Where Gold Meets the Water: Fishing Around Timmins, Ontario

In Northern Ontario, there are places where natural resources define the landscape. Then there are places where those resources shape the entire identity of a community.

Featured in this episode of The Fish’n Canada Show, hosts Dean Taylor and Steve Niedzwiecki travel north to explore an area that is as rich in fish as it is in minerals - Timmins, Ontario. Around Timmins, you can literally say there’s gold in them-thar hills. And we’re not just talking about the golden glow of a beautiful walleye. The ground beneath this region has produced enormous quantities of real gold for more than a century.

But while the mines helped build the city, the surrounding wilderness and countless lakes are what make Timmins such a remarkable place for anglers and outdoor enthusiasts.

A Northern Ontario Resource City

Located in Northeastern Ontario, Timmins is the fourth-largest city in the region with a population of roughly 45,000 people. What surprised us most on this visit was just how large the municipality actually is. Geographically, Timmins is one of the biggest municipalities in Canada, covering an enormous stretch of boreal forest, lakes, rivers, and resource-rich land.

The local economy has long been built around natural resource extraction. Forestry and mining have shaped the city for generations, with operations producing gold, zinc, copper, nickel, and silver.

Among these, gold stands above the rest. The Timmins–Porcupine mining district is one of the most prolific gold-producing regions in Canadian history. Since the early 1900s, an estimated 66 to 77 million ounces of gold have been extracted from the ground here, and mining continues to be a major driver of the local economy.

From towering headframes to active mine sites, the city’s landscape is a constant reminder of the natural wealth that built Northern Ontario.

Fishing Within the City Limits

While Timmins may be known for its mining heritage, anglers have quickly discovered that fishing opportunities are just as abundant as the minerals beneath the surface.

One of the most impressive aspects of fishing here is how close it is to the city itself. In this episode, Fish’n Canada co-host Steve Niedzwiecki launched the Princecraft within about twenty minutes of leaving the city centre. Then, with about a 5-minute boat ride at idle speed, he was already casting for walleye.

That’s a level of accessibility that many anglers only dream about.

Since this was Steve’s first time fishing here, he took full advantage of dunking either a jig and minnow or a minnow on a dropshot rig. Both are pretty much irresistible to a roaming walleye. As Steve showed in this episode, he was one happy angler.

The lakes around Timmins hold healthy populations of classic Northern Ontario species, including walleye, smallmouth bass, and northern pike. Many of these fisheries receive surprisingly little pressure considering how many bodies of water surround the city.

With hundreds of lakes within a 100-kilometre radius, anglers could spend years exploring new water around Timmins without ever running out of places to fish.

Exploring Beyond the City

While Steve stayed close to town chasing walleye, our newest member to the co-hosting Fish’n Canada team, Dean Taylor, decided to venture a bit farther from the city to explore some new water, hoping for a variety of species.

He started quickly with a steady stream of walleye, but, unfortunately, they were all small. This left him wondering why the bigger fish weren’t cooperating. Eventually, the answer became obvious when a big pike appeared on the LiveScope. Of course, with light spinning gear and no leader, the fish bit and eventually broke off, reminding Mr. Dean and his little walleye buddies who the real predators are in these waters.

Northern pike are plentiful throughout the Timmins region and are often much more aggressive than their walleye counterparts. Switching tactics can quickly turn a slow day into an action-packed one. By the simple addition of a wire or heavy fluorocarbon leader to walleye gear, or a complete change to heavy baitcasting gear, it’s easy to transition to pike. In Northern Ontario, anglers should always keep this in mind.

Dean mostly cast plastics on jigheads for suspended pike; the odd time, he’d grab a heavy baitcast rig with a Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnow DD and either cast or troll it out there looking for more aggressive fish.

Despite the early challenges, Dean refused to give up on the walleye bite. Persistence paid off late in the day when he landed a couple of much better-sized walleye before heading back toward the launch. He finished his evening off by casting suspending jerkbaits off of a nearby rockpile for smallmouth and finished with what anglers like to call a “trifecta” of fish species.

It was a fitting end to a day that perfectly showcased the diversity of fishing available in this part of Ontario. It also opened the eyes of the entire Fish’n Canada crew that there might just be a relatively untouched population of smallies in this area… hmmmm.

City Living with an Outdoor Lifestyle

For many people, Timmins represents the ideal balance between career opportunity and outdoor adventure. 

The city offers stable employment through mining, forestry, and related industries, while the surrounding wilderness provides immediate access to activities like fishing, hunting, ATV riding, snowmobiling, and camping.

It’s not uncommon for locals to finish a shift at the mine and head straight to the lake with a rod in hand.

That kind of lifestyle is part of what makes northern Ontario communities like Timmins so appealing.

