The Best Rivers In Ontario For Trout And Steelhead

The Best Rivers In Ontario For Trout and Steelhead

The best rivers in Ontario for trout and steelhead are located in Southern Ontario. There are also some good rivers along Lake Superior’s north shore.

The best rivers in Ontario are the larger river systems like the Saugeen River, the Nottawasaga River, or the Grand River because these rivers also have many smaller tributaries with lots of opportunities for great fishing.

Although there are hundreds of rivers, I discuss over 30 of the best rivers in Ontario for trout and steelhead.

And, If you keep reading, I’ll reveal some rivers you may not have heard of.

How Do Know What The Best Rivers Are?

Almost all rivers and creeks in Central and Southern Ontario eventually flow to one of the Great Lakes, but it’s the Southern Ontario rivers that have trout, steelhead, and salmon in them.

The best rivers in Ontario are often located in Southern Ontario because they are surrounded by three great lakes.

With Lake Ontario on the northeast side, Lake Erie to the south, Lake Huron to the west, and Georgian Bay to the northwest just about every way you go you will hit one of them. 

Even the tiniest of creeks in Southern Ontario eventually end up in one of the great lakes at some point.

Because the Great Lakes have good populations of steelhead and salmon, most rivers in southern Ontario are likely to have trout, steelhead, and salmon in them.

Some of the best rivers in Ontario will have small and insignificant runs of stray steelhead and salmon while other rivers will have large runs of possibly over 30,000 steelhead and over 10,000 salmon.

Ontario Cold Water Trout Rivers

There are hundreds of rivers and streams in Southern Ontario and to list them all would require pages and pages therefore we will list the main rivers and streams suitable for steelhead fishing.

Since there are hundreds of rivers and creeks in Southern Ontario we are only covering the best of the best rivers and creeks in this article.

There are so many trout rivers that the Ontario Ministry Of Natural Resources said there are at least 150 brown trout rivers in Ontario and the majority are here in Southern Ontario.

The amount of brook trout rivers might be triple that number. That is why we can’t cover them all but, chances are if a small creek or river around you drains into one of the bigger rivers mentioned on this page, it’s very likely that it will have trout and maybe steelhead and salmon in it. 

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Fishing Methods For Fishing The Best Rivers In Ontario

For my in-depth advice and tips on all the methods that I use when guiding and fishing for trout, steelhead, and salmon in Ontario you should check out my newest blog website called www.TroutandSteelhead.net

Float Fishing With Centerpin Reels and Spinning Reels

Many anglers enjoy using Centerpin reels or spinning reels to do float fishing on these rivers.

Float fishing is very productive but only if you know how to do it right, and if you have the right gear and you use the right leaders for float fishing.

Unfortunately, many anglers don’t float fish well and they end up catching nothing except maybe a small fish or two. For my tips and advice on how to float fish effectively check out https://troutandsteelhead.net/float-fishing-for-steelhead/

Fly Fishing

Fly fishing can be very productive and fun in the upper and lower sections of these Ontario Rivers.

Different species will require different setups, different flies, and different tactics. I cover all of that and more on my Fly Fishing Tips and Tactics page – https://troutandsteelhead.net/fly-fishing-for-beginners/

Spin Fishing Ontario Rivers

You can see my favorite trout lures on the Lure Fishing For Trout: Tactics From A Pro River Guide page. See this article on our main website www.troutandsteelhead.net

You can also float fish for trout, steelhead, and salmon, which means drifting a bait under a float.

You can also use the very effective method of bottom bouncing. I provide advanced bottom bouncing techniques and set up on my page Bottom Bouncing – 5 Proven Guide Tips For More Fish – See it at https://troutandsteelhead.net/bottom-bouncing/

Fishing Eastern Lake Ontario Rivers

Some of the best rivers in Ontario are known as the eastern rivers. When I say eastern rivers, I’m referring to rivers east of Toronto to about Trenton. There might be some rivers east of Trenton that get small runs of steelhead and salmon, and some will have trout in them, but the best rivers in the east are from Trenton to Toronto.

Just about all the rivers and creeks in this area have runs of steelhead, salmon, and migratory brown trout, and in the upper parts of the rivers, brook trout and brown trout are also present.

Most steelhead rivers in this area are considered small to medium-sized, with many averaging only 10 to 20 feet wide and an average depth of 2 or 3 feet.

