by Garth Pottruff
If looking for steelhead fishing nearby, the Grand River offers a
wilderness setting with
low trip expenses and a
great day adventure. In
mid September the
steelhead trout migrate
up this river from Lake
Erie to the barricading
dam in Paris, Ontario.
From Paris down,
fishermen can experience
some of the best
steelhead fishing in
southern Ontario. The
Grand River has won
numerous conservation
and management awards.
It has almost 200
shoreline miles and is
the largest river in
Southern Ontario. It is
one hour from Toronto or
London with the 401 and
403 highways providing
easy access. This short
traveling distance
allows urban fishermen
to get up in the
morning... spend the day
fishing... and be in
their own beds at night.
Fishermen can choose to
float, fly or spin cast,
with all techniques
offering the chance to
experience a "fish on".
Sunday to Friday is the
best time, because
Saturdays often
experience heavy weekend
canoe/kayak traffic from
paddlers exploring this
unique river. The
combination of swifts
and pools in the Grand
offers the perfect trout
habitation. The average
depth is 2-3 feet, with
deeper pools at eight
feet. The rocky bottom
is a boulder range of
stones... creating
natural steelhead
habitat. The food supply
of minnows and crayfish
make this river a
"steelhead paradise". To
insure healthy fish
populations, this
section from Paris to
Brantford is zoned as
barb-less, bait-less,
catch & release. For
the fly fisherman the
Grand River has lots of
maneuvering space. The
Grand is wide, putting
distance between the
fisherman and snagging
trees. This is an
excellent river to wade,
but private ownership
restricts easy access to
many sections. Chest
waders are recommended
for positioning around
the pools. All fishermen
should use the
waist-belts on the chest
waders when wading...
because a fall in the
fast swifts can quickly
change a great time into
a fatal ending. A
safer way to fish the
Grand is with 14 ft
platform rafts. They are
very similar to a
"clack" boat, but more
stable and quiet. The
platform deck space is
about 64 sq ft allowing
two people to fly fish,
plus guide. The drift
speed of these rafts
offers numerous casting
opportunities and the
elevated platform
position allows a better
vision of the
water-line. Platform
rafts are for fishermen
wishing to cover large
distances with minimum
wading. The Grand River
Rafting Company has
platform rafts available
for guided fishing
trips, but they are not
available for
self-rentals. The
steelhead trout caught
range from 12 to 30
inches in length... and
their weight easily
snaps poorly managed
lines. The spectacular
runs and pole-bending
hurtles makes this
rainbow trout a
sportsman's delight.
Even the casual observer
is amazed at the large
pods of steelhead
sitting on the bottom.
An excellent observation
area for viewing
steelhead pods is along
Whiteman's Creek just
above the Grand River.
This section is now
posted and permission
must be gained from the
Five Oaks Christian
Centre. For fishermen
visiting the Paris
area... accommodations,
restaurants and shops
offer excellent service
and food. Lures,
fly-tying material and
fishing equipment can be
obtained from "Big
Catch" bait & tackle
along the Grand River.
As well, this fishing
shop rents out equipment
and tackle to visitors
wishing to try a day's
fishing. For
accommodation and food,
fishermen can choose
from the beautifully
restored 19th century
Arlington Hotel to the
rustic countryside River
Ridge Bed & Breakfast.
If looking for a
different flavour in
town, dinner at the
southern-style "Camp
31"offers an excellent
taste bud experience.
The Grand is a unique
river... it has all the
amenities nearby within
a wilderness setting. A
fisherman can choose to
float or fly fish...
wade or drift... spend
the day or stay a night.
Whatever the choice,
steelhead fishing on the
Grand River is something
no one should miss.
About the Author Garth Pottruff has grown up in
the Grand River Valley
near Paris, Ontario.
Through the fishery
programs he has seen the
steelhead populations go
from zero to many. Garth
lives on the Grand below
Whiteman's Creek and
offers rustic campsites
for fishermen wishing to
spend some time
exploring the valley.
His goal is for as many
people to discover this
nearby wilderness... and
treat it with respect.
His website:
http://www.grandriverrafting.ca
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