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OP
Freshwater Bestwater
Messages
16
Reaction score
5
Location
Detroit, Mi
# of dives
200 - 499
I am planning a trip from Detroit to dive Tobermory and Manitoulin Island in Summer 2024. I will be shore diving and am interested in seeing fish. Can anyone recommend shore dives on Lake Huron, within Georgian Bay, or any inland lakes in Bruce Peninsula that are good for fish watching?
 
I am planning a trip from Detroit to dive Tobermory and Manitoulin Island in Summer 2024. I will be shore diving and am interested in seeing fish. Can anyone recommend shore dives on Lake Huron, within Georgian Bay, or any inland lakes in Bruce Peninsula that are good for fish watching?
The Lake Huron side is very shallow with a gradual slope. There are not a lot of shore diving sites that I can think of, except the St Clair River at the Blue Water Bridge. Sturgeon spawn there in June, but! it’s a high current dive +4kts with lots of boats, so it’s better to do this one with a group. Dean’s Sport and Dive in Kitchener does St Clair River dives.

On the Georgian Bay side, the drop offs can go down quickly. Shore diving sites are Cedar Hill Park east of Wiarton, the old disused Wiarton fish hatchery site just outside of town on the north side, and of course the shore dives at Tobermory.

Having said all that, the fish populations in the big lakes like Lake Huron and Georgian Bay can seem sparse: some dives you see them, some dives you don’t. Fish hatchery and Tobermory shore dives you are more likely to see them. There is an endless supply of invasive goby fish too.
 
Thanks for a great response. I hadn't heard of the old Wiarton Fish Hatchery (now Water Filtration Plant). This looks like a great pit stop on my up to Tobermory.
 
Diving at the Wiarton Marina and at the beach front was fun and full of fish life too. If you have a scooter I think I would have a fun run around that area. Vis is normally good there in Colpoys Bay.
 
Diving at the Wiarton Marina and at the beach front was fun and full of fish life too. If you have a scooter I think I would have a fun run around that area. Vis is normally good there in Colpoys Bay.
Very cool. I'm looking forward to Colboy's Bay. It looks like the Wiarton Marina is just south of the Wiarton Fish Hatchery/Water Filtration plant. Do you have a favorite entry point that you could recommend?
 
Very cool. I'm looking forward to Colboy's Bay. It looks like the Wiarton Marina is just south of the Wiarton Fish Hatchery/Water Filtration plant. Do you have a favorite entry point that you could recommend?
I had my boat so we anchored about 200 yards off Bluewater Park and dove there. Your best bet is the beach and the north side of the marina wall. There was lots of cool junk on the bottom where we made our scooter run. If I go back, Gunderson Shoal will be on the list too. @shoredivr for the underwater forest and the fake cemetery thing.
 
Very cool. I'm looking forward to Colboy's Bay. It looks like the Wiarton Marina is just south of the Wiarton Fish Hatchery/Water Filtration plant. Do you have a favorite entry point that you could recommend?
The easiest way in is the little pebble “beach” beside the boat ramp (1 on the map), though you can drive past the water treatment plant to a more rocky entrance (2 on the map). The old fish hatchery was I think at the little inlet (3 on the map).
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Street
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view
 
Also if you are willing to swim a bit or have a scooter there’s a broken up wreck a bit east.
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There is also a trail that goes along the shore, you’ll pass three big cube van sized boulders and you’re at the wreck.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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