Local fishing guides and charters in Ontario

Northern Ontario

Jeff Gustafson Outdoors

Jeff “Gussy” Gustafson is a successful tournament angler in the US Bassmasters Series. When he’s not competing in fishing tournaments, he guides in his home waters of Lake of the Woods, Shoal Lake and Rainy Lake. Jeff is well-equipped for open-water and ice fishing and is a strong supporter of catch-and-release angling practices.

Based in: Kenora

Dave Bennett Outdoors

Dave Bennett is a fixture on Lake of the Woods and is well-versed in the giant lake and its surrounding waters. This multi-species guide specializes in muskie, bass, and walleye in open water, and also covers lake trout, whitefish and northern pike through winter.

Based in: Kenora

Darcy Cox

With more than 30 years of experience targeting muskie, Darcy Cox is focused on the giant and elusive game fish of Lake of the Woods, Eagle Lake and the Winnipeg River.

Cox has a history of putting clients on some of the biggest muskie in Northwestern Ontario.

Based in: Kenora

Jayden Symonds

Jayden Symonds offers open-water angling on Lake of the Woods, but specializes in luxury ice fishing, featuring overnight accommodations in mobile Ice Castle fish houses with amenities such as a refrigerator, microwave, stove, television and bathroom.

Based in: Kenora

Ben Beattie Outdoors

Ben Beattie is the only full-time muskie guide on Lac Seul. He guides for walleye in spring, but from July until first ice, Beattie breaks out the heavy tackle for muskie hunting. His season books quickly.

Based in: Sioux Lookout

Gord Ellis

Gord Ellis specializes in trophy brook trout fishing on the fabled Nipigon River system. Opportunities for lake trout, salmon, pike and walleye complement the world-class brook trout fishery. Whether spin casting or fly fishing, few anglers know Nipigon’s trout as well as Gord. He guides out of Québec Lodge.

Based in: Thunder Bay

Angling Algoma

Adam Vallee is a tournament angler and four-season multi-species guide who specializes in the untapped smallmouth and largemouth bass of Northern Ontario. His expertise extends to virtually every game fish swimming, including pike, muskie and brook trout.

Based in: Sault Ste. Marie

Tyler Dunn Guiding   

Tyler Dunn leads clients to great fishing from Lake Huron to Lake Nipigon and everywhere in between. A true multi-species expert, he is an authority on the broad range of year-round trophy fishing opportunities that target steelhead, trout, salmon, musky, bass, and walleye, fishing from shore or his boat. He also offers kayak angling and ice fishing.

Based in: Sault Ste. Marie

Pro Fishing Frank Clark

Frank Clark excels at providing personalized, on-the-water fishing workshops for clients who are new to angling. This multi-species guide frequents the urban fishery of downtown Sudbury and the scenic waters of Georgian Bay.

Based in: Sudbury

Redwood Sportfishing Charters

Redwood Sportfishing Charters specializes in multi-species angling, offering packages for anglers that include salmon and brook trout. Brook trout angling is on a private lake, while the Pacific and Atlantic salmon charters are conducted in an 18-foot sport fisher in the St. Mary’s River and Lake Huron.

Based in: Sault Ste. Marie

Affinity Angling

Neil Leduc is a multi-species fishing guide on Lake Nipigon, the Nipigon River, Lake Superior and its tributaries, as well as many smaller lakes and rivers in the area. Northern pike, walleye, salmon, trout, and bass are his specialty. Years of experience have allowed Affinity Angling to be one of the more flexible and adaptive guides in the area.

Based in: Nipigon

Archie’s Fishing Charters and Lighthouse Tours

Archie Hoogsteen has been chartering Lake Superior for over 25 years. His specialty is targeting salmon, rainbow and lake trout in the Thunder Bay area. He offers guiding fishing excursions, group tours and lighthouse tours. Anglers need not worry about gear, as Archie’s Fishing Charters has all the necessary rods, reels, tackle and other equipment to get anglers on fish.

Based in: Thunder Bay

The Fishin’ Magician

Brent Kruger is a past tournament angler, tv host and outdoor writer. He has been guiding the Lake of the Woods region for over 30 years. With a love for guiding, his specialty species include walleye, bass, pike, musky, crappie and lake trout.

Based in: Kenora

Central Ontario

Wass Tours

Wass Tours specializes in spring rainbow trout and summer salmon fishing charters on the waters surrounding Manitoulin Island and Killarney. Based out of Prairie Point in Wikwemikong, Luke Wassegijig also gives anglers a taste of local Indigenous culture.

Based in: Wikwemikong

Stillwater Fishing Charters and Tours

Brian Still began his career guiding experienced anglers for trophy muskie around Manitoulin Island and Georgian Bay. His clients now include families and novice anglers spin casting and fly fishing for salmon, bass and pike.

