High · Low
Marginal today
reservoir / FMZ 16Belwood Lake
Belwood is the upper Grand River backed up behind the Shand Dam and held there. The reservoir runs long and narrow up the old valley north of Fergus, murky and hard-limestone water the whole way — nutrient-rich, stained, mildly stratified in summer.
Target Species
02 - Conditions
Today's read.
Quick Summary
Rainy and mild, with a high of 23° and a low of 15°. Breezy, gusts to 41 km/h. Steady pressure should keep the bite consistent.
Daily max · 0-11
Avg · S · gusts to 41 km/h
steady · -1 hPa/24h
14h 57m daylight
Lunar phase
Peak 13.5 mm/h · 9 wet hrs
C+
Marginal today
Choppy — a 14 km/h average over 7.1 km of fetch keeps you on the north shore with short runs. Good bite potential — with bright sun, dawn and dusk are your windows. Fish the north shore where wind stacks bait and keep it tight to cover.
Craft Verdicts
Trailer launchCarry-in launch7.1 km max fetchPressure steady (-1.2 hPa/24h)
Powerboat
Clear to launch — a 14 km/h S average over 7.1 km of fetch stays well within a powerboat's weight and power; easy to hold position.
Kayak
Launchable but exposed — a 26 km/h average gust and 7.1 km of fetch will test a kayak's low, wind-caught profile; put in on the north shore and stay tight to it.
Canoe
Too rough — a 26 km/h average gust over 7.1 km of fetch overwhelms an open canoe's shallow draft; not a safe launch today.
Hourly Conditions
5:00 a.m.
18°Temp
UV0
Precip3.1mm
PressureSteady
Fish ActivityHigh
Wind · S19kph
Gust39kph
Launch ReadDo Not Launch
Windy!7:00 a.m.
18°Temp
UV0
Precip2.7mm
PressureSteady
Fish ActivityHigh
Wind · SW15kph
Gust28kph
Launch ReadCaution
9:00 a.m.
20°Temp
UV0
Precip0.0mm
PressureSteady
Fish ActivityHigh
Wind · SW15kph
Gust26kph
Launch ReadCaution
11:00 a.m.
23°Temp
UV3
Precip0.0mm
PressureSteady
Fish ActivityHigh
Wind · W16kph
Gust35kph
Launch ReadDo Not Launch
Windy!1:00 p.m.
18°Temp
UV7
Precip7.8mm
PressureSteady
Fish ActivityFair
Wind · W9kph
Gust9kph
Launch ReadCaution
3:00 p.m.
23°Temp
UV7
Precip1.1mm
PressureSteady
Fish ActivityHigh
Wind · SW5kph
Gust16kph
Launch ReadCaution
5:00 p.m.
15°Temp
UV5
Precip10.2mm
PressureSteady
Fish ActivityFair
Wind · W12kph
Gust21kph
Launch ReadCaution
Storm!7:00 p.m.
19°Temp
UV1
Precip0.0mm
PressureSteady
Fish ActivityHigh
Wind · NW13kph
Gust29kph
Launch ReadDo Not Launch
Windy!9:00 p.m.
17°Temp
UV0
Precip0.0mm
PressureSteady
Fish ActivityHigh
Wind · NW18kph
Gust34kph
Launch ReadDo Not Launch
Windy!Weekly Outlook
LaunchCaution
BiteHigh
LaunchDo Not Launch
BiteHigh
LaunchCaution
BiteFair
LaunchCaution
BiteFair
LaunchCaution
BiteHigh
LaunchDo Not Launch
BiteHigh
LaunchCaution
BiteMaximum
01
How it fishes
Reservoir best known for northern pike and smallmouth bass; pike is the most-logged species by anglers, ahead of smallmouth and walleye.
SourceA long-running annual pike-and-walleye derby, run with the GRCA, requires all fish be caught "in Belwood Lake above the Shand Dam," with a 20-inch minimum on pike and a length-based catch-and-release format.
SourceThe basin bottoms out near 20.7 m (about 68 ft) at the dam face — substantial depth for a southern-Ontario impoundment, holding cooler water through summer.
SourceNo stocking record exists for the reservoir in the Fish ON-Line FMZ 16 dataset; the gamefish here are self-sustaining.
Source02
Regulations snapshot
This is a summary, not the legal regulation — confirm current rules with the official source before fishing.
Northern Pike
Season: Jan 1–Mar 31 and second Saturday in May to Dec 31 (2026: May 9–Dec 31)
Limit: S-6 / C-2
Size: no size limit
Official sourceSmallmouth Bass
Season: fourth Saturday in June to Nov 30 (2026: Jun 27–Nov 30)
Limit: S-6 / C-2 (combined with Largemouth)
Size: no size limit
Official source03
Access notes
Belwood Lake Conservation Area
8282 Wellington County Road 18, Fergus
Double-ramp concrete boat launch with docks; trailer-capable, motorized boats permitted. Day-use admission plus launch fee required; open year-round, full service May 1–Oct 15. Fluctuating reservoir levels (fall/maintenance drawdown) can affect access and expose hazards — GRCA posts hazard signage at the launch.
Access sourceBelwood village launch (north end), near 5 George Street, Belwood
Public ramp at the reservoir's north end — secondary trailer/carry access.
Access sourceCarry-in / canoe access along the main road near the village
Small-boat/canoe entry along the main road near the village.
Access source04