of wetting a line with and a noted outdoors writer, reported a good segment of Simcoe is now ice-free.
This is about normal for early April.
And, with anticipated warmer temperatures soon to arrive which will warm up the water, he predicts yellow perch action can only get better.
During these days, jumbos can be caught by anglers standing on shore or from a boat.
Making the outing even more enticing is that you don’t have to be a seasoned angler to catch them.
This is an activity that everyone can enjoy.
When the bite is on, the action can be fast and furious as these fish tend to congregate in schools.
To catch yellow perch, you can use live bait such as minnows.
Artificial offerings such as soft plastic baits imitating the shiner minnows that inhabit Lake Simcoe, can be just as lethal and less expensive.
By employing these artificial baits, you can also run them individually or in a tandem format with the use of a drop weight and retrieved slowly.
Casting a small beetle spin-grub combination and retrieved slowly is another proven yellow perch favourite.
Since yellow perch aren’t known for their fighting prowess and can be found in open water, an ultralight rod and open-faced spinning reel outfit is all that’s required.
In searching for potential early season perch hotspots on Lake Simcoe, Wegman suggests there’s a number of places to try.
The key, Wegman said, is in finding shallow water areas that will receive plenty of sunlight which in turn will warm up water temperatures.
“The warmer the water the better. So, north-facing shores and shallow bays (are good). Down south, try Cooks Bay. Up around Lefroy.  Back in Keswick.
“Jackson’s Point and Sibbald Point can be really good, same as Snake Island. Up north, Lake Couchiching and the southern bays as well as north end bays around the Orillia Narrows,” he said.
When fishing the waters of Lake Simcoe, some etiquette is required as shoreline anglers should abide by any posted No Tresspassing signs and avoid those areas.
Those venturing out on a boat should use common sense and take precautionary measures by listening to weather forecasts before going out. The winds on Lake Simcoe can pick up in a New York City second.
Anglers 18 years of age up to 64 are also required to have a valid fishing licence.
If you elect to keep any yellow perch, be sure to abide by possession limits as set fourth in the 2008-09 recreational fishing regulations summary.

Aurora Bassmasters win prestigious conservation award

Congratulations to the Aurora Bassmasters on winning a prestigious Berkley Conservation Award at the bassmasters Classic awards in Shreveport La.
Aurora Bassmasters’ Wil Wegman was a little nervous when he entered an application about his group’s 2008 smallmouth bass sport fishery project on Lake Simcoe.
You see, Berkley gets about 5,000 submissions a year and York Bassmastes were last year’s winner while Kitchener-Waterloo took the award two years ago.
So, you can’t fault Wegman for thinking his application was a long-shot to win.
“It’s pretty neat,” said Wegman who serves as the Ontario Bass Federation Nation conservation director as well as an Aurora Bassmasters member. “I felt our project had merit to have a chance. But when an Ontario group had won it the last two years, I was thinking ‘do they want to give the award again to an Ontario group when there are a lot of other clubs that do good work?’ I really didn’t know if we would have a chance to win it.
“But when our group was called out, it was quite a surprise.”
The uniqueness of the project is what caught the eyes of the judges at the Berkley Conservation Institute.
The smallmouth project involved tagging and movement monitoring of bass in  Lake Simcoe.
They also studied the effects fizzing had over a period of time on fish caught in fall when they are found in deeper water.
Through their studies, the Aurora Bassmasters revealed fizzing, if done in a proper manner, would enhance the survival rate of a smallmouth bass to the point where they could be caught again in years down the road.
“Fizzing has been a controversial subject since before we did our project there wasn’t any data,” acknowledged Wegman. “But now we’re opening doors.”
“Setting up a historical record of bass caught during tournaments and the effects of fizzing over a long period of time reflects the conservation ideals of the Berkley Conservation Institute,” added Jim Martin, Berkley conservation director. “Understanding the health and population of an entire lake is key to preserving the fishery for the long run. The Aurora Bassmasters have done a great job continuing the efforts of preserving our heritage.”
While the Aurora Bassmasters were honoured to receive the award, Wegman was quick to note other groups who provided assistance in their project deserved credit.
Among those was the Ministry of Natural Resources through their Community Fisheries Involvement Program to fund the buying of equipment for their project.
As well, Wegman noted the award should add credence that Lake Simcoe provides some of the best smallmouth bass fishing in North America.
“It’s great for the club and Lake Simcoe because it highlights the great bass fishery in the lake and it highlights the fisheries work being done through the Community Fisheries Involvement Program and the Ministry of Natural Resources,” he said.
The $2,000 cash award will go toward extending the project this year during the 2009 Bassmasters Eastern Divisional Championship July 23 to 25.
During the three-day competition, eight states will send their top 12 anglers to compete against the top anglers from Ontario.
Within the tagging process, Wegman said, each fish will have their size, weight and age sampling recorded.

