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| Kincardine |
Dredged their harbour area
twice in the last two years, work has also been done in the Penetangore
river-channel above the bridge upstream of the hatchery launch as well
as inside the mooring basin. The new boat launch on the downstream side
of the bridge is accessed by turning toward the lake just south of the
bridge. Larger boats can launch there while smaller boats, 14-16 footers,
can use the launch behind the hatchery.
The Lake Huron Fishing Club’s
brown trout hatchery is open most evenings for visitors and it is well
worth a look. The club and the Municipality of Kincardine teamed up to
install a fish cleaning station and washrooms are nearby.
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| Inverhuron
Park |
Boat launching problems
are part of a study being prepared to upgrade the park for overnight camping
according to Parks Superintendent Chris Tomsett but so far there has been
no announcement regarding the major improvements planned. If you use the
Inverhuron Park boat launch, take care to avoid the enormous rocks right
in front and don’t attempt to launch when a southwest wind is creating
wave action at the ramp. With one of the best Huron shoreline fishing locations
and protected from north and northwest winds, Inverhuron Park is a tempting
access point but the boat launch is a very risky and has cost me a new
kicker propeller as well as some dents in my Crestliner.
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| Baie De Dore |
Lake Huron Fishing Club
members had a five-foot deep channel dug from the club’s boat launch at
the end of the eighth concession of Bruce township at Baie De Dore in 2000.
This work and modifications to the launch area has kept access open to
the fish-rich waters off the Bruce Nuclear Station. Be careful of the sandbar
at the western end of the channel and the marker rocks on the south side
if there is any wave action in the bay.
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| Port Elgin |
The Municipality of Saugeen
Shores has worked hard to make their boat launch one of the best around
Bruce and Grey Counties and two boats can launch here at the same time
with ease. On the negative side, rocks on either side of the channel outside
the harbour and tricky background lighting make it a challenge to return
safely after dark. After ten years of regular use I still managed to get
in trouble two years ago when I got too far south and hit some rocks. There
is a safe channel but like Kincardine, lights on shore can make it difficult
to spot the channel markers and harbour entrance lights.
The Lake Huron Fishing Club
and the municipality teamed up to provide a fish cleaning station which
is open for everyone. Hopefully the lighting will be improved this year
or at least maintained. There are washrooms next door to the fish cleaning
station, back in the bush in the wooded area of the park north of the station
(follow the miniature railway tracks) and right at the harbour office but
you can’t always count on the doors being unlocked after sundown except
for the ones at the harbour office.
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| Southampton |
The Saugeen Shores public
works staff made changes to the old two boat launch facility, putting both
ramps together with only a small dock between. The system works not bad
when visitors don’t block the accesses to one side or the other with their
trailers. Lighting is good most of the time, the harbour entrance is fairly
easy to find at night, warm and clean washrooms are always open and there
is a fish-cleaning station at one end of the washroom building.
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| Sauble Beach |
The Town of South Bruce
Peninsula, with help from a provincial grant, attacked the old Sauble river
channel problem late in 2000 and early in 2001. The Sauble river mouth
has a rock bottom which forced the municipality to move the stone and earth
break-wall approximately 20 metres south to allow for a new channel. The
fish-rich waters off Sauble Beach have been difficult to reach for the
last two years due to low water levels.
Washrooms are non-existent,
there is no place for cleaning fish and parking is awkward but the double
ramp is pretty good. Be careful going up and down the wooden bridge leading
from shore to the floating docks as the angle is extreme.
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| Wiarton |
The municipality above also
dredged the launching ramp area at the Wiarton dock but the dock
area still has some has rocks around and just like almost all lake access
points now, caution is required to launch and return without damaging your
boat. There is a fish cleaning station thanks to cooperation between the
Bruce Peninsula Sportsmen’s Association and the Municipality partly funded
by a grant from the MNR’s Fish and Wildlife Protection and Enhancement
Fund.
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| Big Bay |
Top fishing is the reason
why many anglers travel to Big Bay and with dredging last year the fish-rich
waters are accessible once again. You pay for use of the launch at the
nearby General Store. Lighting is poor at the launch and a dock is sorely
needed to go between the lake and your boat to keep it off the rocks so
get out early and before wind and waves make it difficult to get your boat
on the trailer. This is not the place to try and do it alone unless the
lake is dead calm.
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| Owen Sound |
Both public launches have
been dredged and a marked channel now allows boats to travel safely from
the east side launch to deeper water.
The Owen Sound Marina on
the west side also has a boat launch and it is sheltered from wave action.
Washrooms are available at the west side public ramp and sometimes they
are open at the east side as well. Plans are underway to install a decent
fish-cleaning station on the east side and the west side has had one for
some time.
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| Lion’s Head |
A great location with easy
lake access but it has a slightly tricky double boat ramp which should
be scouted carefully before attempting to launch. Washrooms are available,
the channel is well marked and fish are often just outside the harbour
entrance. Pay at the harbour office.
Lions Head also has a fishing
cleaning station built in 2002 located across from marina washrooms
on the bay side.
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