With our day to day lives often so busy, it is important to take the time to “get away” and for many, the outdoors is just the place to get lost. One of the best things about being an Outdoors enthusiast in Ontario is that you will never run out of ideas for things to do. Often, you have to learn to make the most of your downtime, and with this in mind Ontario has many destinations and activities that you can immerse yourself into if you do a little research. We can help you with that part, thankfully!
At Outdoor Action Ontario (OAO) we are very fortunate to do what we do. We get to enjoy exciting outdoor activities across the entire province, meeting incredible people and visiting some amazing communities and businesses along the way – all while sharing our exploits with our followers.
One such opportunity arose during the recent 2015 holiday season. Ontario was receiving unseasonably mild weather, meaning that the waning days of 2015 offered some late-season opportunities for those willing to brave the late-season elements for Steelhead in the Ganaraska River in Port Hope, Ontario. With cameras and equipment in tow, OAO President and Founder Ben Martin and Vice-President of Multimedia and Outfitting, DJ McPhail, headed out for a day of action.
Port Hope (http://www.porthope.ca/) is a quaint bedroom community situated on the shores of Lake Ontario off the busy 401 highway, and the particular location we visited was along the Ganaraska River where it spills into the main lake. It is here that Steelhead are known to swim, and for those anglers either lucky or patient enough, tight lines can be had.
Unfortunately for us, extremely windy conditions and a lack of actual true Steelhead equipment due to the last minute nature of the expedition in question, the fishing was tough for OAO. However, this didn’t stop almost 100 other anglers of all ages, ethnicities and backgrounds from coming out that to ply their hand at landing a trophy Steelhead from the waters in and around Port Hope. This is what Ontario is all about.
However, it isn’t just about the fishing when you take time to get outdoors. You can find incredible outdoors photo opportunities, hiking and other activities in and around Port Hope. OAO took the time to venture around Port Hope and it really is a beautiful community. The rocky shorelines of Lake Ontario provided for additional adventure as we braved high wind conditions and falling temperatures to get a few special shots for our followers.
Above: The Ganaraska River as it meanders through Port Hope, Ontario.
The Station Pub restaurant (https://www.facebook.com/stationpubporthope/) located at 20 Ontario Street, provided us with some additional energy reserves after our trek and had great table fare at very reasonable prices.
All in all, it was a great afternoon of adventure in Port Hope. Although the Steelhead fishing here can be superb, it was tough conditions on the day of our visit… Regardless, we made the most of it and Outdoor Action Ontario looks forward to visiting Port Hope again in the spring of 2016.