Looking for some fishing opportunities this summer? Well, it's July and the Fishing Derby is on at the Heart Lake and Glen Haffy Conservation Areas. Our outing took us to the Fishing Derby at Heart Lake, in Brampton, which offers much more than just catching fish. You can make use of their many picnic facilities, spend a relaxing day on the sandy beach or take a leisurely swim in the lake. It's a perfect day outing to break away from hectic schedules and to re-connect with your family!
The Fishing Derby is an annual event at the 2 parks and it's great family fun. You don't need a license to fish so it's the ideal place to teach kids how to fish … and all that cool stuff like casting a line and putting a wriggling worm on the end of a hook. And, if you don't have any gear, you can rent rods and reels, and even buy bait onsite. The lake is well stocked with rainbow trout, small and large mouth bass, catfish and sunfish. The actual fish-rearing facility is located at Glen Haffy, which raises thousands of rainbow trout each year for stocking the ponds at Albion Hills and Heart Lake Conservation Areas. And, during the Derby, if you happen to be one of the lucky ones to catch a tagged fish, you can win a great prize. During our fishing expedition, we caught 13 fish - no tags - and we threw them all back in! Since the kids were fishing just off the docks, the « main catch » were tiny but beautiful sunfish … plenty of amusement but just as much excitement to toss them back in and watch them swim away!
The Fishing Derby is an inexpensive outdoor adventure. In addition to your park admission, angling fees are a nominal $5 per adult and $2.50 per child. With that, you can keep 3 fish at the Heart Lake Location and 2 at the Glen Haffey. PaddleBoat and RowBoat rentals are also available for a very reasonable price. You can discover just how enjoyable fishing and boating are when you do them together! And if the fish aren't biting, you can always try your luck at either park -- same day park admission fees are good for both parks.
So, take in a day of fishing… relax in the sun as you soak in the beauty of nature, far away from the stress of your everyday life. The Fishing Derby is on at Heart Lake from June 26 to July 25 and at Glen Haffy from July 24 to August 2. Hours are from 9 am to 9pm. For more information and for admission prices, visit www.trca.on.ca.
©2004 Toronto4Kids™
