Catch a Smile is the motto of Friends in Sportfishing, a charity founded to provide free boating and "catch and release" fishing experiences to persons with special needs in the Ottawa area.

Since 1996 the organization has hosted thousands of special needs Ottawa and area residents on our unique water excursions: Ottawa youth - many from disadvantaged families, seniors living in term care, many with mobility issues and more recently new immigrants and survivors of gender-based violence.

Our free excursions on Dows Lake and the Rideau River near Long Island (Manotick) introduce our guests to the natural beauty of the area where they experience the therapeutic effects of nature in a setting they would not otherwise be able to access.

Everyone "Catches a Smile" while checking out the marshes for turtles, herons and other wildlife or singing songs or playing "I spy" while on the water.

Each of our 3 wheelchair accessible pontoon boats, can accommodate up to 1200 people each summer.  

Independent evaluation has shown that our guests are overwhelmingly thrilled with the time they spend on the water with us!