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FISHING DAVE BROWN


with respect. The area is also a great alternative for white-water kayaking for anyone who doesn’t want to challenge the larger Ottawa River. Further inland and along


Fishing


at home… downtown, that is As a boat-owner, I realize how fortunate


I am to have the opportunity to experience fishing and boating on so many different lakes and rivers in this great province of ours. But what about people who are confined


to downtown Ottawa, or any urban centre? Or people who have no access to a boat; or who get around town by hopping on a bus, walking, riding a bike, or getting a ride from a friend? How difficult is it for them to fish? Not very. It’s surprising, in fact, what


fishing opportunities there are for urbanites. As the Ontario Ministry of Natural


Resources (MNR) says on its website: “Virtually all of Ontario’s larger urban centres are situated on or near water and offer a fantastic diversity of doorstep angling opportunities. Muskellunge, steelhead, pickerel and bass are only some of the more popular species which may be angled in Ontario’s urban centres.” When I first read this, my first reaction


was: “Wow, pickerel and muskie in downtown Ottawa!” My second one was: “Where do I go?” I started doing a little research


to find out how well this statement applies to us here in Ottawa, and it didn’t take long for me to find an answer. We are fortunate to have


access to many different urban fishing opportunities along the Rideau and Ottawa Rivers, the Rideau Canal and


14 BOUNDER MAGAZINE


the Rideau Canal, my colleague Mike Mitchell tells me, to my surprise, one can fish for muskie right in Dow’s Lake, a practice to which he was introduced by long-time Ottawa resident and muskie fishing specialist Hedrik Wachelka. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, considering the many people you see fishing in downtown Ottawa along the Rideau Canal all summer long. On the Ottawa River going


Dow’s Lake. In fact, if you look at the broader Outaouais tourist region, there are many places to fish on both sides of the Ottawa River. If you live in Gatineau, you have access to the Gatineau River and its many tributaries. These opportunities can be realized at almost any time of the year, by fishing through the ice, or just throwing a line into the water from shore in the middle of the summer. Right in the heart of downtown Ottawa


you can fish in the New Edinburgh, Bordeleau, Besserer, Strathcona and River Road parks. These parks are situated along the northern end of the Rideau River and can be accessed from various locations along River Road or the Vanier Parkway. Further south down the Rideau River,


you can fish for many different species on the shoreline starting at the OC Transpo Bridge near Hurdman’s Station all the way to Brantwood Park and Windsor Park, which is just north of the Bank Street bridge. Best of all, these places are all relatively accessible by OC Transpo bus. Still further south, you can throw a line


in at Brewer and Vincent Massey Parks. The rapids between Carleton University and Hog’s Back falls are great for fly fishing enthusiasts. The area is also a popular recreational spot for many families. There is a picnic area nearby at Mooney’s Bay Park, where there is also swimming and plenty of open space for summer activities. By themselves, Hog’s Back falls are a beautiful sight, but you need to treat them


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west from the central core of the city, you can catch brown trout at the Chaudière Rapids, the Remic Rapids under the Champlain Bridge, or the Deschênes Rapids in Britannia, all of which are accessible from the Ottawa River Parkway. I mention brown trout, but you can also fish for bass, crappies, pickerel, perch, gar, pike, muskie, or just about any popular species of fish you can think of. If you are fishing in any of


these areas, though, beware. Safety comes first. In the spring and fall the water is extremely cold and runs very fast, so make sure you are wearing the appropriate insulated gear and safety equipment. On the east side of Ottawa,


one can fish in the winter and summer almost anywhere east of the MacDonald Cartier Bridge all the way to Petrie Island. As you may recall from the 2011 Fall edition of Bounder, the Petrie Island area is especially popular for anglers in the winter when a village springs up on the ice. This is similar to the little village that appears on the Rideau River just south of Osgoode every ice fishing season.


continued on page 61 www.bounder.ca BOUNDER MAGAZINE 15


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