Shelter Valley Creek

There are also brook trout in the upper sections, but both anglers and the landowners on this creek tell me that much of it is private property, including the river bottom.

Shelter Valley Fishing Access

If you plan ahead, you may also be able to pay to access this creek at the Shelter Valley Park and Camp Grounds. Make sure to contact them before you go.

We only included this creek on the list because anglers and clients of ours have asked about it and because it has healthy populations of trout, steelhead, and salmon. However, because it has poor fishing access, this is not one of the best rivers in Ontario to fish unless you have permission to access private property.

Fishing Cobourg Creek

There are runs of big steelhead, salmon each season, and there are also brown trout and brook trout located in the upper sections.

Cobourg Creek is located about 80 minutes east of Toronto. Because of the good access to the lower river and the many species of fish, it is one of the best rivers in Ontario for anglers living in this area.

This river is small, but there are sections suitable for spin fishing with lures or a float. Centerpin fishing and fly fishing are also good on this river.

Fishing Access On Cobourg Creek

• The Cobourg Conservation Area is a great place to start if you want to fish this river and it provides you with a large stretch of both forks.
• Anglers can also target aggressive steelhead and salmon that first enter the lower river by fishing at Peace Park in the town of Cobourg
• Sinclair park also gives anglers access to the river between Peace Park and the Conservation area.

The Ganaraska River

The Ganaraska River also has good populations of brown and brook trout, but unfortunately, much of the upper river where the trout live is private property and heavily posted, so there is very little or no fishing access.

The Ganaraska is one of the best rivers in Ontario for fishing multiple cold-water species.

The mouth area of the Ganny in Port Hope can be a hot spot for anglers looking to hook into fresh runs of salmon and steelhead. This river is also now being stocked with Atlantic salmon, and some decent catches have been reported.

The crowds on the Ganaraska can be very large at times, especially on the weekends, during the salmon runs, or on the opening day of trout season, so be prepared for that.

The Ganaraska River is the biggest trout river in this area, and is a really nice river to fish with its clear water, ripples and runs, and big pools.

I used to fish this river in its prime when it would get runs of over 18,000 steelheads annually.

Ganaraska Fishing Access

The Ganaraska has some decent access at the mouth in the town of Port Hope at East Beach.

Anglers can also access the first rapids area at Riverside Park.

A very popular spot to fish and to view the salmon jumping up the Corbert Dam is at Optimist Park, or you can park right at the dam at The Port Hope Fish Ladder

There is also good access further up the river at the Port Hope Conservation Area or at the Sylvan Glen Conservation area which is closed to fishing on October 1st. (check the fishing regurlations).

This river is heavily enforced by police and OMNR officers, and they charge many anglers for fish limits, trespassing, and littering. I have heard of access being denied in certain areas due to many unethical anglers littering, making excess noise, and causing property damage.

NOTE: as of fall 2024, there are now new fishing regulations for the Ganaraska River. Some of the lower river is now closed to protect vulnerable salmon, and some extended fall fishing is now available. You can see this on the OMNR website.

There is a Live Camara Feed, which shows the migratory steelhead and salmon as they pass through the fish ladder at the dam in Port Hope.

Ganaraska Fishing Methods

The Ganaraska is a decent-sized river that is 25 to 40 feet wide in most places. It can be fished well using many methods. Fly fishing, float fishing, and casting lures are popular and productive for trout, steelhead, and salmon on this river.

Graham Creek Fishing

It’s not clear if the smaller brown trout caught in this river are resident trout or if there are migratory trout but there are some good ones to be caught for the lucky angler.

There is also brook trout in some of the upper sections of Graham Creek and can be a lot of fun on light fly rods and spinning rods.

The mouth of Graham Creek is the most commonly fished area and is located in the town of Newcastle. The creek in this section is slow with lots of wood in the water, but it can be great to fish when the steelhead or salmon are moving in from the lake.

Graham Creek passes through many farmlands, and access is limited due to private property in the upper reaches. Upriver, you may find some coldwater areas with good populations of brook trout, but you may need to ask for permission to access these areas.

This YouTube video will give you a bit of an idea of what lower Graham Creek is like to fish for early spring steelhead. YouTube Video

Fishing Wilmot Creek

There is also the chance for migratory brown trout and Atlantic salmon in the fall.

Most of the fishing on this river occurs in the lower sections of the river at the mouth in Newcastle to Highway 115. There is parking access at the Highway 2 bridge and downriver at Samuel Wilmot Nature Area where you can access the trail system to the river HERE.

