Solid today

reservoir / London, ON / FMZ 16

Fanshawe Lake

Fanshawe Lake is the North Thames River backed up behind a flood-control dam on London's northeast edge — 228 hectares of drowned river valley the conservation authority opened in 1953. The water runs brown and nutrient-rich, stained by the river feeding in from the north, and it shallows to a mean near 12 feet before dropping toward 40 down at the Fanshawe Dam.

Target Species

Today's read.

Quick Summary

Cool, with a high of 13° and a low of 3°. Breezy, gusts to 37 km/h. Falling pressure often fires up the bite.

Air Temp13° 3°

High · Low

UV Index3

Daily max · 0-11

Wind10 km/h

Avg · NW · gusts to 37 km/h

Pressure1027 hPa

falling · -5 hPa/24h

Sunrise/Sunset07:56 18:19

10h 23m daylight

Moon PhaseWaning gibbous

Lunar phase

Precip0 mm

Dry through the launch window

B+

Solid today

Choppy — a 10 km/h average over 5.9 km of fetch keeps you on the southeast shore with short runs. Gusts spike to 37 km/h at times — check the hourly and time your launch. The bite should be firing — a falling barometer often trips a pre-front feed. Fish the southeast shore where wind stacks bait and keep it tight to cover.

Hour by Hour Weekly Outlook

Craft Verdicts

Trailer launchCarry-in launch5.9 km max fetchPressure falling (-5.2 hPa/24h)

Powerboat

Clear to launch — a 10 km/h NW average over 5.9 km of fetch stays well within a powerboat's weight and power; easy to hold position. Gusts spike to 37 km/h at times — time your launch.

Kayak

Clear to launch — a 10 km/h NW average over 5.9 km of fetch stays well within a kayak's low, wind-caught profile; easy to hold position. Gusts spike to 37 km/h at times — time your launch.

Canoe

Marginal

Launchable but exposed — a 18 km/h average gust and 5.9 km of fetch will test an open canoe's shallow draft; put in on the southeast shore and stay tight to it. Gusts spike to 37 km/h at times — time your launch.

Hourly Conditions

5:00 a.m.

6°Temp

UV0

Precip0.0mm

PressureFalling

Fish ActivityMaximum

Wind · NW8kph

Gust8kph

Launch ReadFishable

7:00 a.m.

5°Temp

UV0

Precip0.0mm

PressureFalling

Fish ActivityMaximum

Wind · NW8kph

Gust8kph

Launch ReadFishable

9:00 a.m.

6°Temp

UV0

Precip0.0mm

PressureFalling

Fish ActivityMaximum

Wind · NW7kph

Gust7kph

Launch ReadFishable

11:00 a.m.

11°Temp

UV1

Precip0.0mm

PressureFalling

Fish ActivityMaximum

Wind · NW8kph

Gust37kph

Launch ReadCaution

1:00 p.m.

11°Temp

UV3

Precip0.0mm

PressureFalling

Fish ActivityHigh

Wind · NW12kph

Gust31kph

Launch ReadCaution

3:00 p.m.

13°Temp

UV3

Precip0.0mm

PressureFalling

Fish ActivityHigh

Wind · NW14kph

Gust27kph

Launch ReadCaution

5:00 p.m.

11°Temp

UV1

Precip0.0mm

PressureFalling

Fish ActivityMaximum

Wind · NW14kph

Gust27kph

Launch ReadCaution

7:00 p.m.

8°Temp

UV0

Precip0.0mm

PressureFalling

Fish ActivityMaximum

Wind · NW9kph

Gust9kph

Launch ReadFishable

9:00 p.m.

5°Temp

UV0

Precip0.0mm

PressureFalling

Fish ActivityMaximum

Wind · NW7kph

Gust7kph

Launch ReadFishable

Weekly Outlook

TodayOct 30Solid day

LaunchCaution

BiteMaximum

SatOct 31Grind day

LaunchAll Clear

BiteFair

SunNov 1Grind day

LaunchFishable

BiteHigh

MonNov 2Solid day

LaunchFishable

BiteHigh

TueNov 3Solid day

LaunchCaution

BiteMaximum

WedNov 4Solid day

LaunchCaution

BiteMaximum

ThuNov 5Solid day

LaunchCaution

BiteMaximum

How it fishes

Flood-control reservoir behind Fanshawe Dam, officially opened by the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority in 1953 on the North Thames River.

Source

About 565 acres with a maximum depth near 40 feet — one of the larger managed reservoirs in the London area.

Source

A documented five-species gamefish reservoir — smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye, and yellow perch — plus panfish.

Source

Home to Canada's women's national rowing training centre and host to multiple regattas, which zone parts of the lake for racing.

Source

Regulations snapshot

This is a summary, not the legal regulation — confirm current rules with the official source before fishing.

Smallmouth & Largemouth Bass

Season: fourth Saturday in June to November 30

Limit: S-6 / C-2

Size: no size limit

Official source

Northern Pike

Season: January 1 to March 31 and second Saturday in May to December 31

Limit: S-6 / C-2

Size: no size limit

Official source

Walleye

Season: January 1 to March 15 and second Saturday in May to December 31

Limit: S-4 / C-2, not more than 1 greater than 46 cm (combined with Sauger)

Size: not more than 1 greater than 46 cm

Official source

Access notes

Fanshawe Conservation Area boat launch

1424 Clarke Road, London

43.0406° N, 81.1848° W

Approximate access area — confirm launchability and hours before you go.

Get Directions

trailer

Fanshawe Conservation Area boat launch

1424 Clarke Road, London

Electric motors or combustion motors under 10 hp only, for fishing only (all other powered vessels prohibited); season boat-admission pass required. Fishing dock near the launch. Park season mid-April to mid-October; fishing dawn to dusk. On-water rowing racing course and Fanshawe Yacht Club sailing course occupy parts of the lake, with buoyed areas closed to all vessels.

Access source

carry in

Fanshawe Conservation Area

canoe/kayak carry-in

Carry-in paddlecraft access; canoe/kayak rentals available at the Park Office.

Access source

Key resources

The actual regs, straight from the source — FMZ 16, Government of Ontario Launch, motor rules, gate hours, and fees — Fanshawe Conservation Area (UTRCA)Reservoir map and fishing brochure — Fanshawe Conservation Area Watershed fishing overview and species list — Upper Thames River Conservation Authority

Fanshawe Lake

Target Species

Today's read.

Craft Verdicts

Powerboat

Kayak

Canoe

Hourly Conditions

Weekly Outlook

How it fishes

Regulations snapshot

Smallmouth & Largemouth Bass

Northern Pike

Walleye

Access notes

Fanshawe Conservation Area boat launch

Fanshawe Conservation Area

Key resources

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