Angling & Camping Heaven

With the abundance of game fish in Algoma Country, our anglers have some pretty high expectations. Campers, too, have lofty standards that are easily satisfied when visiting the rugged water-rich wilds of this region.

But can we realistically expect to have great camping and exciting fishing at the same destination? In this neck of the woods, the answer is ‘yes.’ All thanks to Ontario’s Provincial Parks.

Our parks can be a tremendous resource for anglers, especially the ones here in northern Ontario. Fish cleaning stations, launch ramps, and comfort stations complement designated tent and trailer campsites with easy access to the lakeshore. Not only do our provincial parks serve to showcase the scenic and significant natural features they were selected to protect, but many also hold healthy populations of some of Ontario’s favourite game fish.

Setting up camp along the shore of a wooded lake, launching our powerboat or canoe into those same waters, and returning to our campsite after hours of catching and releasing fat trout or walleye may seem a pretty tall order. But within the provincial parks in Algoma Country, it is a fortunate reality.

Wakami Provincial Park

South of Chapleau off Hwy 667, the campground is a popular spot with anglers in spring but there is plenty of room throughout the summer for those who want to chase pike, walleye, and whitefish over an abundant rocky shoreline structure. There are coveted areas where anglers can pull their boats up on a sandy shore right at their campsites, providing quick access to a healthy fishery. While Wakami’s fish can be difficult to catch, their large average size and feisty attitude make for a rewarding angling experience.

White Lake Provincial Park

At 65 square kilometres, White Lake is one of the largest and most accessible inland lakes in Algoma. Just west of the town of White River, it straddles the Trans-Canada Highway. With 180 campsites, this full-service lakeside campground is set within the boreal landscape south of the highway–just at the spot where the lake narrows into meandering, sandy shores that eventually feed the White River.

Walleye and northern pike are the dominant sport fish and anglers can choose from fishing the broad bays at the lake’s north end of the more protected waters south of the campground. Warm waters, sand beaches, and waterfront sites make this a favourite family fishing destination.

Fushimi Lake Provincial Park

Long sand beaches and thick cedars define this small park and campground close to Hearst, off Hwy 11. It’s a remote area, at the end of a 13-kilometre gravel road. North of Fushimi is a roadless boreal wilderness stretching hundreds of kilometres to Hudson Bay. But unlike other remote lakes with exceptional fishing, Fushimi has a boat launch, fish cleaning station, and 50 campsites.

There’s even a small waterfront cabin available for rent. The five-kilometre-long lake holds a diverse fishery with walleye and pike holding on weed lines, sandy edges, and rock structure.

Missinaibi Provincial Park

It’s worth the 80-kilometre drive north from Chapleau, up a good gravel road, to set up in the Barclay Bay Campground or use the boat or canoe sites on giant Missinaibi Lake. Remote and wild, the lake has two distinct arms, the largest over 40 kilometres long. Here old-growth red pines cling to rugged shorelines, Anishinaabe pictographs decorate cliff faces, and rivers feed waterfalls that empty into a lake where walleye, pike, and even lake trout are plentiful.

Missinaibi is a wonder to explore by canoe or kayak but paddlers must be wary of the potential for strong winds and rough waters. Powerboats are a good option for efficient exploration.

Lake Superior Provincial Park

At more than 1,600 square kilometres bordering the coast of Lake Superior, the park holds diverse camping and angling opportunities. Two drive-up campgrounds, one on Lake Superior and one on a picturesque inland lake, provide car campers with a glimpse at this undulating landscape of rock, sand, and forest.

But the true charm of the park is remote camping along the coast of the Big Lake or paddling and portaging maintained canoe routes along the interconnected rivers and lakes of the interior. It can be a lot of work, but penetrating the core of this wilderness and discovering the wild brook and lake trout within is well worth the trouble.

Whatever provincial park or campground you choose to explore in Algoma Country, we know you'll have the experience of a lifetime. Visit Algoma Country online to help plan your trip.

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