I’m going to break with my standard format of describing locations for fabulous kayak fishing and fly fishing to deal with the world-famous Grand River of southwestern Ontario.  The Grand is one of the classic fishing rivers in southern Ontario and, it is argued by some, in all of Canada.  I’ve fly fished both from my kayak and by wading in many locations on the Grand but this time I’m NOT going to describe them to you.  There is way too much to cover and there’s a much better alternative.

     You could fish every day for a year on the Grand and never have to cover water that you have already fished.  It’s source near the town of Dundalk is not far from Georgian Bay.  From there it continues southward, continuously adding water from it’s four main tributaries, the Conostogo, Eramosa, Speed and Nith rivers, as well as uncountable minor ones.  It finally enters Lake Erie at Port Maitland almost 300 km downstream.  In all, the Grand watershed encompasses over 7,000 sq. km. and also contains dozens of large and small lakes.

     If you are serious about fly fishing or kayak fishing the Grand you need to obtain 2 books, both of which can be ordered from the bookstore on the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) website at http://www.grandriver.ca/Store/store.cfm?id=Books .  They are named “Fishing Grand River Country” and “Paddling The Grand River” and cost $15 and $20 each, respectively.  These books are an indispensible source for essential information to actively fish these waters and you shouldn’t even think of fishing the Grand River without investing in both of them.  Most of southern Ontario is private property but all rivers can be accessed at public access points or at bridge rights-of-way where public highways and roads cross them.  These books will provide you with everything you need to know to safely enjoy fishing on the Grand and keep you out of trouble.  Every access point, every fish species and it seems like every foot of the river is described completely.

     Real time river flow information is also available on the Grand River Conservation Authority website at http://www.grandriver.ca/index/Agreement.cfm?sec=2

     Some interesting facts about the Grand River watershed:

In the photo below Rob is displaying a beautiful, 14″ Grand River rainbow caught
on a dry fly at dusk in mid-June, just upstream from Brantford.

A Grand River Rainbow Trout

Location:  In Oakville, about 20 km west of downtown Toronto via the Gardiner Expressway/Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) freeways.  Take exit #111, Bronte Road, south.  Bronte Creek is also known locally as 12 Mile Creek.

Access:  Travelling south on Bronte Road turn right into the Quality Inn parking lot immediately after passing under the QEW.  Park at the north end in near the gas station in a place where you don’t interfere with either the gas station or hotel’s customers.  Suit up in the parking lot and walk north down the dirt road built right beside Bronte Road to provide access for maintenace crews and equipment working on the QEW overpass over Bronte Rd. and Bronte Creek.  Walk through the bushes about 30 m to the creek.

Fishing method:  Fly fishing – Bronte Creek at this location is too small and shallow for a kayak.

What to expect:  Trout and salmon.

Comments:  The last time I fished this location in the early fall the creek was jammed with huge chinook salmon migrating upstream to spawn and the trout were nowhere to be found.  The salmon would not feed at all so no-one caught a thing but it was magical to stand in knee-deep moving water with hundreds of enormous chinook salmon swimming upstream past our legs.

Location:  Downtown Toronto, east end, The Beaches

Directions:  From either the Gardiner Expressway (eastbound) or the Don Valley Parkway (southbound) go east on Lakeshore Blvd. to Coxwell Street which is the third traffic light.  Turn right on Coxwell into Ashbridge’s Bay Park and stay to the right until you reach the parking lot.  There are two public ramps off the parking lot for launching motor boat but they are available for other types of boats as well.

Fishing method:  Kayak

What to expect:  Pike, bass, walleye, perch – I’ve been told rainbow trout have been landed as well.  Good luck!

Where to go:  Go to your right (north) into the head of the bay right beside Lakeshore Blvd., then continue along the shoreline southbound beside the sewer treatment plant for as far as you like.  Alternatively, go to the left (south) from the ramp and follow the shoreline right into the Ashbridge’s Bay Marina where there is good bass fishing beneath the docks and boats.  If the weather is good continue around the point to the exposed north shore of Lake Ontario for pike but beware, the wind can blow up quickly, strongly and dangerously.