This a very cold and clear river with lots of good water for natural reproduction. Some sections are heavily wooded and tough to fish and land fish in. Some of the big log jam pools have big browns and trout all year.

Much of the river above Highway 115 is private property and should not be accessed. For fishing access to some of the upper sections of this river a popular access spot is at Thurne Park Conservation Area.

This is another river that has its issues with overcrowding, littering, and poaching.

Fishing Bowmanville Creek

If you are interested in fishing upper Bowmanville Creek, you can get fishing access at Bowmanville Valley Conservation Area and park at the Jackman Road parking lot.

Check out this link for some good information and pictures.

Bowmanville Creek Fishway Blog – some cool pictures

Fishing Soper Creek

Fishing Oshawa Creek

This river also has brook and brown trout, and it has decent access through the town and in parks like Cedar Valley Conservation or Healing Lodge—Cedar Valley Conservation.

Fishing Duffins Creek

Duffins Creek offers excellent fishing, and the access is really good, which is why I would consider it one of the best rivers in Ontario to fish. Duffins Creek can get good runs of steelhead and salmon, and I have heard of the odd lake trout and Atlantic salmon being caught in this creek.

This is a pretty river that offers good fishing with an extended fall open season near the mouth.

Fishing West Duffins Creek is accessible at Whitevale Park. From here, you can access the Seaton trail, which runs along a good stretch of the river. There’s a dam in the town of Whitevale that prevents migratory species from entering the river, but there are brook trout above the dam. Possible access to the Seaton trail and the river is at Whites Rd, further downstream of Whiteville.

Good fishing access is also available at the Pickering dog park and Seaton trail access off of Concession Road 3. Brock Ridge Community Park off of Brock Street also offers access.

On the east fork of Duffins Creek, there is a long section of the Trans-Canada Trail in the lower section that will give you access or you can try at Devonside Park or from Greenwood Conservation Area.

Fishing The Rouge River

There are sections of the upper river that have good brook trout fishing and maybe a brown trout or two.

Access is good in the lower areas, especially around the Rouge Park area

Southern Lake Ontario Rivers

There are many good rivers on Lake Ontario’s west and south shore.

The South Rivers are the rivers on the southern side of the city of Toronto and run all the way down the coastline to the Niagara River.

These rivers are more urban and are often close to larger cities, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t some of the best rivers in Ontario to fish for trout, steelhead, and salmon.

Although some of these rivers run through cities, many are often set down in a ravine or valley and often still have the look and feel of a wild natural river once you get down to the river to fish.

Some of the western rivers are much larger than the eastern rivers, and access is often good on these rivers.

Fishing The Humber River

The Humber River is a bigger river and is considered one of the best rivers in the Toronto area for fishing.

The Humber River splits into two main rivers, both of which have steelhead, salmon, brook trout, and brown trout and are worth exploring.

Both the East Humber River and the West Humber River are best accessed through the parks and the many trails along the river.

The upper West Humber has good wild brook trout populations, and some nice brown trout mixed in and is much more scenic than the lower river. Most of the best trout fishing occurs upriver of the town of Bolton.

The two downsides to these two branches of the Humber River are what’s known as sinkholes which are often hidden soft clay sections under the gravel. Many anglers have been stuck in these and some of my clients refuse to fish this river anymore because of these sinkholes so I recommend using extreme caution when fishing the Humber River.

Thanks to people eating what they catch combined with the Ministry of Natural Resources lowering or stopping the stocking of brown trout on the upper river, what once was a very good trout river to fish is now a very tough river to catch trout on.

Both the OMNR and the Toronto Conservation Authority need to get their head out of the sand and use modern fish management practices to improve and protect such a great river in an area with so many people.

The upper Humber River is 10 minutes east of Orangeville and has lots of good access points.

Trout may be kept in this river, but we strongly urge all anglers to release their trout to help this fishery grow to its full potential again.

Don River

Just north of the Humber River is the Don River in Don Valley. Most anglers don’t realize that this little river is known to have small runs of steelhead and salmon and receives little fishing pressure.

Etobicoke Creek

Just south of the Humber River is Etobicoke Creek, which also has small sporadic runs of steelhead and salmon.

Most can not access the dam in the golf course, so it’s best to fish the lower sections of the river after rains.

