With scenic landscapes and over 500 lakes to choose from, Timmins, Ontario has the perfect fishing destination for everyone to enjoy. So, whether you like to fish from a boat, from shore, fly fish, or even ice fish, be sure to check out these 8 incredible spots for angling—as well as some of our best fishing lodges.
If you’re looking for the perfect Timmins spot to go fishing throughout the year then be sure to visit Horwood Lake! This vast expanse of water and shoreline includes a reservoir that has numerous inlets and creeks such as Old Woman River along with multiple sand and rock points, rock humps, wooded coves, weed beds, and a variety of water depths which makes this location an angler's dream. During your visit, be sure to take in the stunning views of nature including the numerous waterfalls. When fishing Horwood Lake you can expect to find pan size and trophy pike, walleye, perch, whitefish, and smallmouth bass.
There are three boat launches that can be used to access Horwood Lake. One is located at Big Bear Camp and there are two other public boat launches situated about 1 km past the camp. The gravel boat launch is recommended as the cement launch has an underwater boulder that makes launching trickier for those unfamiliar with this location.
If you’re interested in a quintessential Northern Ontario fishing experience, then be sure to stay at one of these three fantastic lodges located on Horwood Lake. These lodges include Horwood Lake Lodge, Big Bear Camp, and White Moose Wilderness Outpost.
When it comes down to fishing for walleye, whitefish northern pike, and jumbo perch, Ivanhoe Lake is known as one of the best trophy lakes to fish from in all of Northern Ontario.
When thinking about taking a trip to Ivanhoe Lake be sure to stay at the Red Pine Lodge. Along with its main lodge, Red Pine offers outpost camps for those who are looking for a bit of peace and quiet in the wilderness. They'll be sure to provide you with the fishing trip experience of a lifetime.
Kamiskotia Lake may be small but should not be overlooked as it's packed with the most amount of walleye in the Timmins area. This lake has an inlet river that flows into it including an outlet creek that continues on into the Mattagami River situated below the Sandy Falls Dam. This lake is pretty shallow but it has an ample supply of weeds which make it an amazing spot to fish for walleye, perch, and northern pike—these fish use the weeds to hide. Those who like to troll weed lines with the use of spinner rigs or jigging are encouraged to do so at the Kamiskotia Lake as the possibility of catching pan-sized walleye or perch during the day and at night is highly probable. For those who are wondering how to access this lake without a boat, there is a spot beside the Kamiskotia highway located beside a culvert that is a promising fishing location due to its consistent current that flows out of the lake.
Kenogamissi Lake is located off Highway 144. It's a slim body of water that includes 40 km of various points, sunken humps, islands, flats, and shallow timber flats making it an amazing fishing destination for both novice and master anglers. There are also two dams, one upriver and one downriver called the Wawaitin Dam. In this lake, anglers have the opportunity to fish for pike, walleye, perch, smallmouth bass, and whitefish. Located beside the boat launch at Kenogamissi Lake, visitors will have the chance to read about this lake's history of fur trading which dates back to 1794.
For those who are on vacation and are looking to make memories here on this amazing lake the Cache Campground and the WildExodus Lodge both offer amazing fishing opportunities as well as accommodations.
The forests at the Kettle Lakes Provincial Park are breathtaking and the clear lakes are not only perfect for swimming but are full of amazing fishing opportunities. If you’re interested in catching some northern pike, as well as brook and rainbow trout, then be sure to fish at one of the many lakes that are located at this spectacular park. Boaters take note: Hughes Lake located inside the park is the only lake that allows motorboats. For the adventurers who prefer fishing from canoes, this is a fantastic way to access all of the lakes even if they aren’t linked by waterways. Have your Ontario Fishing License and want to go fishing but only for a few hours? No problem! Kettle Lakes has day passes that you can purchase which gives you access to all of the lakes including the tackle shop program that lends out fishing rods and tackle to visitors of the park free of charge! For those who do want to stay, be sure to take advantage of one of the amazing campsites that are located throughout the park after a long day of fishing and enjoy all that the beautiful nature of Northern Ontario has to offer!
Mattagami Lake is located on Highway 144 and is bit further south than Kenogamissi Lake. This scenic fishing destination includes 60 kilometers of waterways which offer anglers the opportunity to explore and discover its various sunken humps, weed beds, rocks, sand points, and flats. Anglers have the chance of fishing for trophy-sized pike, walleye, perch, smallmouth bass and whitefish at Mattagami Lake. This lake has a hatchery for walleye and speckled trout and is divided into upper and lower sections. The upper section can be accessed from the boat launch located at the Mattagami First Nations Reserve while the lower section can be accessed also at a boat launch but is situated off of Mattagami Road.
If you’re planning on coming to the City of Timmins to explore and discover all of the fishing opportunities that the Mattagami Lake has to offer check out the Minakwa Lodge, the Twin J Hide-A-Way, and the Green Wilderness Lodge to ensure the fishing experience of a lifetime.
Running through the City with the heart of Gold, the Mattagami River is the perfect destination for those who are looking to stay in the city while enjoying a day of fishing. This river has two dams which include the Wawaitin Dam located on the upper end and the Sandy Falls Dam which is located down current. At this magnificent lake, anglers have the opportunity to fish for numerous species which include walleye, pike, perch, whitefish, suckers, brown bullhead, smallmouth and rock bass, and even speckled trout in certain areas of the lake. It’s also possible to catch sturgeon as it was reintroduced into the lake in 2002. If you do end up catching one of these magnificent fish please be sure to put it back in as soon as possible since they cannot be kept. Boats can be launched at the double-wide cement boat launch which is situated off of Riverside Drive. If you prefer fishing offshore there are walkways at this scenic boat launch which leads to numerous wheelchair-accessible docks that residents and visitors can use to fish off of. Another great spot for those who are looking for a bit of peace and quiet is anywhere along the walking and bike paths that lead from the Mattagami Bridge to the Laforest Bridge.
Lake Tata-Chika-Pika has some of the best fishing opportunities. These 40 km of scenic, quiet, and remote waterways offer ample amounts of walleye, northern pike, perch, and whitefish.
When fishing at Lake Tata-Chika-Pika the Tata-Chika-Pika Lodge offers amazing accommodations in the form of cottages, motels, and camping opportunities. They also offer fantastic fishing amenities like a fish cleaning station, rental boats, bait, as well as docking and launching facilities!
The City of Timmins is an angler's dream destination. If you’re planning on fishing and taking advantage of the amazing lakes that Northern Ontario has to offer, then be sure to grab your rods, fishing licenses, and your bait—and come check out one or all of these amazing fishing destinations.
