Hey folks, Chris here with your final fishing forecast before trout opener hits Southern Ontario this Saturday, April 26th. The excitement is definitely building, and it’s looking like we’re in for an awesome weekend on the water!
Trout Opener Outlook
We’ve had lots of anglers out scouting the rivers, and the reports have been really encouraging—plenty of fish around, and rivers in solid shape across the board. Water levels are healthy, and temps haven’t been too cold, which sets us up for one of the better openers we’ve seen in recent years.
There is some rain expected Friday evening into Saturday, which might slow down bug activity on opening morning. But Sunday is looking sunnier, so if you’re fishing into the weekend, keep an eye out for hatches—Blue-Winged Olives and Hendricksons will be the two main ones to watch for.
If you’re not seeing bugs, don’t worry—there are still lots of fish to be caught.
What to Fish
Early season is all about the meaty patterns. Fish are looking for high-calorie meals, so start with the tried-and-true:
- Egg patterns, especially in yellow to mimic sucker spawn
- Pink worms—don’t be afraid to go big, especially if water levels are up
- Nymphs—large or small depending on clarity
- Streamers, make sure to fish them a little slower in cool water
Water is still on the cooler side, so focus on fishing methodically and deep. Fish might not move far to eat, so make sure you’re getting your flies right in front of them. Bring extra split shot or sink tips to get your flies down into the zone.
Steelhead Update
Steelhead fishing continues to be strong. All of our rivers are carrying plenty of water—some may even be a bit on the high side following this week’s rain. Rainfall on Friday night might push some of our larger rivers, like the Saugeen or Maitland, into less ideal shape for Saturday (although that forecast keeps changing and as of the time we're writing this it looks like less rain than originally predicted). That said, not all regions will see the same rain, so there will definitely be fishable water out there.
Pro tip: If you're heading for a big system, have a smaller backup river in mind. Most of our big rivers are next to a small-to-mid-sized system, and having that plan B could make all the difference.
Final Thoughts
We’ve been walking rivers and have friends out scouting as well—there are fish around and the rivers are looking great overall. We’re anticipating a really solid start to the season. As always, if you need advice on where to go or what to fish, don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re happy to help get you dialed in.
We hope to see you on the water this Saturday. Good luck out there—and have an awesome opener!