Fishing The Credit River

Once known as the “Crown Jewel of Southern Ontario” the Credit River is one of the largest rivers in the Toronto area and one of the best rivers in Ontario for trout, steelhead, and salmon.

The lower Credit River provides anglers with good opportunities for steelhead and large runs of salmon as well as smallmouth bass.

Migratory species on the lower Credit River can make it all the way to the Norval Dam in the town of Norval, which is just upriver from Hwy 7. Salmon can be found in the river from August to November, and steelhead from September to late May.

Peak salmon runs on the Credit River are from September to late October, and steelhead runs can be good from Early October to December and then again from March to May. 

There are plenty of parks with good fishing access on the lower Credit River. One of the most popular sections is Erindale park which is part of the year-round open section and has good runs of migratory trout and salmon. 

The Credit River has a year-round open section for fishing steelhead from Highway 403 to Lake Ontario. – Always check the fishing regulations before you go fishing in case this has changed

The upper sections have special regulations, so be sure to check the fishing regulations before you go.

Credit River Special Regulations – Credit River and its tributaries – Town of Caledon in Regional Municipality of Peel, Upstream of Old Baseline Road• Only artificial lures may be used• Only one single-pointed barbless hook may be used• Brook Trout, Brown Trout, and Rainbow Trou must be released – NO KEEP ZONE.

They guide the upper and lower sections of the Credit River, and they can put you in front of some of the biggest fish in the river and teach you how to catch them.

You can watch them in action fishing for Credit River Brown Trout- HERE, or watch them fishing for steelhead on the lower Credit River – HERE

Fishing 16 Mile Creek

This is also a little-known smallmouth bass fishery that can be excellent in the lower river once the season opens.

Carp fishing can also be good down near the mouth of the river. Access is good with trails and parks all along the river for those looking to explore this river.

Fishing Bronte Creek

The mouth of Bronte Creek is in the town of Bronte, which is set between Oakville and Burlington. Bronte Creek has very good access and has an extended open season section in the fall until December 31st.

Petro Park near the mouth up through Bronte Valley and throughout the Bronte Creek Provincial Park, which is where this salmon was caught has great access and is popular with anglers. Much of the lower Bronte Creek is in a deep scenic valley so be prepared to hill climb, but once you are down in the river, you would never know you are surrounded by big cities. 

Further up the river in Lowville park is large 30-foot waterfalls that prevent the migration of migratory species.

In the upper sections of this river, there are brook and brown trout, and it’s well worth trying to catch them.

Check the fishing regulations for extended seasons on Bronte Creek Before you go fishing there.

Southern Lake Ontario Rivers

Many of these rivers have waterfalls, which limit salmon and steelhead’s access to good spawning grounds. Some of these creeks may have brook trout in the headwaters sections.

Some of the more notable creeks in the areas that are worth trying are Grindstone Creek, Forty Mile Creek, and Port Dalhousie.

Port Dalhousie is popular for spring steelhead and migratory brown trout. If you want to know more about Great Lakes migratory browns, check out this article. https://troutandsteelhead.net/great-lakes-brown-trout/

Fishing The Niagara River

The Niagara River is the biggest river south of Toronto and, to some, it’s the best river in Ontario for fishing.

The Niagara is a huge river, more like a moving lake and it has huge runs of steelhead, salmon, migratory brown trout, lake trout, and warm water species like bass, pike, walleye, and musky.

There are several good guide services on this river, both on the Canadian and USA sides.

Most anglers fish the Niagara River in the area known as the whirlpool, which is just downriver of Niagara Falls on the Canadian side. Anglers who want to fish the whirlpool will need to climb the crazy big hill on their way back.

Niagara is a huge river that requires extreme caution when wading its banks. The flow, currents, and mini whirlpools can easily drown even the best swimmers.

Check out my article on the Niagara River fishing at https://troutandsteelhead.net/niagara-river-steelhead-fishing/

Georgian Bay Rivers

Georgian Bay has some of the best rivers in Ontario for trout, steelhead, and salmon, but most of the best rivers are on the southern shoreline of Georgian Bay. The northern rivers tend to be warmer and have great bass, pike, walleye, and musky.

Although there is the odd stray salmon or steelhead in some of these more northern rivers, and if you go far enough up the river, you’re likely to find some native brook trout in them, and = the best trout and steelhead rivers of Georgian Bay are between the little town Cold Water in the east to the little town of Wiarton in the west.