Huts off Lake Simcoe March 15

Anyone who has a registered ice hut out on Lake Simcoe (Zone 16) should take note that March 15 is the last day which they can be out on the frozen surface.
For those who have to remove their huts, the ministry suggests placing them on six-inch high wooden blocks to make it easier to transport.
As well, it is an offence under the Public Lands Act to leave an ice hut out after ice break up regardless of whether registration and removal dates apply.

Mobility, technology will help you find fish this winter

During the open-water fishing season, the successful angler is one who exhibits a high degree of mobility and versatility.
When fishing, the odds can be tipped in your favour if you are able to move from one location to another.
One moment, your favourite weedline might be the productive spot, but in a New York second, the fish might have moved or just aren’t in the mood to inhale your offering.
While the open water season remains a few months away, those who ice fish can move around to produce good results.
On some days when you’re drilling holes, you might just have to walk a short distance.
On others, you might be forced to take a longer stroll before hitting the jackpot.
On a big body of water such as Lake Simcoe, it might require an angler to have access to an all-terrain vehicle. Or if ice conditions are safe enough, driving your vehicle from one spot to another.
Wil Wegman, Focus on Fishing columnist with The Georgina Advocate, agrees that mobility is a vital ingredient.
“Mobility allows anglers to travel with the fish and to actively search for them — not just during the day as fish move within the general location they are fishing — but also throughout the year at different locations around the lake,” he said. “On Lake Simcoe for instance, lakers and whities (lake trout and whitefish) can be hot off Jackson’s Point one weekend, but dry the next. Being mobile, allows anglers the flexibility to try different parts of the lake in search of the ‘hot bite’.”
While ATVs can be expensive and using your car might be a huge risk, Wegman suggests using a cross sled, a Scandanavian kick sled that allows an angler to stand on two runners and kick down and back with one foot to propel the sled forward.
On this device, Wegman can bring all of his tackle and ice auger, he said.
While the model Wegman uses is no longer sold in Canada, there is another model that can be found at: http://www.goslide.ca/en/index.html
Being mobile means anglers don’t need to stand out in the open all day without shelter, especially when the temperature is well below the freezing mark.
A portable hut or heater can be a Godsend and are pretty reasonably priced.
“The relatively low cost, great quality and excellent selection of portable huts available to anglers today makes mobility easier than ever,” Wegman said. “For those who don’t want to fish out in the open or don’t want a permanent hut, the portables are definitely the way to go.
“When I was on Cooks Bay shortly after New Year’s Day, there must have been a thousand anglers out there and it appeared about 60 to 70 per cent of them had a portable hut of some sort.”
When searching for that honey hole beneath the ice, the most important items an angler can possess is a portable electronic graph for depth, bottom structure and identifying potential fish and a portable GPS to reveal your exact location on a body of water.
Good electronics not only help you catch more fish, it helps you become a better all-round angler, Wegman said.
“For instance, depth patterns can be critical throughout the day,” he said. “There can be days when you find that magic depth where all the perch for instance seem to be — let’s say its 18 to 22 feet. When action dies in one area you as the modern day angler who knows the importance of staying mobile gets set to move.
“Where to go? Well, your first choice should be places similar to where you just caught perch. Perhaps you were also near a weedline or off a hump. You can check your portable GPS. I really rely on my Lowrance i-Finder and the Navionics chip which shows me a map of the lake. I look for similar locations on that map, head over drill a hole and drop my Lowrance ice machine transducer before I even drop a line – looking to ensure that magic depth is there. If the spot produces well – I save it on my GPS and can come right back to it the following week. So yes – electronics are very important.”
Being versatile also includes the useage of a variety of baits. One moment, the fish might be after a small offering of a certain colour. Within hours they might feel like consuming bigger-sized offerings of another colour.
“It is always re-assuring to know that if conditions change or something unexpected comes up (like you found perch while initially targeting whitefish) that you are prepared,” Wegman said. “With this in mind, I seldom go out without a half dozen HT rods, rigged and ready to go.
“Even if I’m just after perch, one rod could have a dropper spoon rig, another an Alien jig with a Berkley Micro Power Craw, another might have a Foxee Minnow jig, another a micro Power tube jig … or whatever – all ready to go. I would even bring along a Polar or Windlass Tip up – and terminal tackle for it in case I wanted to try for pike while I’m perch fishing.  Those pike are often in the same general areas and with the ability to use two holes/lines here in Ontario, there’s nothing quite like the one-two punch of perch fishing with a rod in one hole and pike fishing with a tip up in another!”
Mobility and versatility are definitely the keys to a good day on frozen pond.

