There’s always a fat Brook trout or wild Arctic char or a feisty landlocked salmon lurking under the surface in Newfoundland and Labrador waters. They’re here in Newfoundland and Labrador, the last great fishing wilderness on the North American continent. This is the land of the big fish – where anglers routinely catch and release two to five pound Brook trout in search of the seven or eight pounds or larger trophy. That’s why so many anglers call it the best wild brook trout fishing on the planet. These wild Brookies will get your heart pounding as they send your reel spinning. Come stand in our cool, clear waters and wait for the big one. Awaken your senses to the thrill of the catch.

For a list of Brook Trout Outfitters click here.

Newfoundland and Labrador has over 60% of North America’s best Atlantic salmon Rivers, with some having annual runs in excess of 30,000 fish. There are over 200 known wild Atlantic salmon Rivers in Newfoundland and Labrador, including some of the world’s greatest, like the Humber, Exploits, Gander and Eagle rivers. Fed by the cold Labrador current, you’ll wrestle 100% of the wildest Atlantic salmon. Come test yourself against a real fighter, the wild Atlantic salmon – the most prized game fish in the world. These powerful swimmers migrate up our mighty rivers and leap our rocky falls to reach the spawning grounds where they hatched. Take a deep breath when the salmon takes the fly. You’re in for a battle of skill against pure instinct.

For a list of Atlantic Salmon Outfitters click here.

A northern cousin of the Brook trout, Arctic char are not found near populated areas and few anglers have experienced the fight of this silver swimmer. Arctic char may live 10 or more years and may achieve weights up to 15 pounds or more. It has been rumored that the Arctic char of Labrador may even break the record for the largest wild Arctic char, recorded at 26.86 pounds. The pure and pristine waters of Labrador are a dream come true for anglers who have fished there.

For a list of Arctic Char Outfitters click here.

Labrador is the place where, in 1982, an angler reeled in the largest Landlocked Salmon the world had ever seen. A 10.29 kilograms (22 pounds) “ouananiche” from the Smallwood Reservoir in Central Labrador. Ouananiche is pronounced “win-a-nïche,” and you’ll hear it a great deal. Landlocked salmon are lightening fast swimmers and acrobatic jumpers, providing fast and exciting fly rod sport. Land one of those and you’ll have the fishing story of a lifetime. These fish are real. And they’re right here, in Newfoundland and Labrador.

For a list of Landlocked Salmon Outfitters click here.

Northern pike angling is offered by outfitters in Labrador, where these big, mean fish can grow to between 20 and 30 pounds. If you catch one of these slimy water wolves, don’t use your hands to remove the hook – or the pike might remove your fingers with dog-like teeth in a duck-billed jaw. Use a disgorger or pliers. These freshwater bucking broncos require a good, strong rod that’s five or six feet long, with 10 to 12 pound test line. Ask your outfitter about the best leaders and lures to use, and bring along a net you’d use to land a salmon. Once you hook one, you’re in for a fight. With such a bad temperament, it’s no wonder this opportunistic carnivore is the most widely distributed freshwater fish in the world. Anything that moves – other fish, small birds, small animals, you name it – is on the voracious pike’s menu. It typically lurks in cover and strikes with lightning speed and great strength. But once on your plate, you’ll discover it’s great eating with white, sweet, and flakey flesh. Pike are found in both lakes and rivers throughout western, central, and southern Labrador. They’re rare or non-existent in northern waters, and rare in the southeast area of the Strait of Belle Isle. They can tolerate a wide range of water temperatures and conditions. Consult your outfitter or the Angler’s Guide for season dates and bag limits.

For a list of Northern Pike Outfitters click here.

The sea-run brook trout can be caught in both parts of Newfoundland and Labrador. It’s the same species as the brook trout, but with an oceangoing bent. The sea-run variety becomes silvery with a purple iridescence, and only red spots are visible on its sides, unlike the stay-at-home freshwater cousin which can be olive-green, brown or almost black with blue-ringed red spots and pale spots on its sides. Another way to tell the two apart is to look in the mouth: the sea-run’s will be whitish, while the hang – ashore’s will be darker. Brook trout move downstream to larger bodies of water when water temperatures rise, and will head out to sea to cool off. They don’t migrate like salmon, but stay around the river mouths, sometimes in brackish water. There they’ll eat invertebrates and fish, which is a bit different than those who stay in fresh water, because they’ll eat just about anything that moves and will fit in their mouths, including small mammals. When the freshwater temperatures drop, they move back into the rivers. Sea-run brook trout are the same size and disposition as those who never venture to sea: anglers routinely catch fish in the three to four pound range – after a terrific fight by the fish. This baby’s a real reel-spinner.

For a list of Sea-run Brook Trout Outfitters click here.

The lake trout, or 'laker', is another fish found in Labrador, but not on the island of Newfoundland. It typically measures 15 to 20 inches in length. Its whole body is covered with light coloured spots on a background that can vary from light green to brown or almost black. It is widely distributed naturally in Canada, and has been introduced in other countries. And it can grow big – up to 40 pounds in Labrador – but smaller fish are more numerous. The lake trout is found in both lakes and rivers, but usually only in deeper, cooler lake waters as water temperatures climb. Flies can be used early in the season when surface temperatures are low, but when the upper water layer hits about 50 degrees, the fish heads into cooler water where trolling with spinners is used. Whether you catch it by fly or spinner, upper water layer or lower, this is a delicious, esteemed fish. Its flesh can be white, pink, orange, or orange-red, depending in part on its diet, which can vary from lake to lake. It’s usually eaten fresh, but some people will smoke a few for later consumption. And in the depths of winter, when you see people ice-fishing in Labrador, you can be sure the lake trout is on the wanted list.

For a list of Lake Trout Outfitters click here.

Two types of whitefish, the lake whitefish and the round whitefish, can be caught in Labrador. There are a few angled in Newfoundland, and decades ago there was an attempt to introduce the lake whitefish to the island as a commercial fish. Of the two, the lake whitefish is more widely distributed, both in Labrador and elsewhere, and is the bigger, topping out at 18 inches in length and weighing 1.5 to 6 pounds. The round whitefish, the more coloured of the two, is usually between eight and twelve inches. Since the days of the early European explorers in North America, the lake whitefish has been prized for its fine flavour. A 19th century scientist named Richardson had this to say about it: "Although we cannot verify that one can eat it for months without tiring, we can say from personal experience that a diet of whitefish alone, with no other food, can be eaten for days, without losing its appeal." Round whitefish also taste good, though fewer people have eaten them than the lake whitefish, which has been fished commercially in the Great Lakes and elsewhere in Canada.

For a list of Whitefish Outfitters click here.