5 Travel Essentials When Fishing In Ontario

Packing up for your next Ontario fishing adventure starts with 5 easy tips and tricks.

Whether you drive to or fly into a lodge or outfitter in Ontario, there is one thing that is for certain, getting there really is half the fun! Travel in Ontario is incredible be it by truck, float plane or train. Well, we’ve done a LOT of travelling in Ontario and have some tips and tricks for those who are coming to this fine Canadian province for either the first time or their tenth. These tips and tricks are designed to make travel and your entire fishing experience that much better.

Here are the top five things to pack for an Ontario fishing adventure. 

1. Air Tags

Can you imagine landing at your final fishing destination after a long day of travel and not seeing your luggage, rods and packed items show up on the conveyor belt? What a way to start a fishing vacation! Unfortunately, accidents and mishaps do occur, but we found a way to ensure your bags are on the flight before you even take off. You can track your items by using an Apple product called an Air Tag. Air Tags are simply tracking devices you place in your bag that talk to your phone. You can track your bags right down to a couple of feet away so you can tell when your bag has been placed on the plane!

2. Bag Tags

If you’re flying to Ontario, you’re going to want to make sure the luggage you pick up from the conveyor belt is yours. There is little arguing that so many suitcases and bags look the same and you want to make sure you get the bag that belongs to you and has your fishing gear and clothing. There are self-laminating bag tags out there that are ideal for identifying your luggage without any fancy or flashy attractors. Simply put your business card or cardstock with your name and address on it and run an iron over it to laminate. Simply attach it to your bag and enjoy your flight!

3. Travel Cubes

Cords, cords, cords, everywhere! Phone cords, headphones, and charging bricks are all over your bag, in every pocket of your backpack! It’s annoying to try to dig out a specific cord you need not remembering which pocket you put it in. (I know, first-world problems) Travel Cubes are here to help! They are simple mesh bags that are designed to keep you organized and neat while you travel. We use them for cords, documentation, ablution items etc. They are handy and make a difference when you travel.

4. Carry It All

The Carry It All is a fantastic way to carry on your fly rods, reels, leaders, and line so you can keep track of where they are and keep them safe while flying. This is a sturdy, reinforced travel bag designed to fit in most overhead plane compartments as well as under the seat in front of you. You can stuff it full of almost anything you want for the day on the water. With a lockable zipper, it is a secure way to literally carry-it-all when travelling to Ontario.

5. Day Box

A day box is a smaller fly box you bring along for a day trip. Sure, you may have multiple boxes of flies for a fishing trip, but really, do you need all of them? By bringing a day box along, you can stock your box with the proven flies that are working for that fishery eliminating the need to pack everything but the kitchen sink. It saves on space in your pack as well as cuts down on the weight, you’re carrying around all day long. A day box or 2 stuffed with your favourite flies is a great way to minimize the water

About Mark Melnyk

Currently, Mark is the host and producer of The New Fly Show. With a passion of fly fishing, the shows goal is to help both novice and veteran fly fishers everywhere by giving them a top-quality fly fishing series that will make them better anglers. 

Recommended Articles

Year of the Trout

The Winter Trout Fishing in Northern Ontario is Outstanding

Gearing up for Ice Fishing

Today’s ice anglers have more quality gear to choose from than ever before.

Sweet Spot Season

When you have a limited amount of time to be out there fishing, you really want to look for those high percentage sweet spots.

Stalking Prehistoric Long Nose Gar

Hosts Angelo Viola and Pete Bowman took to the waters with the objective of 100% sight fishing.

Merkel's Camp

Fly Fishing for Musky, Pike and Smallmouth Bass

Eagle Lake Island Lodge

A Boat-to Ontario Lodge Experience

Dropshot the Shallows

A Technique That Should Be in Your Fishing Arsenal

Muskie Myths Part 2

Baits and Lures You Should be Using

Fishing Carp

German Fishing Superstar Babs Kijewski Visit Ontario

Laurentian Lodge - Something for Everyone!

Incredible scenery and world class smallmouth bass fishing on beautiful Flack Lake

Birchland Cottages

Fly Fish for Giant Smallmouth Bass

Igniting the Spark

Don't Overlook Carp Fishing in Ontario

Magpie Reservoir

Excellent Drive-to Angling to Hook Big Walleye

Lang Lake Resort – Outdoor Recreation is their Business

Set in Northeastern Ontario's Lacloche Mountain Range, surrounded by many lakes to fish.

World Class Fishing on the Niagara River

There's always something to target in "Ontario's Grand Canyon"

In Search of Solitude and Wild Brook Trout

Fly fishing adventures to remote rivers

Big Water, Big Fish

Chinook fishing on the Nipigon River

How to: Target Black Crappies (Part 2)

More tricks, tips and advice to target Black Crappies in Ontario.

Multi-Species Action

With so many lakes in Ontario, it's hard to narrow down the best multi-species lakes. We're here to help!

Twitchbait Smallies

Your guide to open water smallmouth fishing in Atikokan.