Fishing
Located along the shores of Southern Georgian Bay with several inland lakes, rivers and streams - Grey County has many hot spots to catch that big one!
Photo Entry from 2008 Photo Contest
Year Round Favorite Fishin' Spots:
Fishing in the Winter: Weather permitting, ice usually forms in the last two weeks of February and can last until mid to late March. In Owen Sound, the best ice fishing is known to be approximately three miles from the inner harbour on the east shoreline.
Fishing in the Spring: Thompson's Hole in Owen Sound is the hottest spot for salmon fishing starting from ice-out until late June, early July. The only method of reaching the salmon is by slow trolling and downriggers.
Fishing in the Summer: Thompson's Hole is a possible location to catch Chinook Salmon, but as the months continue the pressure begins to shift to the west shore from the mouth of Indian River to Cape Commodore and Squaw Point.
Fishing in the Fall: In the outer bay there are still plenty of Chinook Salmon present until mid-October. There are excellent opportunities for drifting Chinook and Rainbow in the lower stretched of the Pottawatomi and Sydenham Rivers.
Fishing the Harbour Wall: The most popular time to fish off the Owen Sound Harbour Wall is in the late summer and fall when Chinook Salmon are running upstream. The most opportune time of day to catch this type of fish is late in the evening through to early morning. If it is Trout you are interested in, the best time is late in the spring and fall.
Fishing the Beaver River: Along this river, the sport fishing opportunities for rainbow and brown trout are good. There are ample sites for fly fishing along the river's upper reaches.
Fishing the Rankin: For sport fishers, opportunities abound for bass, northern pike, pickerel and perch. There have been improvements to the spawning beds of the lower Rankin River making it a supreme spot for trout and salmon species during their spring and fall spawning times.
Fishing the Saugeen: Upstream from Lake Huron you will find one of Ontario's best chinook salmon and rainbow trout runs. The Saugeen River, consisting of naturally sheltered feeder streams and spring fed lakes, is an angler's haven for large and small mouth bass, brown and book trout, northern pike and muskie.
Helpful Links:
Ministry of Natural Resources - Fishing
Ontario Tourism - Go Fishing
Wilmer Pond Trout Farms
Lochanbec School of Fly Fishing
Ken Chandler Fly Fishing Adventures
Fishing Action Fishing Charters
Fish 'n' Lodge Fishing Charters
Owen Sound Salmon Spectacular Fishing Derby
For more information or directions for these fishing spots, please email us at tourism@visitgrey.ca.