Based in: Birch Island

Island Sunrise Cottages

Neil Debassige sails out of Providence Bay on Manitoulin Island, fishing for trout and salmon during the open water season. He also rents ice huts on Lake Mindemoya, where guests catch perch, burbot and walleye throughout the winter.

Based in: M'Chigeeng

Fish of a Lifetime Charters

Shawn Degagne guides out of Bear Creek Cottages, targeting the large muskie and northern pike of Lake Nipissing.

Based in: Callandar

Rob’s Five Star Fishing

Nick Day runs Nipissing Ice Bungalows, where clients spend the night in large kitchen-equipped heated ice shacks and can fish for perch, walleye, pike and whitefish right from their bunks.

Based in: Callandar

Captain Action Charters

Mike Bertelsen has been guiding for bass and pike in the Muskoka area lakes for over 35 years. Now joined by his sons, Leif and Erik, Captain Action offer exciting fishing combined with great tips and techniques.

Based in: Huntsville

Fatal Force Outfitters

Through winter, Tom Carr guides ice anglers for lake trout, walleye and burbot. He is known for developing specialized techniques for whitefish on his home waters of Lake Simcoe. Tom also fishes Muskoka Lakes, Georgian Bay and Simcoe in open water.

Based in: Orillia

Outdoor Junky’s Guide Service

Matt Clayton is a four-season guide probing the waters of Lake Simcoe and Muskoka area lakes. Ice fishing centers on Simcoe’s trophy whitefish and lake trout, as well as perch. Open water angling focuses on lake trout.

Based in: Orillia

Southern Ontario

Jesse Kerr Fishing

Jesse Kerr admits to an obsession with muskies and spends the open-water season guiding on the Kawartha Lakes, primarily on Cameron, Balsam, and Sturgeon Lakes, targeting these toothy game fish, as well as offering trips for walleye.  

Based in: Fenelon Falls

Joe Ford Fishing

Bass tournament angler Joe Ford offers experienced anglers big water trips for fat bass at the east end of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. He also provides novice and expert anglers with the chance to catch walleye, smallmouth or muskie on the Kawartha Lakes.

Based in: Bowmanville

Fishing4Tails

Greg Amiel is a multi-species angler who is just as comfortable guiding for Chinook salmon on Lake Ontario as he is for walleye on the Bay of Quinte or bass on Lake Simcoe. Choose the species you want to catch and Greg will find the best waters within a few hours of the Greater Toronto Area to make it happen.

Based in: Richmond Hill

Fish City Tours

Taro Murata shows guests how great the fishing can be just minutes from downtown Toronto. Clients catch pike, bass and salmon within sight of the CN Tower. Taro also ventures to the Bay of Quinte for walleye or Lake St Clair for muskie.

Based in: Toronto

The Bushey Angle

JP Bushey has a passion for imparting his angling wisdom to his clients. With more than 30 years of experience fishing Georgian Bay, Lake Simcoe, Lake Nipissing and the Bay of Quinte, a day on the water with him is time well spent. He practices his multi-species teaching throughout the ice and open-water seasons.

Based in: Barrie

Wood Angling

Miles Wood guides for smallmouth bass, northern pike, perch and carp on Lake Simcoe. Experience some of the best fishing in Southern Ontario aboard a multi-species boat, equipped with live imaging.

Based in: Innisfil

Smooth River Guiding Co.

Matt Martin is a fly fishing guide working the flowing waters of Lake Huron and Lake Ontario tributaries. Novice anglers will experience a steep learning curve when fly casting with Martin, whether it’s for brown trout, smallmouth bass or even warm water species like carp.

Based in: Midland

Sea Gal Fishing Charters

Craig Hall starts the trolling season in southern Lake Huron, catching Chinook and Coho salmon, as well as lake trout, before moving to Lake Erie’s central basin in mid-June to target trophy walleye and steelhead.

Based in: Port Franks, Erieau

Copper Blues Fishing Charters

Dave Boon guides on lower Lake Huron from spring to fall for Chinook and Coho salmon, rainbow, brown and lake trout as well as walleye. He transports his 21-foot boat by trailer to explore other angling destinations, such as the St. Clair River.

Based in: Kettle Point

Drifter2 Charters

Jim Fleming’s guests focus on the giant schools of perch in western Lake Erie through spring before moving to Lake St. Clair to target muskie from summer to fall.

Based in: Leamington, Tilbury

Rampage Sport Fishing Charters

Terry Van DeWauwer concentrates on the incredible muskie fishing in Lake St. Clair. These predators average over 100 centimetres.

