Migratory – The Beaver River – Thornbury, Ontario

Fishing The Beaver River – Thornbury, Ontario:

Mainly looked at as a cold water stream, the Beaver river and its pristine tributaries are host to several species of trout and salmon as well as bass and other warm water species in the lower sections.

The Beaver River in southern Ontario flows from the Niagara Escarpment and empties into Nottawasaga Bay, an inlet of Georgian Bay, at the town of Thornbury, Ontario. A fish ladder near Thornbury allows migratory fish such as trout and salmon species to reach spawning areas up river.

Flowing through The Beaver Valley, which is a deep wedge on the western side of the Niagara escarpment, formed by a much larger ancestor of this river.

Although relatively short, The Beaver River – Thornbury, Ontario is also a popular recreational day tripping canoe route.

A dam located on the Beaver river just outside of Eugenia is the first hydro electric generating station built in Ontario.

In Eugenia, you can view Eugenia Falls, which unfortunately has become a mere trickle of what it once was.

The main tributaries of the Beaver River are:

• Mill Creek
• Little Beaver River

The Beaver River – Thornbury, Ontario boasts some of the best Ontario fly fishing for Migratory Trout and Salmon species on the Georgian Bay tributaries.

See here for the The Beaver River, Thornbury Fishway Camera BRAVO Node Live View.

From the dam in Thornbury downstream to the mouth, people gather in large numbers in the fall and spring for a chance at Rainbow and Brown trout or Chinook salmon, depending on the season.

Other fishing opportunities can be found upstream at the Clarksburg Dam for these species.

Be sure to check the regulations for closures on certain sections of the river at different times of the year.

The upper reaches of the Beaver river are an overgrown haven for those who like the daunting task of weaseling your way through thick, and I mean THICK overgrown cedar forests and raspberry patches.

Once you do find the stream however, you will be pleasantly surprised by Brook trout ready to take your fly….provided you figure out how to cast it to them under these tough conditions!

This is one of the toughest rivers in Southern Ontario to fish. In particular, the upper reaches of the river and its tributaries provide some of the most technical and challenging small stream fly fishing you can expect to encounter in Southern Ontario.