Fishing in Fundy National Park of Canada

Fundy National Park sits on the New Brunswick coast where the Bay of Fundy's tides — among the highest recorded anywhere — shape everything, including what fishing looks like inside park boundaries.

The park covers roughly 207 square kilometres of Acadian forest cut through by rivers and brooks that drain toward the bay, waters that have historically held Atlantic salmon and brook trout. Most of that river system is now closed.

That's the essential fact for anyone planning a fishing trip here: nearly all park waters are off-limits.

The Point Wolfe River, Upper Salmon River, Goose River, Broad River, and the many brooks threading through the backcountry are closed to protect Atlantic salmon — Inner Bay of Fundy salmon are a recovery priority for the park — and small, vulnerable brook trout populations.

Fishing those waters is not a grey area; it's a violation of the Superintendent's notice currently in effect. Two lakes remain open. Bennett Lake is the primary destination, open May 16 to September 15 for brook trout.

Wolfe Lake is open the same season but fly fishing only, catch-and-release, with a zero possession limit — you're fishing to fish, not to keep.

Both lakes are where you'll purchase your national park fishing licence; a provincial New Brunswick licence does not apply inside the park, and fishing without the national park licence is unlawful. A few gear rules are worth knowing before you pack.

Lead tackle under 50 grams is prohibited within 100 metres of park waters. Artificial flies that incorporate weight as an integral part, attach to a sinking line, or have weight added to the hook or line are not permitted in Fundy.

All hooks must be barbless or have barbs pinched flat. Live bait beyond earthworms is out, as are lures with more than two gang hooks. Check current regulations with the park directly — limits and rules can change season to season.

The rivers here tell a conservation story that's still being written. Fishing the two open lakes is quiet, low-pressure water — worth doing on its own terms, not as a consolation prize.