High · Low
Marginal today
reservoir / FMZ 16Shades Mills Reservoir
Shades Mills is Mill Creek backed up behind a flood-control dam, minutes from central Cambridge. The creek slides in through a long, narrow arm off the northeast, then the water widens southwest into the main basin — "Shade's Reservoir" on the park map — and runs down to the 9.
Target Species
02 - Conditions
Today's read.
Quick Summary
Rainy and mild, with a high of 24° and a low of 17°. Breezy, gusts to 50 km/h. Steady pressure should keep the bite consistent.
Daily max · 0-11
Avg · SW · gusts to 50 km/h
steady · -1 hPa/24h
14h 55m daylight
Lunar phase
Peak 4.9 mm/h · 9 wet hrs
C+
Marginal today
Boatable but breezy — a 14 km/h SW average over 1.4 km of fetch builds some chop; the northeast shore stays cleanest. Gusts spike to 50 km/h at times — check the hourly and time your launch. Good bite potential — with bright sun, dawn and dusk are your windows. Work the shoreline edges and lean on the low-light hours.
Craft Verdicts
Trailer launchCarry-in launch1.4 km max fetchPressure steady (-1.1 hPa/24h)
Powerboat
Clear to launch — a 14 km/h SW average over 1.4 km of fetch stays well within a powerboat's weight and power; easy to hold position. Gusts spike to 50 km/h at times — time your launch.
Kayak
Clear to launch — a 14 km/h SW average over 1.4 km of fetch stays well within a kayak's low, wind-caught profile; easy to hold position. Gusts spike to 50 km/h at times — time your launch.
Canoe
Launchable but exposed — a 25 km/h average gust and 1.4 km of fetch will test an open canoe's shallow draft; put in on the northeast shore and stay tight to it. Gusts spike to 50 km/h at times — time your launch.
Hourly Conditions
5:00 a.m.
19°Temp
UV0
Precip3.2mm
PressureSteady
Fish ActivityHigh
Wind · W13kph
Gust13kph
Launch ReadFishable
7:00 a.m.
19°Temp
UV0
Precip0.0mm
PressureSteady
Fish ActivityHigh
Wind · SW13kph
Gust13kph
Launch ReadFishable
9:00 a.m.
22°Temp
UV1
Precip0.0mm
PressureSteady
Fish ActivityHigh
Wind · SW18kph
Gust44kph
Launch ReadCaution
11:00 a.m.
23°Temp
UV2
Precip0.3mm
PressureSteady
Fish ActivityHigh
Wind · SW19kph
Gust50kph
Launch ReadDo Not Launch
Windy!1:00 p.m.
24°Temp
UV5
Precip0.0mm
PressureSteady
Fish ActivityHigh
Wind · SW14kph
Gust33kph
Launch ReadCaution
3:00 p.m.
20°Temp
UV7
Precip4.9mm
PressureSteady
Fish ActivityFair
Wind · SW14kph
Gust29kph
Launch ReadFishable
5:00 p.m.
21°Temp
UV5
Precip0.1mm
PressureSteady
Fish ActivityFair
Wind · SW10kph
Gust20kph
Launch ReadAll Clear
7:00 p.m.
20°Temp
UV1
Precip0.0mm
PressureSteady
Fish ActivityHigh
Wind · NW13kph
Gust25kph
Launch ReadFishable
9:00 p.m.
19°Temp
UV0
Precip0.0mm
PressureSteady
Fish ActivityHigh
Wind · NW12kph
Gust12kph
Launch ReadFishable
Weekly Outlook
LaunchFishable
BiteHigh
LaunchCaution
BiteHigh
LaunchAll Clear
BiteFair
LaunchAll Clear
BiteFair
LaunchAll Clear
BiteHigh
LaunchFishable
BiteMaximum
LaunchAll Clear
BiteHigh
01
How it fishes
GRCA states northern pike, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, yellow perch and black crappie "are plentiful in the reservoir"
SourceOne of only four GRCA conservation areas with a supervised ice-fishing program (alongside Guelph Lake, Pinehurst Lake and Belwood Lake)
SourceShade's Mills Dam was built in 1973 as a flood-control dam on Mill Creek: 9.8 m high with 3.2 million m³ of storage — one of the GRCA's seven multi-purpose dams
SourceThe reservoir sits on Mill Creek, a groundwater-fed coldwater stream whose upstream reaches hold brook trout and provincially stocked brown trout (104 km² subwatershed)
Source32-hectare (80-acre) urban reservoir open all year for day use, with an electric-only launch and on-site paddle-craft rentals
Source02
Regulations snapshot
This is a summary, not the legal regulation — confirm current rules with the official source before fishing.
Largemouth & Smallmouth Bass (Combined)
Season: fourth Saturday in June to November 30
Limit: S-6 / C-2
Official sourceNorthern Pike
Season: January 1 to March 31 and second Saturday in May to December 31
Limit: S-6 / C-2
Official sourceBlack Crappie
Season: open all year
Limit: S-30 / C-10
Official sourceYellow Perch
Season: open all year
Limit: S-50 / C-25
Official source03
Access notes
Boat launch, Shade's Mills Conservation Area, 450 Avenue Road, Cambridge, ON N1R 5S4
Single launch, ramp on the south shore near the beach/boat-rental area (marked "Boat Launch (No Gas-Powered Motors)" on the official map) — electric motors only / non-motorized craft; day-use entrance fee applies (2026: adult 13–64 $9.50, child 4–12 $4.00, senior/disability $7.50; automatic-gate vehicle rate $19.00 per vehicle max six people); no separate launch fee listed — open all year, day use dawn to dusk.
Access sourceShore access
designated shoreline fishing nodes and docks in the day-use area
Official map fishing icons; southeast shore of the creek arm marked "NO PUBLIC ACCESS".
Access source04
Key resources
The actual regs, straight from the source — FMZ 16, Government of OntarioLaunch, hours, and the reservoir itself — Shade's Mills Conservation Area, Grand River Conservation AuthorityDay-use and rental fees — GRCA Shade's Mills feesIce-fishing program and safety status — GRCAStocking record, FMZ 16 — Ontario Fish ON-Line