Between these two towns, there are about 20 rivers and creeks that get runs of steelhead and salmon. All of these rivers will have brook trout and maybe brown trout in the upper sections.

I would guess that any creek or river in this stretch with any significant flow would get some steelhead or salmon entering them. 

Georgian Bay is a massive bay or an extension of Lake Huron. It is so big that driving from the furthest southern point to the most northern point takes a few hours or more. Much of northern Georgian Bay and the rivers in the northern part of the bay, north of Port Severn are warm river systems and are not worth fishing for cold water species.

The Nottawasaga River

Some anglers love this river but many hate it. Much of this river is private property and can’t be accessed and the parts that can be accessed in the middle and lower sections are slow, flat muddy, and full of logs and sticks.

This makes reading the water, finding fish, and catching fish very difficult for most anglers and many give up to go fish more trout-like rivers. Walking along this heavily wooded river can also be very difficult.

The river bottom on much of the lower section of river is mud or sand which often keeps it from being very clear. Because a lot of the bottom is sand, walking and wading this river can be very difficult and dangerous. Many areas can be 6 feet deep only 2 feet from shore and with poor visibility is easy to make one bad step and end up swimming.

In fact, the lower 75 km of this river can have any of those species and it’s this lower 75 km where the bulk of the access and fishing takes place.

The majority of this 75 km section from the mouth of the Boyne River in Alliston to Georgian Bay has a year-round open section on trout and steelhead, but check the official fishing regulations before you go just in case that has recently been changed.

The upper stretch of the Nottawasaga River, which is the section upriver of the town of Alliston to Orangeville might be another 40 or 50 km of windy forested and wooded river. This upper section of the Nottawasaga is more trout-like with clear water and gravel bottom but it is also mostly private property.

If the river conditions are good, the Nottawasaga River offers Steelhead fishing from early September to the end of May with peak times being mid-October to late December and then again in late April and early May.

If you are looking for the best guide service on the Nottawasaga river you won’t find better guides than the guides at A Perfect Drift Guide Company which is based at the headwaters of the Nottawasaga River in the town of Orangeville.

Many anglers have noticed these wild steelhead of the Nottawasaga fight far better than in other rivers in Ontario which is likely due to the genetic strains and the fact this river has never been stocked with steelhead.

A Perfect Drift Guide Company does a lot of guided trips on this river and can show you how to find fish consistently in this type of water and show you how to fish it effectively.

The slower deeper water of this river is really good water for anglers who like to Centerpin float fish and for anglers that like to use lures.

Aside from some faster water near the mouth that is good for fly fishing and Spey fishing, this is not the best section of the river to fish with a fly rod unless you know how to fish flat water.

There are a few faster water sections up the river that are great for fly anglers but they are few and far between and are very short sections between the slower deeper waters. Most of these faster sections are on private property and can’t be accessed by foot.

The majority of the river downstream from the town of Alliston is private property so access is limited but there are some access areas in the parks and forest areas. Anglers should be aware that the town of Essa requires all anglers to have a special fishing pass on their lands and parks.

Anglers fishing without the pass may be charged with trespassing. Good access for anglers without a pass can be had in the mouth area near Wasaga Beach.

There is now a special NO KILL section for steelhead/rainbow trout between Angus and Alliston so all anglers MUST now release their steelhead (see MNR regulations for details). Local anglers have been known to report anglers not abiding by this law.

Due to issues with the baitfish in Georgian Bay, the salmon that enter the Nottawasaga River and most Georgian Bay rivers are on the small side averaging around 10 to 15 pounds. These are small in comparison to Lake Ontario salmon which can average 20 to 30 pounds.

Clients of A Perfect Drift Guide Company have had multiple big fish days with salmon and some steelhead mixed-in in the month of September.

Anglers can have some pretty good salmon fishing in early October but if you want a guided trip for salmon these dates book up fast so don’t hesitate.

Fishing The Upper Nottawasaga River

This upper area has some of the nicest stretches of river in Southern Ontario flowing through the scenic Hockley Valley, but unfortunately, there is almost NO public access through this entire stretch. If the upper river was more accessible to fishing this would be one of the best rivers in Ontario for trout, steelhead, and salmon.

There used to be few sections of river that landowners would let people in to fish but thanks to ignorant anglers littering, camping, and abusing their properties they have all been closed down.

Unless you have permission to enter a property, 95% of the upper river is all posted “No Trespassing” and it is enforced.

