A Brief History of Fishing
Fishing has a long history, at least 7000 years so far. Fishing originated from the ancient, which can be traced back hundreds of thousands of years ago. The ancestors of the Chinese nation lived on fishing. At that time, fishing was considered the primary method for ancient people to make a living.
With the entry into the farming society, food has gradually become self-sufficient. At this time, fishing started transitioning from a survival approach to entertainment culture and entered the cultural field.
"From hill to hill no bird in flight
From path to path no man in sight
A lonely fisherman afloat
Is fishing snow in the lonely boat."
This is the poem "Frosty River" written by Chinese poet Liu Zongyuan in the Tang dynasty, which is approximately 1300 years ago. This poem proves that fishing has been prevalent in ancient times. It seems to be engraved in people's DNA and has become an irreplaceable way to relieve loneliness.
Fishing also plays a vital role in western culture. The best evidence is its frequent appearance in oil painting.
Evening lake view with an old man fishing
——Peder Mork Monsted 1890
My Fishing Story
Hi dear friends! My name is Shawn Huang, an ordinary young man in his mid-20s who has spent the past ten years in Canada and sixteen years in China.
I was not born a keen fisherman. On the contrary, I thought fishing was boring at that time. The memory of fishing came from my father. As far as I can remember, my father always took a bus and went fishing with his friends from time to time. Usually, he started in the morning and came back after dark. Of course, he came home with a bucket full of live fish :D. At that time, I didn't even know the names of those fish, but for young me, it didn't matter. What mattered was that these fish were about to fill my belly. Yes, the fish that my father caught was delicious, and it was a feast for the whole family. However, as for fishing, I thought it was laborious and tedious. It's just a group of people sitting in chairs, waving their arms mechanically. You can tell that I was pretty superficial and inexperienced when I was young. Obviously, I was very wrong about fishing at that time.
Herbert Hoover once said "Fishing is much more than fish. It is the great occasion when we may return to the fine simplicity of our forefathers."I didn't fully understand the meaning of this sentence until my friend encouraged me to go fishing last year. When we arrived at the lake, we were presented with a pure world. There was no hustle and bustle but birds chirping and a beautiful scent of nature. I Immersed myself deeply with the beautiful nature. Forgot everything; let go of everything. My heart was relaxed and clear, and the people around me were easy-going, friendly, and happy. This kind of vibe, this kind of ambience, cannot be found in the complicated life in the metropolis. Whenever a fish bites the hook, my adrenaline will soar. This kind of stimulation is something I can't experience in daily life, and the process of pulling the fish to my side is also thrilling, which is like a fight with the fish. And when I pulled the fish up, I felt proud and accomplished. That's when I knew that fishing would be my lifelong entertainment, and I was addicted to it since then.
Fishing in Ontario
—— "Fishing Paradise"
If you are a fishing fanatic, congratulations! Ontario is the best place you could ever dream of. Ontario is a paradise for anglers. It is a wonderful land intertwined with rivers, lakes, forests, rocks, minerals and fertile farmland. It is a vast province with rich resources. Ontario has about 25,000 lakes and rivers with a total length of more than 100,000 kilometres, bordering four of the Great Lakes, Lake Superior, Lake Huron, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. Ontario means beautiful lakes in Iroquois. Because of its rich lake resources, Ontario's fish species and numbers are pretty amazing.
In other words, Ontario has a unique advantage in freshwater sportfishing, and this advantage is enormous that no other region can match (not to brag). Here, you can catch almost all species of North American fish, especially the very popular ones, which you can find in Ontario's lakes. Such as northern pike, muskies, walleye, largemouth/smallmouth bass, trout, salmon. These fish are pretty sizeable, if you can catch one, you will be happy for a whole day or even a week, and it can also become something to show off with friends. Besides, these big fish are also an excellent choice for cooking. However, I personally do not recommend taking the fish home to eat because I think these fish need to be protected. You know, about 1.2 million people in Ontario purchase fishing licenses each year, which is a considerable number. If each of us brought home the fish we caught for cooking, then the number of fish schools would have dropped significantly, which is something we don't want to see.
——"Fishing All Year Long"
Being able to fish all year round is an absolute luxury, and in Ontario, you can enjoy that luxury. Almost every season, a different fish is opened for anglers to catch. And some fish can be caught all year round, such as yellow perch, crappie, northern pike. We can choose fly fishing and lure fishing from spring to late autumn. In winter, ice fishing is definitely the first choice. There are many lakes in Ontario, so make sure you are safe, then step on the ice sheet of the lake, set up a tent and drill a few small holes, and you will be good to go ;D. However, it should be noted that you must buy a fishing license and abide by the Ontario fishing regulation. For example, don't take more fish than the specified quantity and size home because it's illegal. Suppose you really don't want to buy a fishing license. In that case, it doesn't matter because there are four family fishing opportunities in Ontario every year. You can fish without purchasing a fishing license. They are Ontario family day weekend, mother's Day weekend, father's Day weekend and Canadian national day week.
——My "Go-To" Fishing Spots
Frenchman's Bay
I currently live in Toronto, and one of my favourite fishing spots is Frenchman's Bay East and West park. Frenchman's Bay is a body of water named after François de Salignac de la Mothe-Fénelon in Pickering, Ontario, Canada. In addition to the water flowing from Lake Ontario through the waterway, several creeks flow into Lake Ontario, providing water for the Bay. Pike, Bluegill, Bass, Sunfish and perch are the target fish you want to look for.
Convenience is the main reason why I love this place. If you do not feel like driving long distances, just come here, park your car at East park and take a few steps; you will be good to fish; it is that simple.
If you would like to take extra steps, go to West park's side. There is a dock near the lake, and tons of bluegills and sunfish await. If you are a beginner, definitely come here. You will gain confidence in no time, especially in summer when fish are more active than ever.
The sunset is also stunning in Frenchman's Bay. Even if you "got skunked," the gorgeous nature scene will always cheer you up; it is so therapeutic and warms your soul.
Few Closing Words
To the friends who finished reading my article, I sincerely thank you, as I said, I am just a newbie in fishing, but my love for fishing is limitless. I will continue to post my blog about fishing in Ontario, recommend more fantastic fishing spots and fishing equipment that suits you. I hope this blog will encourage more people to try fishing, and I also want to share my growth as a fisherman with all of you. See you next time!
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