Recent Conditions & Weekend Recap
This past weekend saw cold temperatures, strong winds, and lingering snowmelt, but the fishing remained solid across the province. That early week snowfall bumped flows just enough to draw fish in without blowing most rivers out, and many anglers still found willing steelhead in the colder conditions.
Northern systems experienced the biggest swings. Snowpack from last week melted quickly, causing rivers like the Bighead to spike hard before dropping back into shape. Others, such as the Saugeen, are still running on the high side with meltwater filtering through the watershed. Meanwhile, southern Lake Ontario and Lake Erie tributaries didn’t get nearly as much snow, flows bumped slightly, fish pushed in, and everything settled back into lower but very fishable levels.
Despite the chilly weather, fish were indeed around. The cold temps slowed their behaviour slightly, but with this week’s warming trend, that’s already turning around.
Warmer Temperatures = More Active Fish
A key shift this week is the warmup across southern Ontario. As water temperatures rise even a few degrees, steelhead become noticeably more active. Today we already heard from anglers doing very well nymphing on rivers that had dropped back to relatively low flows.
The pattern continues:
- Warm weather + stable flows = active fish
- Natural tones and lighter tippets still excel in clear water
The fish that entered during last week’s bump are now more willing to move and eat
Some anglers over the weekend saw fish that were present but sluggish, classic cold-water lockjaw. That should change heading into this coming weekend, with steelhead becoming more responsive across the board.
What to Expect for the Weekend
We’re looking at a touch of rain leading into the weekend, but nothing major. Forecasted amounts should help hold water levels at great fishing height without pushing things out of shape.
- Northern Rivers: expect continued drops toward excellent levels
- Southern Rivers: likely to stay low and clear, but with very good numbers of fish present
These clearer conditions can make presentations more technical, but absolutely shouldn’t deter anyone, the fish are there, and they’ll eat if you adjust.
Effective Patterns & Presentations
Nymphing:
This is going to be the most consistent method this week, especially in lower water.
Top picks include:
- Egg patterns in whites, light pinks, peaches
- Standard nymphs like hare’s ears, pheasant tails, prince nymphs
- Small woolly buggers (black, white or olive) drifted naturally
Worms can still work well if you find colour in the water, but on clearer southern systems, eggs and small bugs will be the top producers.
Swinging Flies:
If you’re swinging, match your setup to the river you’re on:
- Southern tributaries: light sink tips and unweighted/lightly weighted patterns
- Northern tailwaters & larger Georgian Bay systems: bring moderately heavy tips and bigger flies
Across the board, focus on soft water. Even with the warm spell, daytime highs are still in the single digits, so steelhead will settle into:
- Tailouts
- Soft seams
- Gentle inside bends
- Eddies
- Slow, walking-speed winter water
Skip the heavy pocket water and fast pool heads, fish generally won’t hold there as much in these temps.
Final Notes
We’re heading into one of the last warmer weekends of the fall, so get out if you can. With stable conditions, increasing fish activity, and a good variety of methods producing, the next several days should offer excellent steelheading opportunities across Ontario.
As always, if you need help figuring out where to go, what to use, or how to rig up, drop by the shop or reach out. We’re always happy to help.