There is a section up in the Hockley Valley Nature Reserve that gives anglers a small area to fish but this stretch of river can be very difficult to fish because it is small fast water or is full of trees and logs crossing the river.

There may be a few active bed and breakfast places along the river that might be a good way to pay, stay and fish along their private sections of rivers.

The upper river is great spawning grounds for steelhead, salmon, and trout with lots of gravel beds and cool summertime water temperatures.

There are brook trout and brown trout in the upper reaches and in the small creeks that enter this section. The upper river branches off a few times into smaller forks and fishing can be difficult and again with literally zero access. 

The hatches along the whole river can be very good and the fish can become active during these times.

Fishing The Boyne River

The Boyne River can be fun with smaller rods and flies. The Boyne can have huge hatches with non-stop action with the smaller resident fish and the baby steelhead for the dry fly anglers as well.

May and June can be good a good time to fish the Boyne river, but if it’s a hot dry summer July and August can be very low water and is not worth fishing.

This could be considered a technical river with lots of bush and rocks and log jams and it can be tough wading for some guys.

Access can be good through a couple of different park areas along the river between the town of Alliston where it enters the Nottawasaga river and the upper sections near the town of Shelburne.

Like many of the best rivers in Ontario, the Boyne River is suffering from low fish populations. Although there are some bigger resident brown trout and brook trout in the river they are few and far between which is thanks to anglers that keep the bigger resident fish.

The steelhead and salmon numbers are also way down which is also believed to be from anglers taking fish either before they enter the Boyne river or once they enter the river.

The Boyne River has great potential to be one of the best rivers in Ontario for both resident trout and for steelhead which is why I highly recommend and that you please release your fish and help make this a great fishery again.

Be careful what you read on the Boyne river because there is another Boyne river near Flesherton and another Boyne river in Michigan.

Fishing The Pine River

The upper Pine river normally runs very clear but the lower Pine river starts to go sandy and the clarity can change to a more green milky color especially during high water.

The Pine River is likely the best tributary of the Nottawasaga for reproducing steelhead and salmon because of its high water quality.

The Pine River also gets a good early run of salmon and steelhead in September but it’s hard to fish because the river is mostly private property.

The Pine River is also difficult to fish due to a large number of log jams, lots of overhead bush, and shallow water.

There some big brown trout and big brook trout in this river, but again, due to anglers keeping fish they are few a far between. Access to this river is tough due to it being mostly private property but there are some park areas near Anus that anglers can fish. Please practice catch and release to help grow this fishery into a great one.

Fishing The Mad River

The rainbow trout that you catch in this river are likely steelhead.

May and June are the best times to fish this river in the few accessible areas that are available to anglers around the Creemore Area or at the Conservation Area in the little town of Avening.

These rivers are often fast-flowing fun rivers to fish but they can get extremely low during the months of July to September. Please practice catch and release to preserve the good fishing. The main tributary of the Mad River is the Noisy River.

Fishing The Noisy River

It’s best fished in the spring when there is good flow otherwise it can get very shallow in the later summer months.

This is a small river suitable for fly fishing and spin fishing but Centerpin anglers will struggle since there are not many big pools to fish.

Fishing The Beaver River

Combined with some awesome scenery, good fishing and good access make the Beaver River one of the best rivers in Ontario to fish and it’s a favorite of many anglers.

The Beaver River is a great river to fly fish but it’s not just for the fly guys. The beaver river is also a great river to fish with a float rod or to throw lures in.

Much of the upper Beaver river is private property which allows the fish to do well with little pressure from anglers.

The Beaver River is best fished from May until the end of June when the water flows and temperatures are good.

Some of the brown trout and brook trout sections are very technical with lots of wood and forest cover to contend with. The brown trout can be very difficult to catch in the gin-clear water but for the persistent angler, the rewards can be worth it.

The biggest brown trout reported from this river in 2011 was 8lbs which was caught on a fly.

Steelheading in the lower sections can be some of the best steelhead fishing in the area and this lower section is good to fish with a fly rod, a float rod, or spinning reel.

Up to 30 steelhead a day on a fly rod is possible when the runs are at their peak in the spring but it can also get very busy, especially in the lower section below the dams. You can access this river at the mouth in town or at the Clendenan Conservation area.