Sleeping with Wolves

One of the most unique attractions in the Timmins area isn’t a fishery at all. Just outside the city sits Cedar Meadows Resort and Spa, a facility that offers visitors an opportunity unlike anything the Fish’n Canada crew has encountered in decades of travelling across the country.

Here, guests can actually stay overnight beside a pack of Canadian timber wolves.

The wolves roam within a large ten-acre natural enclosure that serves as their playground. Visitors can observe the pack interacting, playing, and roaming through the forested landscape.

During the winter months, the experience becomes even more spectacular. The wolves develop their full winter coats, displaying a stunning range of colours and thick fur that perfectly suits the northern climate.

It’s a powerful reminder that Timmins sits within one of Canada’s most wild and untamed regions.

Endless Water to Explore

Perhaps the most surprising fact about the Timmins area is the sheer amount of fishable water.

In this Fish’n Canada TV episode, Ang stated that if you draw a circle roughly 100 kilometres around the city centre, you’ll find hundreds of lakes, rivers, and streams scattered throughout the surrounding wilderness. Many of these waters receive very little fishing pressure throughout the year.

Local anglers regularly target walleye, smallmouth bass, and northern pike, but the region also offers opportunities for brook trout, rainbow trout, and splake in certain lakes.

The team at J&B Cycle and Marine, a local hub for anglers and boaters, shared images of impressive walleye and bass from area lakes, along with trout species found throughout the region.

And when winter arrives, the fishing doesn’t stop.

Ice fishing is extremely popular in the Timmins area, with anglers targeting walleye, pike, and trout throughout the frozen months. Smallmouth bass even remain open year-round in many waters, giving anglers yet another reason to keep fishing no matter the season.

A Northern Ontario Experience

Timmins may have built its reputation on gold, but its surrounding wilderness is equally valuable.

For anglers, it offers a rare combination of accessibility, diversity, and untapped water. For outdoor enthusiasts, it provides endless opportunities for adventure just minutes from city limits.

Whether you’re casting for walleye after work, exploring remote lakes for trophy fish, or watching a pack of timber wolves roam through the snow, Timmins delivers a northern Ontario experience that’s hard to match.

It’s a great place to visit. And for many people who live here, it’s an even better place to call home.

Cedar Meadows Resort: A Northern Ontario Escape in the Heart of Timmins

Located just minutes from downtown Timmins, Cedar Meadows Resort & Spa is one of Northeastern Ontario’s most unique tourism destinations that the Fish’n Canada team has ever seen (and we’ve seen lots). Set on approximately 175 acres of forested land, the resort combines comfortable accommodations with wildlife experiences, making it feel like a wilderness retreat while still being close to the city.

The property features nearly 50 hotel rooms and suites along with several chalets, offering visitors a range of options for overnight stays, weekend getaways, weddings, and corporate retreats. Guests can also enjoy a full-service spa, on-site dining, and conference facilities, making the resort a year-round destination for both relaxation and events.

What truly sets Cedar Meadows apart is its focus on wildlife experiences. The resort operates a 100-acre wildlife park, where visitors can take guided wagon tours to see animals such as bison, elk, and fallow deer in a natural setting. These tours allow guests to get remarkably close to species that are emblematic of Canada’s northern wilderness.

As we mentioned above, Cedar Meadows has gained international attention for its signature attraction, “Sleeping with the Wolves.” This experience allows guests to stay in glass-walled cabins beside a wolf habitat, where a pack of wolves roam a forested enclosure. Visitors can watch and listen to the animals throughout the night while staying warm and comfortable inside the cabin, creating a rare opportunity to connect with wildlife in a safe environment.

Beyond its accommodations, the resort has become an important part of Timmins’ tourism scene. Alongside museums, outdoor recreation, and the region’s historic mining heritage, Cedar Meadows helps showcase a different side of the city: northern wildlife, wilderness travel, and the rugged beauty of Ontario’s boreal forest.

For travellers heading to Northeastern Ontario, Cedar Meadows offers something unusual: a chance to experience the wild while still enjoying the comforts of a full-service resort.

Gettin’ There

To get to this Fish’n Canada episode’s great fishing destination, the crew first travelled North on Highway 400, continued North on 69 and then headed west on Highway 17 at Sudbury.

They next turned North on 144 and then East on Highway 101 to the city of Timmins.

They then turned left on Norman St, travelled a couple of kilometres north, and finally left into Cedar Meadows Resort and Spa.

Cedar Meadows is one of the most unique accommodations that we’ve ever seen. Along with the beauty of being a resort and spa, and offering wilderness tours, it also offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience what they call “Sleeping With The Wolves”.

During our stay here, the team recorded an Outdoor Journal Radio podcast, literally while sitting within feet of these iconic Canadian creatures.

Sleeping among a gorgeous pack of wolves, and then going fishing the next day. It does not get any better than this!

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