The Port Hope fish migrations are among Mother Nature's most impressive wonders. Thousands of salmon and trout swim upstream and jump the fish ladder to migrate to their spawning grounds.
Thousands of fish swim against the current to head home
People come every weekend from mid-August to early October to watch the 5,000 to 10,000 chinook and silvery coho salmon swim from Lake Ontario up the Ganaraska River that runs through Port Hope on their way to their home spawning grounds. And as many as 18,000 trout a year make the same journey from late March until early May, or through October until mid-December. Fish fact: The Ganaraska River is one of the healthiest rivers in Ontario, populated almost entirely with wild naturally-reproducing fish.
See the action at Corbett's Dam fish ladder
You can see the pooling stations for fish in the shallow water at various points along the river in town. The best viewing spots are along the river trails downtown and the Ganaraska Fishway, managed by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF). It's more commonly known as the Fish Ladder at Corbett's Dam (the dam is managed by the Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority where an underwater monitoring system lets you watch the fish! It records the number of fish that pass through to travel to their spawning grounds, as well as the species, size and health. Corbett's Dam is located at 4 McKibbon St, Port Hope. Latitude: 43.95117 Longitude: -78.29299
The Ganaraska Fishway has the best vantage point for seeing these fish in action.
You'll see the pooling locations in the shallow water at various points in town.
Take in the beauty of the Ganaraska River while following the fish upstream.
Interested in fishing? Ganaraska River is a popular destination
Here’s the info you need to get your line in the water. Please note that there’s zero tolerance for illegal fishing, so be sure to carry a current fishing licence at all times. If you're looking for a fishing experience for the family, Linwood Acre Trout Farm has pond fishing in a beautiful country setting – and pros on hand to filet your catch!
- The Ganaraska River is in the Fisheries Management Zone 17
- Ontario Fishing Regulations
- Fishing licence for Canadian residents
- Fishing licence for non-Canadian residents
- The River Watch Brochure authored by the Ganaraska River Conservation Authority has important fishing regulation information and a handy map.
- For in-person licence purchases, please visit the Port Hope ServiceOntario office at 58 Queen St.
- Come early! Fishing is prohibited on the Ganaraska River between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. from Aug. 15 to Sept. 30 from the Robertson Street Bridge to the Jocelyn Street Bridge
- No fishing in the Fish Sanctuary from Highway 401 downstream to the south side of the Jocelyn
- Atlantic salmon - catch and release only
- Bass - open from the third Saturday in June to December 15 of each year
- Trout and salmon - open from the fourth Saturday in April to September 30 of each year
- No fishing in the Fish Sanctuary from Highway 401 downstream to the south side of the Jocelyn
The conservation licence has lower limits, but these are the general licence limits:
- 5 trout and salmon combined, but only 2 can be rainbow trout and no Atlantic salmon are permitted
- 6 largemouth and/or smallmouth bass
- 6 pike
Fish illustrations courtesy of Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources. Illustrations by Virgil Beck.
Extraordinary is closer than you think
Historic Port Hope is Ontario's favourite small town.