Learn to Fish
The Learn to Fish program is a free program that teaches new anglers how to fish in Ontario.
Overview
Learn to Fish is a free program that teaches new anglers how to fish in Ontario. This fun and engaging 2–hour educational program combines a 1-hour practical teaching session on equipment use, fish species identification, safety and Ontario recreational fishing regulations with 1 hour of supervised hands-on fishing.
The program will teach you how to:
- rig, bait and cast a fishing rod
- identify and catch local fish species
- get a fishing licence and follow fishing regulations
- discover more about fishing in Ontario
- fish safely and sustainably
We provide everything you need, including:
- experienced instructors focused on fish, fun and safety
- fishing rod, reel and bait
- a fishing licence to take part in the Learn to Fish program
- lifejacket and sunglasses
Who can join
Everyone aged 6 and up, including adults, teens and children. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Weather policy
Sessions run rain or shine, except in cases of extreme weather such as thunderstorms or high winds. If a session is cancelled, registered participants will be notified by email in advance.
What to bring
We encourage you to bring:
- sunglasses
- weather-appropriate clothing
- sunscreen
- water
- payment for possible park access or parking fees
- enthusiasm
Event day details
The event location and address are listed on your registration ticket. Upon arrival, follow the Learn to Fish signage to the registration area, where friendly staff will be ready to welcome you.
Learn to Fish 2025 program registration
The Learn to Fish schedule is released annually in early June. Spots are limited and fill up quickly, but cancellations do occur—so check back often if your preferred session is full.
The 2025 program:
- runs from mid-June to late August
- is held 5 days per week
- features 2 to 3 sessions per day from:
- 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
- runs at provincial parks, conservation areas and other public locations across Ontario
You can register for a session at one of our permanent locations or register for our Mobile Learn to Fish Unit which operates on select dates at various locations throughout the summer.
Cancelling or changing tickets
To cancel your tickets:
- log in to your account
- go to your order
- select “cancel order”
You can also use the cancellation link in your confirmation email. To register for a different session, visit availability and book new tickets.
Learn to Fish permanent locations and registration
We recommend you register online in advance. Spots are limited to 30 participants per session. To register for a session at a location, select the link for the month you are registering for.
Ontario Parks
Earl Rowe Provincial Park
4998 Concession Road 7
Alliston, Ontario
L9R 1W1
Emily Provincial Park
797 Emily Park Road
Omemee, Ontario
K0L 2W0
Grundy Lake Provincial Park
ON-522, Unorganized Centre
Parry Sound District, Ontario
Darlington Provincial Park
1600 Darlington Park Road
Bowmanville, Ontario
Toronto and Greater Toronto Area (GTA) locations
Lakefront Promenade Park
155 Waterfront Trail
Mississauga, Ontario
L5E 3G9
(East of the Douglas Kennedy Headlands Playground on the waterfront trail boardwalk.)
Lake Aquitaine (Pre-registration only)
2750 Aquitaine Avenue
Mississauga, Ontario
L5N 3K5
Heart Lake Conservation Park
10818 Heart Lake Road
Brampton, Ontario
L6Z 0B3
Tommy Thompson Park
1 Leslie Street
Toronto, Ontario
M4M 3M2
Mobile Learn to Fish Unit: locations and registration
Our mobile Learn to Fish unit operates throughout the summer at the following locations and dates. Session times vary by location.
To register, select the link for the location you wish to attend.
Bon Echo Provincial Park
16151 Highway 41
Cloyne, Ontario
K0H 1K0
- Wednesday, July 30 mobile registration
- Thursday, July 31 mobile registration
Valens Lake Conservation Area
1691 Regional Road 97
Hamilton, Ontario
N1R 5S7
- Saturday, August 23 mobile registration
Christie Lake Conservation Area
1000 ON-5
Dundas, Ontario
L9H 5E1
- Sunday, August 24 mobile registration
Tall Pines Music and Arts Festival
Third Street
Gravenhurst, Ontario
P1P 1M5
- Friday, July 18 mobile registration
- Saturday, July 19 mobile registration
Thousand Islands Open 2025
53 Yonge Street
Kingston, Ontario
K7M 6G4
- Friday, July 25 mobile registration
- Saturday, July 26 mobile registration
Port Colborne Sugarloaf Marina
3 Marina Drive
Port Colborne, Ontario
L3K 6C6
- Saturday, August 2 mobile registration
- Sunday, August 3 mobile registration
Silver Lake Provincial Park
22726 Highway 7
Maberly, Ontario
K0H 2B0
- Friday, August 8 mobile registration
- Wednesday, August 13 mobile registration
Sharbot Lake Provincial Park
25467 Highway 7
Sharbot, Ontario
K0H 2P0
- Saturday, August 9 mobile registration
- Thursday, August 14 mobile registration
Niagara River Fishing Event
Gonder’s Flats
Across from 2909 Niagara Parkway
Niagara Falls, Ontario
- Saturday, August 16 mobile registration
Sibbald Point Provincial Park
26071 Park Road
Jacksons Point, Ontario
L0E 1L0
- Wednesday, July 23 mobile registration
- Thursday, July 24 mobile registration
- Sunday, July 27 mobile registration
- Friday, August 1 mobile registration
- Wednesday, August 6 mobile registration
- Wednesday, August 20 mobile registration
- Thursday, August 21 mobile registration
- Friday, August 22 mobile registration
Please note that we are no longer able to fulfill requests for Learn to Fish and Fish and Wildlife promotional marketing materials.
Learn to Fish mobile unit
Our mobile unit travels to select events and locations across Ontario to introduce new anglers to recreational fishing.
Have an event you’d like us to attend? Note that we will begin taking requests in March for our 2026 programming.
To submit a request for 2026, please contact us. We will ask you to complete a form to help us learn more about your event. Spots are limited and specific criteria details will be required to be considered and selected. We assess events based on:
- size and location of the event
- if the event fits with the program requirements and goals
- mobile unit availability
Learn to Fish Digital
The digital Learn to Fish program helps you navigate this new world of fishing online. Follow along as we review all the basics of how to fish with videos, quizzes and other resources like our Learn to Fish Guide.
At the end of this program, you will have the knowledge and confidence to fish on your own.
Follow us on social media @FishWildlifeON for more information.