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    Southwestern OntarioFMZ 16

    Thames River – Thames Grove Conservation Area, Chatham

    Thames Grove Conservation Area, Chatham, ON

    Marker
    Leaflet © OpenStreetMap
    Seasonal availabilityDirections Official FMZ 16 rules

    About this water

    A multi-species stretch of the lower Thames with easy shore access, strong catfish and carp fishing and a spring walleye run.

    Slower, wider lower Thames as it nears Lake St. Clair, with a muddy bottom in stretches and stained water. FMZ 16.

    Smallmouth BassLargemouth BassRock BassWalleyeNorthern PikeChannel CatfishCarp

    FMZ 16 regulations — Southwestern Ontario & Lake Simcoe

    The most southerly inland zone in the province. It includes all of southwestern Ontario, is predominantly made up of large river systems, and includes Lakes Simcoe and Couchiching. It has the largest urban population of any fisheries management zone. The Great Lakes themselves are separate zones (13, 14, 19 and 20).

    • Lake Simcoe lake trout: Jan 1 – Sept 30; S-2/C-1 (one over 45 cm).
    • Lake Simcoe whitefish: Dec 1 – Mar 15; S-2/C-1.
    • Smallmouth bass: 4th Saturday in June – Nov 30; S-4/C-2.
    • Rainbow trout (tributaries): Apr 1 – Sept 30 & 4th Sat Nov – Mar 31; check specific rivers.

    Zone check: FMZ 16 confirmed from this water's coordinates against the official Ontario zone boundaries (reviewed 2026-08-12).

    Summary only — always confirm current seasons and limits on the Ontario MNRF FMZ 16 page before your trip.

    Seasonal availability

    Open-season windows for the species found at Thames River – Thames Grove Conservation Area, Chatham, taken from the FMZ 16 regulation summary. Green months are within a published open season — they are not a prediction of how well fish will bite.

    Best months to plan a tripany listed species open
    Smallmouth bass4th Saturday in June – Nov 30

    No FMZ 16 season line published in our summary for: Walleye, Northern Pike, Channel Catfish, Carp. Check the official page before keeping these species.

    Summary only, and seasons change annually. Confirm dates on the Ontario MNRF FMZ 16 page before your trip.

    Fishing tips

    • Simcoe ice fishing is world-class — perch on shallow flats, lakers on deep rock piles.
    • Grand River smallmouth respond to tube jigs in current seams.
    • Catfish feed hardest after dark in summer — fish cut bait on a slip sinker in the deeper outside bends.
    • Access: Free lot at the conservation area.

    Solunar Calendar— Thames River – Thames Grove Conservation Area, Chatham

    🌔

    Waxing Gibbous

    93% illuminated · Age 12.2d

    Solunar rating93/100

    🌔 Tue, Aug 25

    93% · Rating 93
    minor8:53 PM – 9:53 PM
    major2:23 AM – 4:23 AM
    minor8:53 AM – 9:53 AM
    major2:23 PM – 4:23 PM

    🌔 Wed, Aug 26

    97% · Rating 98
    minor9:38 PM – 10:38 PM
    major3:08 AM – 5:08 AM
    minor9:38 AM – 10:38 AM
    major3:08 PM – 5:08 PM

    🌕 Thu, Aug 27

    100% · Rating 100
    minor10:21 PM – 11:21 PM
    major3:51 AM – 5:51 AM
    minor10:21 AM – 11:21 AM
    major3:51 PM – 5:51 PM

    Major windows (~2 h) cluster around moon transit and antitransit; minor windows (~1 h) around moonrise and moonset. Local approximations — verify against a printed almanac for planning.

    Gear setup

    Setup:
    Medium spinning for bass; medium-heavy for catfish and carp
    Rod:
    7' medium spinning rod; 7'6" medium-heavy for catfish
    Reel:
    Size 3000–4000 spinning reel
    Line:
    15 lb braid with 12 lb fluorocarbon leader
    Best bait:
    Nightcrawlers, Cut bait, Corn
    Best lures:
    Jig & minnow, Spinnerbait, Crankbait
    Directions

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