SAULT STE. MARIE -- Sault Ste. Marie residents looking to try out fishing this weekend had their chance with license-free fishing in place.
Father's day weekend is one of four times a year when Ontario allows for fishing without a license and it is always a busy time at the Sault's Chippewa Trading Post.
"Very, very busy this morning, especially with people hitting our fish tackling department," said George Koprash, the owner of the business. "We expect it to remain so throughout the day as well."
With restrictions stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic still in place, including physical distancing measures, Koprash said that fishing is a great hobby to take up.
"There's nothing better than that time out on the lake, to be honest," he said.
One person who is spending most of his time on the water is Adam Vallee, a local angler in the city.
Vallee spent his father's day at the cottage, with none other than his dad.
"There's no better memories than being in a boat with your family, out on the water," he said. "My fondest memory is of a time when it was just dad and I, out on the boat when I was around eight."
Vallee spends most of his time travelling through the United States as a tournament fisher, but is also a full-time guide.
He said that he's looking to take on more local clients saying that due to the border closure, he has felt the pandemic greatly.
"It definitely impacted me quite a bit, that's for sure," he said. "I'm encouraging southern Ontarians to come up and check out the richness that this region has to offer, in terms of this sport and just nature itself."
If you missed free-fishing this weekend, there's still more events to come. Family fishing week in the province runs from July 4 to 12.
