A special spot

Just south of Paris the Grand River goes through a number of steep inclines, in an area known as the ‘recovery reach’ — a stretch of river whose natural characteristics allow the river to recover from the huge influx of nutrients that flow into the river just north of there.

The Grand’s waters hit the recovery reach just after flowing through Waterloo Region, the most heavily populated section of the river.

The area’s geology, topography and natural beauty combine to create a superb fishery, as the river flows through one of the largest stretches of intact Carolinian forest in Ontario. The area is so unusual the province has designated it as one of three “exceptional waterways” in Ontario.

“There’s lots of pools and riffles — lots of rapids — as the water flows down from Cambridge to Brantford,” said Sandra Cooke, senior water quality supervisor at the Grand River Conservation Authority.

That turbulent water picks up oxygen as it leaps over the rapids and rocks, so that organisms that exist naturally in the river are better able to break down the nutrients flowing from upstream. In the same area, cold groundwater flows into the river, making it a haven for anglers, as well as canoeists and kayakers.

The colder water combines with the warm Grand River water to create an unusual “stacked” fishery that supports cold, cool and warm water fish.

Fishermen flock to catch smallmouth bass and steelhead. “I’ve fished right across Canada and the U.S.,” said Rob Heal of Grand River Outfitting in Fergus. “It’s one of the best fisheries I’ve ever fished. It’s accessible, it’s multispecies. It’s still remote enough that you get a feeling of being away from it all. And it’s beautiful. That section between Paris and Brantford Park is stunning.”