[athabascae]

Hello. I will be traveling to southern Ontario for work and will possibly have 1-2 free days to fish.

Would anyone be able to tell me which rivers will likely have steelhead available in southwestern Ontario. From internet research I see there are a number of choices: Bronte Creek, and the Niagara, Credit, Nottawasaga, Grand and Maitland rivers as possibilities. Any thoughts on these, or other, rivers. I'll probably try the Credit near Erindale Park for sure, unless advised otherwise. Interested in one day on one of the other rivers, as a sampler, preferably something bigger and more quiet.

Except for the mighty Niagara, which I assume would require a substantial rod (I'd bring a 13'3" 8/9?), will an 11'6" 6/7 with a 390-450 scandi or skagit (or speydicator??) suffice for most of these rivers?

My strong preference is to walk and wade, but I could consider bringing a watermaster, or hiring a guide with a boat for one day.

Please PM me with any advice. Thanks a lot.

Tom

 

[TheWhiteman]

Credit will be pretty busy these days. Will send you a PM

 

[LCH]

Hey Tom, lots of options for you. I'll send you a PM tomorrow with more detail when I have a chance. In the meanwhile, what time frame are you looking at? Some rivers like the Grand and Nottawasaga have early fall runs that are already underway, while others like the Maitland are more flow dependant and often peak in early-mid November unless there is a major blowout to bring them in earlier.

Knowing when you would prefer to come and also what you want out of your fishing would help narrow things down. The steelhead runs on most Ontario rivers are almost entirely 100% wild so a fish a day while swinging is a realistic expectation of a good outing. I can point you to locations and times where you can do better, but the crowd and rubber fish factor starts to increase while the size and 'swingability' of the water starts to decrease. It all depends on what you are looking for.

Larry

 

[athabascae]

Thanks a lot for all the great info I received, including the PMs. The lower Great Lakes seem to have some amazing opportunities. Wow!

I meant to mention that I will likely have a day or two on 1-3 December to fish.

 

[Eamn]

More than just fish?

If you are looking at just catching fish, then there are a few rivers that will be great for that, especially on weekdays (significantly less crowds). The Saugeen River in Southampton would be a great option as it has a heavy stocking program (great for the table). However, it is one of the furthest rivers if you are staying in the GTA.

For wild fish as has been stated, the Maitland is a great river, and has some lovely scenic stretches. This is a great river to fish by boat...

If you want intimate rivers that have lovely scenery, the Bighead is a great option. However, timing of this river can be difficult. But having said that, a large portion of this river will open at that time, which means you can find them if you are willing to cover water.

As for the urban options, the Credit will be busy, but there is some decent water for swinging. The same is true for the Humber (real urban river). This river has some great water, and is often overlooked for swinging flies.

If you plan on fishing the Saugeen, Maitland or Grand, it is best fished with your longer rods, whereas the Bighead, Credit, Humber, and even the Nottawasaga, your switch will be just fine.