Based in: Lighthouse Cove

We Pound’Em Sport Fishing

Ryan Hare’s clients chase Lake Ontario steelhead, Chinook and Coho salmon aboard a comfortable 33-foot charter boat within sight of downtown Toronto. If guests don’t catch fish, the next Toronto charter trip is free.

Based in: Toronto

Kings Landing Sportfishing

Capt. Marc Kulak is an accomplished tournament angler whose goal is to put his clients on their fish of a lifetime. Specializing in trolling for coho and chinook salmon, he also targets other species, including all the trout species. Offering half-day, full-day and evening charters, he welcomes all anglers six and above to join him on his state-of-the-art sportfisher boat out of Bluffer’s Park.

Based in: Scarborough

Kings on the Run

Ian Britton has been in the charter business for over 10 years. He specializes in targeting trophy chinook salmon and offers guide service all season long, and is constantly on the water chasing Lake Ontario trophy salmon. Fully equipped, anglers need only bring snacks, sunscreen, a valid Ontario fishing license and a desire to land a trophy fish of a lifetime.

Based in: Scarborough

Square Tail Charters

Captain Ed Sheldrake has been guiding for over 20 years and specializes in trophy salmon and trout fishing. His goal is for anglers to leave having an exceptional on-water experience.

Based in: Port Credit

Niagara Fishing Adventures

Captain Aldo Nava logs 30 years of angling experience and now calls the big water of the Niagara River and Lake Ontario his home water. He guides clients throughout the year, fishing Lake Ontario from April to October for salmon and trout, then switches to the Niagara River from October to March, targeting lake-run rainbow trout.

Based in: Niagara Region

Bay of Quinte Charters

Scott Walcott is squarely focused on the walleye of the famous Bay of Quinte from early spring into June before switching gears to target Lake Ontario’s Chinook salmon through summer. October marks a return to the Bay of Quinte for trophy walleye.

Based in: Picton

Ottawa River Muskie Factory

Anglers choose from the all-star guiding team of John Anderson, Michael Kadoura and Lisa Goodier, who are all adept at connecting with the muskies that swim the Ottawa, St. Lawrence and Rideau rivers.

Based in: Plantagenet

Ottawa River Fishing

Yannick Loranger is a multi-species guide specializing in walleye, pike and muskie fishing on the Ottawa River through open water. He rents ice fishing bungalows that accommodate up to six guests throughout the winter and has a particular appreciation for the combative, plentiful and kid-friendly channel catfish.

Based in: Rockland

RJnBirdees Outdoor Adventures

Rob Jackson is a multi-species angler who guides clients to the most popular game fish in the Ottawa River. He also broadens anglers’ horizons by targeting non-traditional fish, such as carp and long-nosed gar.

Based in: Ottawa

Jenkens Guiding Service

Owned and operated by Bill Jenkins, who has spent his entire life on the water with a rod and reel in hand. An experienced musky, bass, pike and walleye angler, he has logged countless hours in the boat while helping his clients land big fish.

Based in: Ottawa

Rising Sun Charters

Jamie Pistilli has been guiding eastern Ontario for years. Specializing in Ottawa River, Rideau River, Madawaska River, St Lawrence River and numerous smaller lakes, his specialties are musky, longnose gar, pike, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and walleye. With many customizable trips, he caters to kids, corporate team-building, and of course, enthusiastic anglers.

Based in: Ottawa

Kingston Sport Fishing

Captain Bob MacMillan has been fishing the Bay of Quinte area for almost two decades. A three-season guide, he specializes in spring Quinte walleye and Lake Ontario lake trout, summer Quinte walleye and fall Lake Ontario northern pike, as well as fall Quinte walleye.

Based in: Bay of Quinte

Ruben on the River

Professional guiding service focusing on shore fishing trips targeting salmon and trout from August through May.

Based in Milton, but provides guiding in Halton, Durham and Niagara Regions. All gear is included.

Based in: Milton

Before you go

Ensure your guided fishing trip is a success with these safety and preparation tips:

• Confirm what equipment and safety gear are included in your trip. Ensure everyone onboard has the correct size of life jackets.
• Be aware of fishing licence requirements, how to get a fishing licence for Canadians and non-residents of Canada and that your group carries the appropriate licence.
• If you plan to fish for longer than a day, you’ll need to purchase an Outdoors Card.
• Wear appropriate clothing for the weather, including polarized sunglasses to reduce bright reflections from the lake, a hat, and proper footwear, such as soft-soled, closed-toe shoes.
• Consider motion sickness medication as a precaution and sunscreen.
• If food and beverages are not supplied, bring sufficient water to stay hydrated.
• Check in advance if you need to bring a cooler and ziplock bags if you plan to take your catch with you.

Guided fishing services combine expert knowledge, tailored experiences and scenic adventures, ensuring an enjoyable and successful outing for anglers of all skill levels in Ontario.