Port Hope's Ganaraska River runs through the middle of town (easily accessed from Highway 401) and is arguably one of the best streams in Ontario making trout and salmon watching and fishing incredibly popular events. Rainbow Trout (steelhead), Brown Trout, Pacific and Atlantic salmon fishing is open all year at the mouth of The Ganny, as locals call it, at Lake Ontario.
The river is famous for its mindboggling spring steelhead run and the annual fall migration of salmon.
The fourth Saturday in April, Ganaraska River fishing for steelhead opens with many anglers lining the entire length of the river for their chance to catch one of these magnificent fish. Fish run up river, so heading north to one of the conservation areas like Sylvan Glen affords even more fishing spots.
Each year as fall arrives, the salmon begin their annual spawning run up the Ganaraska River. This provides a great opportunity to view these resilient fish as they migrate past the Ganaraska River Fishway, better known as the fish ladder. Constructed to help fish get past Corbett's Dam you can watch as these majestic fish jump the ladder to spawn. Mixed in the fall run, you may also see silvery coho salmon and migratory brown trout in their vivid spawning colours. Here's a live fish-volume activity chart as the fish are monitored on the Ganaraska River. This will give you the absolutely best time to come to the river's edge.
During the summer month's smallmouth bass, pike, walleye, perch, catfish, carp, and freshwater drum (sheephead) make their way into the mouth of the river and the harbour. Shore fishing the mouth of the Ganaraska is open all year from the C.N.R (Canadian National Railway) bridge south to Lake Ontario. Try to hook onto a steelhead during the winter months!
If you prefer fly fishing, this majestic river offers one of the province's best opportunities, as it is one of Ontario's great steelhead streams. The upper part of the river runs through rich farmlands and the lower part through the town of Port Hope. Fly anglers boast the beauty of the migratory brown trout they catch in the river, and also the size of the steelhead and salmon.
Check out The New Fly Fisher's episode as they catch massive salmon in the Ganaraska river!
Please remember to fish responsibly and have fun in Port Hope's fishing area.
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