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:

  1. log in to your account
  2. go to your order
  3. 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

Valens Lake Conservation Area 
1691 Regional Road 97
Hamilton, Ontario 
N1R 5S7

Christie Lake Conservation Area 
1000 ON-5
Dundas, Ontario 
L9H 5E1

Tall Pines Music and Arts Festival 
Third Street
Gravenhurst, Ontario 
P1P 1M5

Thousand Islands Open 2025 
53 Yonge Street
Kingston, Ontario 
K7M 6G4

Port Colborne Sugarloaf Marina 
3 Marina Drive
Port Colborne, Ontario 
L3K 6C6

Silver Lake Provincial Park 
22726 Highway 7
Maberly, Ontario 
K0H 2B0

Sharbot Lake Provincial Park 
25467 Highway 7
Sharbot, Ontario 
K0H 2P0

Niagara River Fishing Event 
Gonder’s Flats
Across from 2909 Niagara Parkway
Niagara Falls, Ontario

Sibbald Point Provincial Park 
26071 Park Road
Jacksons Point, Ontario 
L0E 1L0

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
A group of individuals across all ages in front of the learn to fish mobile unit

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.