Fishing The Saugeen River: A Guides Perspective
The Saugeen River is one of Ontario’s premier river systems, renowned for its beauty and exceptional fishing opportunities. It’s a personal favorite of mine, and I have spent thousands of days fishing it and guiding it for trout, steelhead, salmon, bass, pike, and musky.
It is particularly for drifting by drift boat, canoe, or pontoon boots.
The upper sections of the river below the town of Durham have great trout water, often over 50 feet wide below the tributary of the Rocky Saugeen, which is teeming with brown trout, brook trout, and resident rainbow trout.
Unlike many of Ontario’s trout streams which tend to be much smaller, the Saugeen offers a uniquely large and diverse habitat for these species and some fantastic scenery.
For this reason, there have been some great fly-fishing shows filmed on this upper section of the river.
The lower half of the river is equally impressive, with waters exceeding 100 feet in width, featuring deep pools, fast runs, and a variety of species such as steelhead, salmon, bass, and musky.
While this lower section is busier with anglers, it remains a must-visit for anyone seeking action-packed fishing, especially for steelhead and smallmouth bass.
Located about an hour’s drive from my hometown of Orangeville and Guelph or 2.5 hours from the GTA and Toronto, the Saugeen’s trout sections are far enough from urban centers to keep crowds low.
Meanwhile, the lower river, approximately three hours from Toronto, draws plenty of local and visiting anglers, especially during peak steelhead seasons.
This river truly has something for everyone, from challenging rapids and serene meadow stretches to deep pools and excellent insect hatches in the spring and early summer.
For those who love a challenge, the Saugeen’s unmatched beauty and the potential for trophy-sized brown, brook, and rainbow trout make it unforgettable.
There are also designated canoe routes with good put-in and pullout access with steps or rough boat launches.
Fishing Saugeen River Trout
As you journey upstream into the trout section, the river narrows, taking on a more intimate character, similar to the nearby Credit, Beaver, or Humber Rivers.
These upper sections, averaging 15 to 25 feet in width, are home to some of Ontario’s largest trout.
Brown trout here can reach up to 30 inches, but catching them requires patience and skill.
Historically, local fishing clubs and the OMNR (Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources) have collaborated to stock the river with brown and rainbow trout, conduct stream restorations, and install incubation boxes to bolster trout populations.
These efforts have paid off, with consistent stocking near Hanover continuing to enhance the brown trout fishery. I prefer to fly fish in this section, however, float fishing with bait like worms, or using spinner gear and lures can be excellent.
Large streamers and nymphs are great when the trout are not rising but this river gets great hatches during the summer and the dry fly fishing can be fantastic.
If you can time the large stonefly and Mayfly hatches you have a shot at huge trout on the surface.
Some of the largest brown trout up to 30 inches that I have seen and hooked come on 3 to 5 inch streamer flies.
The trout season starts on the 4th Saturday in May and is closed on October 1st. (check regulations to confirm)
Access to the river is mixed. There are conservation areas along the river where you can try.
Above the damn in Durham is mostly brook trout, however, there are some brown trout mixed in.
I have had plenty of days where 20 to 40 brook trout between 6 and 12 inches have been caught.
Fishing The Lower Saugeen
Most of the trout fishing is from the dam in Hanover up to the headwater.
The lower Saugeen starts around the town of Walkerton. This is where the river widens and warms up a little too much for summertime resident brown trout.
But, the fishing in this lower section all the way to Lake Huron can be fantastic for other species.
The lower river offers diverse angling opportunities for species such as steelhead, salmon, bass, pike, musky, carp, and catfish.
Summer brings excellent fishing for smallmouth bass, pike, and musky from Walkerton downstream.
Pike over 20 pounds are possible, and musky over 54 inches are also possible. Pike and musky are found mostly in the slower deeper pools and flat water sections. Using spinners and crankbaits has been the most productive for me, but this river is well known for fly fishing for musky.
While steelhead arrive in October and remain in good numbers through December, the spring runs of steelhead will sometimes see steelhead staying in the river as late as the end of May.
I have caught steelhead in late May on this river using spring steelhead fishing methods. Late steelhead will sometimes enter the river in early May providing extended fishing for anglers.
It’s been estimated that the Saugeen can host steelhead runs of up to 40,000 fish in some years, with these hard-fighting fish known for their size and strength.
There are year-round and extended fishing opportunities in the lower river.
Sections like Denny’s Dam near Southampton are particularly popular, offering ample room for anglers to pursue steelhead, salmon, and warm-water species. This section is large enough to spread out but it can also get very busy in some sections during the peak fall and spring steelhead runs.
As I write this, the Saugeen River remains open to anglers for fishing certain species until December 31st up to Walkerton, but always check the current regulations.
Guiding on the Saugeen is a passion of mine.
The Saugeen is a great river for spey fishing, float fishing, spin fishing, and fly fishing.
Whether by foot or boat, I especially enjoy drifting the secluded upper sections in a comfortable stand-up pontoon driftboat.
These trips not only provide access to some of the most scenic waters in Ontario but also increase the chances of hooking into one of the river’s legendary brown trout.
Saugeen River Tributaries
The Saugeen’s many tributaries, including the Beatty Saugeen, Rocky, and South Saugeen Rivers, also offer excellent fishing for brook trout and brown trout. You may even find some bass, and pike available, and even some runs of steelhead.
See my article on Fishing the Beatty Saugeen.
Other smaller tributaries like the Styx River can also be good.
However, dams along the main river can limit access for migratory species to certain tributaries, which often feature a mix of cold and warm water habitats.
Fishing Saugeen’s Other Species
Beyond the main game fish like the smallmouth bass, the lower Saugeen hosts a healthy population of catfish, with channel cats averaging 6-8 pounds and occasionally reaching 20 pounds.
Carp, seem to be all over the lower river in the slower water sections, and along the edges of the river.
Carp often exceeding 20 pounds, are most abundant from Walkerton to the river’s mouth.
These species provide unique opportunities for anglers looking to diversify their catches.