Be absolutely sure before heading out on ice

It sure feels like winter has arrived in York Region with a vengeance.
Winter’s blast has brought snow and ice to the area’s lakes and streams.
Just because it seems as if winter is here for the next little while, those who have the urge to go ice fishing should exhibit plenty of restraint.
At least for the time being.
Even though some good first-ice action can take place for those who like to get a jump on things.
In York Region, some good jumbo yellow perch action can be found on Lake Simcoe in the traditional first ice areas in Cook’s Bay and along the southeast shoreline near Duclos Point and Virginia Beach.
While parts of this province’s sixth-largest inland lake have begun to freeze over, it’s far from safe to venture on to the ice.
Trying to figure when it will be safe is just as unpredictable as the ice itself.
When in doubt, there are some reliable sources.
Consult ice hut operators who are responsible for provide safe ice fishing conditions for their clients.
Bait and tackle shops close to your desired destination can also inform you when the ice fishing action is in full bore.
Contrary to belief, a Ministry of Natural Resources office wouldn’t be an appropriate source since their offices are not located directly on the water.
As well, staff members do not routinely test the ice thickness.
If you’re going on the water where there’s no ice hut operators or locals you can ask for assistance, the weather can provide some starting hints.
One encouraging sign is when there’s a string of days with steady sub-freezing temperatures.
The colder it is for a longer period of time results in a better freeze up of lake waters.
Adding to this equation is when you get days and evenings when there’s little or no wind.
These conditions also help ice freeze quicker.
When ice does form on a body of water, there are several rules by which to abide.
For starters, the safest surfaces to venture on is clear solid ice that first forms and is void of any snow.
Surfaces covered with snow act as an insulator and can cause the qualify of ice to deteriorate.
Surfaces with slush is another ominous sign as it indicates ice is no longer freezing from the bottom and indicates weak or deteriorated ice.
Generally, ice should have at least four inches of solid, clear ice that can support peole walking single file over it.
Clear surfaces with six inches or more can support snowmobiles.
Surfaces with eight to 12 inches of clear ice can support a vehicle.
When venturing onto a frozen surface, be cognisant of river ice, which is usually 15-per-cent weaker than pond or lake ice.
Surfaces that just solidify also tend to be stronger than ice that’s been around for a while. As ice ages, the bond between the crystals decays, making it weaker even if melting has not occurred.
During first ice conditions it also helps to don or bring along certain safety items in the event the surface you walk on gives out.
Those would include wearing a CSA-approved floatation suit such as those manufactured by Mustang or Buoy-O-Boy.
As well, a set of ice pics should be a piece of standard equipment that can be worn around your neck. This item is equivalent to a car safety belt.
If travelling with a group of people, a length of rope can also be brought along and used to help propel any individual who falls through the ice.
When travelling by foot on a surface void of snow, the donning of slip on, or spiked shoes will keep you from falling on the ice.
Ice fishing can be a great way to fill the gap until the new open-water season arrives next spring.
But in doing so, safety should always be given a top priority.

