Freshwater Fishing.
The Shand Dam tailwater below Belwood Lake is the headline brown trout fishery on the Grand — a coldwater corridor running south through Fergus, West Montrose, and into Waterloo. The Grand River between Fergus and West Montrose is widely considered the best brown trout fly fishing in Ontario; below Caledonia the river warms and shifts to smallmouth bass, walleye, and pike in the lower watershed.
The brief.
The whole Grand watershed sits within Fisheries Management Zone 16; an Ontario fishing licence is required and the FMZ 16 regulations summary covers seasons and limits for trout, bass, walleye, pike, and muskie. The Shand Dam tailwater carries special-regulation water below Belwood Lake — read the FMZ 16 supplement and the GRCA fishing page for the current season.
Best brown trout months are April through November on the tailwater; warmwater species below Caledonia are best June through October. The Belwood Lake and Conestogo Lake reservoirs add stillwater pike and walleye fishing on the headwaters; both operate on GRCA day-use schedules.
5. places.
- 01
Shand Dam tailwater (Grand below Belwood Lake)
Coldwater fly-fishing tailwater below the Belwood Lake dam at Fergus.
Map ↗ - 02
Grand River Fergus to West Montrose
Premier brown trout corridor through coldwater pools and runs.
Map ↗ - 03
Lower Grand below Caledonia
Warmwater fishery for smallmouth bass, walleye, and pike.
Map ↗ - 04
Belwood Lake
Stillwater fishery on the upper Grand above Shand Dam.
Map ↗ - 05
Conestogo Lake
Stillwater fishery on the Conestogo tributary.
Map ↗
Today's read.
Cool but comfortable for layered effort · light winds.