A Perfect Drift Guide Company offers drift boat trips and walk trips on this river for steelhead, resident brown trout, and resident rainbow trout in late April, May, and June and walk and wade trips are also available in the upper sections throughout the summer and in September.

Fishing The Bighead River

Some sections are also big enough to swing a fly with a Spey rod or are great for Centerpin Fishing.

The scenery on the Bihgead river down in Beautiful Joe Park looks like some of the BC rivers that I fished. The access to this river is very good in the lower section near town which makes the Bighead River one of the best rivers in Ontario for steelhead fishing.

This river is located just east of Owen Sound and flows into Georgian Bay in the town Of Meaford. There are brook trout and brown trout in the upper sections but due to lots of private property and very little accessible water, not many anglers target them.

A Perfect Drift Guide Company Guides this river for steelhead from October to December by foot or by boat and then again in late April and May.

Fishing the Sydenham River

The Sydenham River also has special regulations applied to the river upriver of the dam and it does not open to anglers until June 1st.

It’s best to check the regulations under exceptions in zone 16 for clarification on the rules of this river.

A good starting point on this river would either be right in the town below the first dam for steelhead or try below Inglis Falls Conservation area. You can access the lower and upper river through Inglis Falls Conservation area. 

Other creeks on Georgian Bay worth checking out include, Coldwater Creek, Sturgeon River, Hogs River, Indian Brook, Batteaux Creek, and Colpoys Creek in Wiarton.

Fishing Lake Huron Rivers

Most lake Lake Huron rivers are cold clean rivers with good runs of steelhead and salmon and most should have brook trout and maybe brown trout in the upper sections.

There are dozens small to large rivers along the Lake Huron shoreline which some call Ontario’s West Coast. We are going to cover the primary rivers here and may add more rivers in the future.

Fishing Sauble River

Many years ago the Sauble River was also known for its Migratory brown trout fishing in the fall.

Just above the falls, the Sauble River splits into two rivers with the bigger one called the Ranking river. Steelhead and salmon can be caught in both of these rivers when they are running.

For the adventurous anglers, there are some good brook trout water in the upper Sauble river and the Upper Rankin River and a few of the tributaries that enter these rivers. In fact, most of the small creeks in this area have good brook trout fishing.

The Sauble River is also known for it’s pike and bass fishing during the summer months.

Fishing The Saugeen River

The Saugeen River is well known for its steelhead runs which some year have been over 30,000 steelhead, but it does get some salmon in the fall and it has good fishing for resident smallmouth bass, musky, and pike.

The upper sections of the main Saugeen and most or all of its tributaries have resident brook trout, brown trout, and even some rainbow trout.

Some of the tributaries of the Saugeen river could be considered some of the best rivers in Ontario for trout.

Some of the more notable tributaries of the Saugeen river are the Beatty Saugeen River, The Rocky Saugeen River, the South Saugeen River, Teeswater river, the North Saugeen River.

There are other smaller creeks and rivers the end up in the main Saugeen river that are worth fishing.

There is good access at the mouth, as well as access at Saugeen Bluffs Provincial park, and in Walkerton.

Most steelheaders focus on the river below the Walkerton Dam, through Paisley, and below Denny’s Dam close to South Hampton.

The Saugeen River has an extended fall season section, and it also has a year-round season below Denny’s dam. Check the Ontario fishing regulations for more details.

The Saugeen River flows into Lake Huron in South Hampton and is a very large size river at the mouth.

The Saugeen River is probably the nicest river I’ve seen for brown trout, brook trout, and resident rainbows and all that fishing takes place up river of the town of Hanover and in the many tributaries. The Saugeen River is also a favorite for many canoeists and in One of the best rivers in Ontario for drift boat fishing.

The steelhead section of the Saugeen River is about 2.5 hours drive from Toronto but can be worth the drive. The distance from the city keeps the crowds away.

The Saugeen river offers fast rapids, long slow meadow sections, deep pools and good hatches. This is a river that will challenge any angler but its sheer beauty and the potential for huge brown trout is something you don’t want to miss.

It’s a big river in comparison to rivers like the Credit River, Beaver River, or the Humber River, and it’s one of the biggest rivers in Ontario that offers brown trout, brook trout, and rainbow trout in the same sections.

In the lower Saugeen River, anglers have opportunities to fish for steelhead, salmon, bass, pike, and musky in pretty good numbers.