Coho salmon making return to Lake Ontario

Rumours of coho salmon’s demise in the Canadian waters of Lake Ontario are greatly exaggerated.
Once a part of Lake Ontario’s salmon stocking program before it was shelved in 2005 due to provincial governmental monetary cutbacks, the coho salmon will be back in the swim.
For those who like to fish Lake Ontario and its various feeder streams, the coho return is encouraging news as they represent another species on the angling menu.
Jeremy Holden, an Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters fisheries biologist, noted some 80,000 cohos reared at the Ringwood Fish Culture Station in Stouffville will be seeded at various sites this fall along the Credit River.
By utilizing the Credit River, it would create a main run of returning coho salmon for future egg collections, Holden said.
Raised at the Ringwood hatchery for about a year, the cohos entering the Credit River will be at the fingerling stage and weigh approximately 0.25 grams.
“They will stocked in the stream where they will over reside over winter before smolting out to the lake in the spring of 2009,” he said of the fish, which have a three-year lifecycle and have a tendancy to return to their river where they were stocked during the fall months to fulfill their spawning ritual and then die.
Since there was no stocking of cohos in the Canadian waters of Lake Ontario since 2005, any collected eggs utilized for this year’s planting were based on any fish born from natural reproduction or runs of stray fish from New York State plantings that were found in Canadian waters, Holden said.
He was quick to note the revival of the coho program should be attributed to several concerned conservation organizations.
Those include the federation, Ontario’s largest conservation organization; Metro East Anglers, whose members volunteer their time to operate the Ringwood Fish Culture Station; Ministry of Natural Resources and funding from the Toronto Sportsman Show.
“We are pleased to be able to revive the coho stocking program through our involvement with Ringwood,” Mike Reader, federation executive director, said. “The partnership has been so successful that it has allowed us to over deliver on the expectations set out for us when we took on the hatchery.”
Glenn Anderson, Metro East Anglers president, is also enthusiastic about the renewal of the coho salmon program in Lake Ontario.
“Coho are great salmon to catch for the pier and stream fisherman,” he said. “They stay silver and active much longer in the stream than chinooks and they are more eager to take baits while in the river.”
As for the future of the coho salmon fishery in Ontario, Holden said the federation will work toward maintaining a stocking target of 50,000 fall fingerlings for the next several years.
In addition to rearing the entire provincial quota of coho in Lake Ontario, the Ringwood hatchery also serves the same purpose for the chinook salmon, rainbow trout, brown trout and Atlantic salmon.
For those who would like to lend a hand in assisting in the rearing of fish at Ringwood, volunteers are welcome, Holden said.
“No experience is required,” he said.
To learn more about the Lake Ontario salmonid stocking programs or to contact the federation, they can log on to: www.ringwoodhatchery.com or www.metroeastanglers.com

Loosen perch limit laws: U.S. anglers

For the past five years, Roger Smith and a group of buddies from just north of Detroit, Mich. make the trek each fall to Pefferlaw.
While the comraderie is great, the primary purpose of their expedition is to catch some of the giant perch in Lake Simcoe.
It also serves as a magnet for other anglers such as Smith, who hail from the United States — some of whom have come up this way for the past 15 to 20 years.
“It’s always a great guy trip. But the draw that keeps us coming back is that we know that we will be catching a lot of good size fish each day,” he said.
It’s a rare occasion when Smith and his group go home empty-handed.
In fact, since the Ministry of Natural Resources imposed a possession limit of 50 yellow perch a day and 100 in possession, Smith said their visits are often curtailed much earlier than they would like.
“We can only keep a two-day limit to bring home and we always catch our limit,” he said. “When we’re having a good day we have to come back in after only a few hours on the water because we’ve caught our limit and we’ve thrown back a lot of smaller fish,”
To catch these fish, Smith noted they utilize a simple spreader rig with enough weight to get their offerings to the bottom. In this case they use live minnows purchased from a local bait dealer.
Smith and other American anglers would like the ministry to loosen its restriction on perch.
Out-of-town anglers such as his group would probably stay longer, he added.
This could help with the local economy because anglers would need accommodations, restaurants and bait and tackle shops.
“The cost (for his group to make the trip to Lake Simcoe) is getting prohibitive and I’m sure that if you talked to some of the businesses that rely on this traffic they will tell you it has dropped quite a bit.
“It’s a lot of fun to take these trips and get together. But it’s already past the point where we can go to the store and buy the fish cheaper,” he said.

Former Star outdoors columnist will be missed

Whenever someone picks up a newspaper, there is usually a columnist they tend to read ahead of others.
I’m no different.
From 1970 to 2000, there was one such columnist I eagerly looked forward to reading whenever our sister publication, The Toronto Star.
During those years, John Power penned a column catering to those who fish or hunt.
I was among those who shared in his interests.
While John’s prose are a thing of the past, they evoked plenty of fond memories.
Even now after hearing of his passing Oct. 1 in Brampton at the far too young age of 75.
Being a sports fanatic back then as I am today, John’s literary works took priority.
Even more than reading about the ups and downs of Toronto Maple Leafs, Argonauts or Blue Jays.
The most enjoyment I got from John’s columns was the manner in which he could convey an image of anticipation and excitement whenever he went on some excursion.
One of which involved his annual fall pilgrimage he took with a group of anglers, known as the Muskyteers, to the Moon River basin near Sans Souci in his never-ending quest to catch a muskellunge of “brogdignagian” proportions.
His stories would, more often than not, whet my appetite to get out and emulate his experiences.
In other columns John wrote, they hit closer to home by providing valuable insights informing outdoor enthusiasts if their interests were being threatened by the “bleeding heart Liberals” or “tree huggers”.
What I will miss most though are the personal interactions I had with John, whom I first met back in the early 1980s at the Toronto Sportsmen’s Show.
Through that initial encounter and others that followed, which often included an annual invitation aboard the Toronto Star Great Salmon Hunt media vessel for a day of fishing on Lake Ontario, our discussions often centered on how things were going in our profession.
Not to mention a few tall tales of how the big ones did or didn’t get away.
I’m certain that somewhere up in the heavens John is finding some new places to go fishing and hunting.
He might also be writing a column that exists up there for those who share his love of the outdoors.