Comments:  Ashbridge’s Bay is one of the most easily accessed fishing spots, certainly in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), and probably anywhere else as well.  The city strongly markets the high water quality in the Beaches area and how efficient the sewer treatment plant is in returning unpolluted water to the lake.  You can take the chance and eat the fish if you like but I won’t.

Location:  In the Fifty Point Conservation Area between Stoney Creek and Grimsby on the Niagara Peninsula.  It’s between the QEW and Lake Ontario.

Directions:  About a 1 hour drive west on the QEW, over the Burlington Skyway, then east on the QEW.  Exit at 50 Point Road (exit 78) and go north.

Access:  Turn right (east)  on the North Service Road, which is the first street north of the QEW, then a couple of hundred metres along take the first left on Base Line Road.  The entrance to the Conservation area is about 1/2 km. along on the left.  There is a check-in booth just inside the gate and sometimes a small fee is required.  Find a parking spot anywhere on the road that circles the pond but obey the parking instruction signs.

Fishing method:  For me, fly fishing from the shore of the pond but spinning gear is allowed as well.

What to expect:  The pond is well stocked with both trout and crappie.

Comments:  The conservation area is recreational in nature with a man-made, stocked pond, a marina, restaurant, coffee shop and playing fields.  It’s also handy to the Niagara Peninsula wine producing district, if that’s an attraction for you.  Lots of hotels, motels and B&B’s in the area and the Casino in nearby Niagara Falls is worth checking out as well.

Location:  Cook’s Bay is the southern part of Lake Simcoe about an hour’s drive north of Toronto.

Directions:  Couldn’t be simpler.  Drive north on Hwy. 400 for about 40 minutes to Hwy. 89 (exit 75).  Turn east for about 10 minutes until you reach the lake.

Access:  Either put in on the beach at the end of Hwy. 89 or drive about 200 metres south and put in on the beach at the end of Gilford Rd.  Each Innisfil Township Concession Road, numbers 1 – 14, terminates to the east at Lake Simcoe and most of them provide public access at this eastern point.  The 4th Line, also known as Killarney Beach Road, terminates at a public government dock and the 8th Line, Innisfil Beach Road, provides access to the beautiful Innisfil Beach Park in the village of Alcona.

Fishing method:  Kayak.

Where to go:  Either paddle straight out from shore (east) and work your way south to the mouth of the Holland River in about 12-18 ft. of water or follow the shoreline south and work the weed beds right around to the mouth of the river.

What to expect:  Bass, pike, perch, carp (in the river mostly)

Comments:  Lake Simcoe is one of the most heavily fished lakes in all of Ontario but still remains a prolific fishery.  Cook’s Bay is shallow and can become very rough, very quickly, when the wind builds up.  Keep a close eye on the weather.  The main part of the lake to the north is also productive for lake trout and whitefish.

Location:  Lake Ontario from the Niagara Peninsula half way between Grimsby and St. Catherines

Directions:  Take the Queen Elizabeth Way westbound from Toronto, bypass Hamilton across the Burlington Skyway then continue easbound on the QEW towards Niagara Falls.  Pass Grimsby and look for the “pirate ship”.

Access:  Take the Jordan Rd. exit #55, just past the pirate ship, turn left (north) on Jordan Rd. then left again on Beacon Blvd. (the North Service Road) past Jordan Harbour Marina about 1/2 km to the west end entrance to the Best Western Hotel parking lot.  Enter the hotel parking lot, continue west off of the pavement to the end and park in the small dirt area.  There’s a path at the west end of the parking space about 15 metres down to the waters edge, inside the breakwall, where you can launch your kayak.

What to expect:  Salmon & pike while trolling offshore by kayak, bass and perch along the shoreline.

Fishing method:  Kayak

Where to go:  Anywhere outside the marina breakwall.

Comments:  This area is exposed to any west, north or east wind so keep a sharp eye on the weather.  If it blows you could consider fishing inside protected Jordan Harbour itself, which is accessed via a canal beside the marina breakwall entrance that goes under the QEW.  Keep an eye out for large, fast boats.