Freshwater Fishing.
The Nottawasaga River runs north through Essa Township, and at the village of Angus the Pine River joins it from the west. According to NVCA fisheries biologists, those two stretches — the Upper Nottawasaga and the Pine River — likely represent the largest source of wild Chinook salmon in Georgian Bay.
Salmon begin running in August and peak in September; rainbow trout (steelhead) run spring and fall, and a special no-kill section between Angus and Alliston requires the release of all steelhead.
The brief.
Essa-stretch fishing is river fishing — the Nottawasaga and the Pine River, with municipal access from the Nottawasaga Fishing Park in Angus. The general rainbow trout / Pacific salmon season runs from the 4th Saturday in April through September 30 under Ontario Fisheries Management Zone 16.
The Township operates the Nottawasaga Fishing Park along the river in Angus with parking and walking access via the Pine River Trail (1.5 km) and the Rippon Trail (1 km), which connect Peacekeepers Park and LeClair Park to the river. The marquee public-facing salmon fishery on the Nottawasaga sits downstream at Wasaga Beach (river-mouth, Tiffin fishway) — Essa's stretch is the inland river-corridor fishery for those who prefer river-edge fly and centerpin work over the river-mouth scene.
3. places.
- 01
Nottawasaga River through Essa
Chinook salmon (August run, September peak), rainbow trout / steelhead (spring and fall), brown trout, northern pike. Special no-kill steelhead section between Angus and Alliston.
- 02
Pine River
Joins the Nottawasaga at Angus; identified by NVCA biologists as a likely major source of wild Chinook salmon for the Georgian Bay fishery.
- 03
Nottawasaga Fishing Park (Angus)
Municipal river-access fishing park with parking; reached from the Pine River Trail or Rippon Trail.
Today's read.
Cold but firm — winter-ready conditions · light winds · clean air.
By the book.
- 01The Nottawasaga and Pine River through Essa fall under Ontario FMZ 16; the rainbow trout / Pacific salmon general season is the 4th Saturday in April through September 30.Source ↗
- 02A special no-kill steelhead section runs on the Nottawasaga River between Angus and Alliston; all steelhead must be released.Source ↗