Pike, muskie battle for spawning ground

The northern pike is a welcomed species to many anglers.
Anglers appreciate the pike because of its similarities to the elusive muskellunge.
They are native to most watersheds in Ontario with the exception of Kawartha Lakes.
For those who manage the ecosystem in the Kawartha Lakes chain, the northern pike is about as welcomed as a cormorant.
Because of the similarities between pike and muskie, Mike Rawson, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Natural Resources, says both species tend to seek the same spawning areas.
The pike have a competitive advantage because they spawn earlier in the year than muskies.
As a result, the fry, which have a fast growth rate, remain in the same vicinity where muskies spawn and can devour their fry once they’re hatched.
Muskie fry can be preyed on quickly, Rawson said.
Based on survey trap netting work they’ve carried out on Balsam Lake, Rawson said pike have inhabited this body of water over the past few years.
Their numbers though, appear to indicate they are growing.
“Two years ago we did a focus on Balsam Lake and last year did some netting,” he said. “In each of these surveys, we saw pike.
“Right now, pike are less abundant than muskies, but the studies show their abundance is increasing.”
With Balsam Lake being deeper than other lakes on the Kawartha system though, Rawson feels the problem of pike and muskies co-existing may not be as bad as what has taken place on Canal Lake.
With Canal Lake being relatively small and shallow in nature, he said pike have taken over a body of water that was once dominated by muskellunge.
“In Canal Lake, muskies are practically gone,” he said. “Since Balsam Lake is deeper, muskies can inhabit those areas whereas pike prefer shallower areas.”
To date, Rawson has not heard any reports of pike making further eastward progress into neighbouring Cameron or Sturgeon Lakes.
“But there’s nothing stopping them,” he warned.
Native to Lake Simcoe, the northern pike has begun an eastward encroachment over the past 20 years by first entering Canal Lake and then Mitchell Lake.
Rumoured to be in Balsam Lake, these fish are now inhabiting the highest body of water in elevation on the Trent-Severn waterways.
I can attest to that after catching one while fishing for largemouth bass.
Tossing a white spinnerbait into a shallow bay in which the largemouth live, I had what I thought was another one on the end of my line.
Feeling the fish had some fairly decent shoulders on it, I began to wonder either a big largemouth, decent-sized walleye or even a muskellunge was giving me a run for the money.
As the fish approached the boat, I could see it was a slender, skinny fish — presumably a small muskellunge.
But when it got near the boat, I could see it was different.
Light green with white spots covering the entire body, these were the markings of a northern pike that measured close to 18 inches in length.
Not a trophy by any standards, but it was a fish I had never seen in Balsam Lake since I began fishing here in the mid-1980s.
Earlier that day, my fishing partner, Bill Morrison, of Oshawa hooked a couple of fish that shook loose near the boat resembling small muskellunge or pike. Unfortunately, we couldn’t clearly identify them.
However, taking into account the one I landed was in an adjacent bay and the size was similar to the ones he lost, we figured the odds were likely they were pike.