Steelhead fishing on the Saugeen River is best in late October, November, and December, and can be caught all winter if the water is open below Denny’s dam. Anglers can catch steelhead all winter below Denny’s dam. When the spring runs of steelhead come in, it can be good until the end of May.

Fishing The Maitland River

It’s also a well liked river by Spey fishing anglers. When there’s lots of flow, it huge river and it can dangerous and intimidating.

The Maitland River is known for its steelhead being bigger and stronger on average than what you would find on other rivers. There are some brook trout that can be found in the many tributaries as well.

Access on this river is good along the many bridges and roads.

This river has extended open sections in the fall and year-round open sections. Check the fishing regulations for more details.

Other Lake Huron Rivers

Nine Mile River – This is a smaller river that gets runs of steelhead and salmon in the fall.

Bayfield River – This is a pretty little river that gets good runs of steelhead and some salmon. It flows into Lake Huron and has an extended fall season worth checking out.

Other Rivers – There are some other smaller rivers and streams flowing into Georgian Bay and Lake Huron for the adventurous angler.

Lake Erie Rivers

Lake Erie is the southern most area of Ontario and it has a few decent rivers for anglers to try.

The two main rivers that anglers should try are Big Creek and the Grand River.

Fishing Big Creek

Big Creek is know as a wooded and tough river to fish but it gets runs of steelhead and has big resident brown trout and brook trout.

Big Creek flows into Lake Erie near Long Point and has an extended season that allows anglers to fish a large section that is open year-round. Check the regulations for detail. Big Creek tends to flat, with a sandy muddy bottom, and is not very clear like most Ontario rivers.

Anglers fishing steelhead and brown trout in this river may need to up-size their leaders to get big fish out of all the logs along the river. This river does not get a lot of fishing pressure and may be a good option to get away from the crowds.

Fishing The Grand River

This lower section does have steelhead but is better known for its warm water fishing. Species like walleye, pike, bass, and musky are found in the lower river from about Brantford down to Lake Erie.

The Grand River has been getting good runs of steelhead and the runs seem to be getting better now that some of the dams near Cambridge have deteriorated enough that the steelhead can access some good spawning grounds. This river is becoming one of the best rivers in Ontario for steelhead.

There is limited to no salmon in the Grand river but there are resident brown trout and rainbow trout in the areas around the town of Paris.

Some of the tributaries of the Grand River will have good brook trout and brown trout and maybe steelhead. Some of the better rivers and creeks that flow into the Grand rivers are Whiteman’s Creek, Speed River, Eramosa River, and the Conestoga River. You are likely to find good brook trout fishing in the upper sections of those rivers and possibly some brown trout and rainbow trout in some.

The Grand River near Fergus is said to be the best tail-water brown trout fishery in Eastern North America and is arguably the most popular fly fishing destination in Ontario.

Regardless of the fishing pressure on the Grand River near Fergus, there are always un-crowded sections that have lots of big, scrappy, and numerous brown trout over 14″. Brown trout in the 25″ to 27″ size are caught every season.

10 to 50 trout a day is not uncommon and days of multiple brown trout over 20 inches is very possible. This tailwater section has about 30 km of accessible brown trout water to fish and is mainly a walk and wade section. 

Special regulations apply on most of the trout water section. – it’s mostly a No Kill on all trout, single barbless hook only, and no organic bait is permitted in many sections here.

There is also some very good bass and pike fishing in this section of the river for anglers interested in fishing during the hotter summer months.

Some of the upper an middle sections of the Grand River can produce dozens of bass a day. Pending water levels

Regardless of the fishing pressure on the Grand river there are always un-crowded sections that have lots of big, scrappy and numerous brown trout over 14″ and browns in the 25″ to 27″ size are caught every season.

10 to 50 trout a day is not uncommon and days of multiple brown trout over 20 inches is very possible. The guides at A Perfect Drift Guide Company are known to put their clients onto multiple big browns in a day and they claim that some days over 5 brown trout over 20 inches end up in their nets.

This tailwater section has about 30 km of accessible brown trout water to fish and is mainly a walk and wade section. 

Special regulations apply on most of the trout water section. – it’s mostly a No Kill on all trout, single barbless hook only and no organic bait is permitted in many sections here. There is also some very good bass and pike fishing in this section of the river for anglers interested fishing during the hotter summer months.

Some of the upper and middle sections of the grand can produce dozens of bass a day. Pending water levels A Perfect Drift Guide Company can guide you in these sections by foot or by boat.

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