Fond memories when children are taught to fish

The late collegiate football coach, Woody Hayes, once said you can never pay back; but you can always pay forward.
What the former Ohio State University coaching legend felt was, if good things have been done for you, you really can’t pay them back.
But you can certainly pay them forward by doing good things for others in need.
While Hayes was known more for exhorting his players on the gridiron, his philosophy is most certainly applicable in the world of angling.
Especially when a seasoned angler can extol the virtues of what the sport offers and by sharing some tricks of the trade to the younger generation.
These are the individuals who will represent and possibly dictate the future of what this time-honoured recreational activity has to offer in years ahead.
Taking a youngster out on a fishing expedition can be a fun experience and fuel plenty of fond memories for both parties to reminisce about.
If you are making plans to go fishing with a youngster, there are some things to consider if you want to enhance their appetite in generating future outings.
Part of the approach should be to keep things simple.
That would include searching for a place where the odds are likely the fish will be in a fairly co-operative mood to sample your offerings.
Such preferred launching pads might include a stocked trout pond or a lake or river possessing a healthy panfish population.
Look for a site that’s within a short driving distance from home. And with a little assistance from the weather man, aim for a day when Mother Nature is in a co-operative mood.
In equipping youngsters with their first fishing outfit, a combination spincast rod and reel kits is a good starting point. Such outfits often include other terminal tackle accessories like a small round float, soft plastic artificial baits, split shot sinkers and hooks.
As youngsters get older and if they take a more enthusiastic approach to the sport, they can then turn to utilizing more sophisticated equipment.
But before setting foot out of the house for that special outing, there’s plenty of preparations to be carried out.
Bring plenty of food, snacks and cold beverages. Spending time in the outdoors can enhance a youngster’s appetite not to mention yours.
Being in the outdoors for a significant amount of time, it’s imperative to have them properly attired to combat the elements. With summer now upon us, protecting them from the sun’s ultraviolet rays is paramount. Make sure they don a wide-brim hat, loosely-fitted clothing with some form of UV protection and sunglasses. Don’t forget to bring along the sunscreen and insect repellant.
When dealing with youngsters, bear in mind for the most part, their attention span and level of persistence won’t be on a similar level with you.
Keeping this in mind, if a youngster wishes to bring along some small play items allow them do it. More often than not there will be occasions when the fish will develop a case of lockjaw and the action will slow down to a crawl. In those instances, they can be preoccupied with other things to do.
As an alternative to when a lull in the action occurs, you could explain to them how certain fishing items in your possession work or give them some pointers pertaining to conservation.
If your outing involves going out on a boat, be sure to have them wear their personal floatation device at all times.
In the event they land that first fish, which hopefully might be one to boast about, be sure to bring a camera to capture those moments that can be talked about for years to come.
On that maiden voyage, don’t make it a long outing unless they insist they are having fun and wish to stay.
When they elect to call it a day, oblige with their wishes.
There’s always another day when the fish will be there.
Taking a youngster out fishing is certainly one way in which we as adults can pay forward to the next generation of anglers.

Festival opens door to new anglers

Have you ever had a desire to take up sport fishing or enhance your knowledge of the activity?
Such opportunities will take place this weekend here in York Region during the Urban Fishing Festival.
Held in conjunction with the Ontario Family Fishing Weekend, entering its 15th year, three festivals will take place.
Two are Saturday, at Toogood Pond in Unionville at the pavilion area near Main Street and Carlton Road and in  Pefferlaw at the mouth of the Pefferlaw River, both from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m..
The third festival is Sunday at Fairy Lake in Newmarket from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
You can bring your own fishing equipment or borrow tackle at festival sites if you don’t have your own gear. Each event will feature contests and prizes.
Because it’s Ontario Family Fishing Weekend, you don’t need a licence. However, if you wish to keep any fish, you must adhere to conservation limits outlined in provincial angling regulations.
For more information on the Urban Fishing Festival, contact the Natural  Resources Ministry’s Aurora office at 905-713-7400.
As part of Ontario Family Fishing Weekend, Canadian residents who just want to go fishing this weekend can still wet a line without a licence anywhere in Ontario.
While Lake Simcoe and Cook’s Bay are two popular spots for pursuing a variety of species, including smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, northern pike and yellow perch, other angling opportunities can be found in the outlets flowing into Cook’s Bay, such as the Holland and Maskinonge rivers.
Inland bodies of water, such as the Milne Reservoir in Markham and Mill Pond in Richmond Hill, are also home to largemouth bass.
Lake Wilcox has a remnant smallmouth bass population as well as some nice largemouth. Access to lake is at the northeast corner, off Lake Drive.
Musselman’s Lake in Whitchurch-Stouffville also has largemouth bass and can be accessed through the Cedar Beach Park at the north end of the lake.
To receive a free Ontario Family Fishing Weekend information package, call Mark Cousins at 705-748-6324 ext. 233.
The package includes volunteer and participation certificates, flyers and posters, Take-A-Kid Fishing and Catch Fishing booklets and tips for event planning.
To add a new event to the growing list or to find an event near you, visit familyfishingweekend.com.