North Grenville is made for waterway adventure! Bring along your canoe, kayak, or fishing boat and enjoy the scenic Kemptville Creek as it winds its way through North Grenville. Formerly called the South Branch of the Rideau River, Kemptville Creek offers a picturesque way to view the countryside while getting in some outdoor activity and water fun! The creek is navigable for smaller watercraft from the Rideau River to Kemptville, or for canoeing or kayaking from Bishops Mills to Oxford Mills. Portages may be necessary. Bring your fishing gear and try for “the big one!”

Outfitters and Marinas

Need a canoe, kayak or stand-up paddleboard? Drifters Outdoors Canoe and Kayak Rentals or Rideau River Provincial Park can get you onto the water.

Need to gas up your boat? Head to Pirate Cove Marine, for all of your boating needs.

North Grenville is an angler’s paradise! Kemptville Creek flows into the Rideau River and both feature excellent fishing year-round.

In summer, when the boat traffic picks up, it’s easy to find a quiet spot out of the main channel of the Rideau. Kemptville Creek is 63 km long, but it’s only about 5 km from the Rideau to Kemptville. It has decent depth, lots of foliage and is home to a variety of species, including musky and pike.

The Rideau has been a famous bass fishery for more than 100 years. This section of the Rideau River is also very popular for muskie anglers. Good opportunities exist for bass, walleye and panfish, as well.

Fish for free

Four times a year, Canadian residents can fish in Ontario for free. This means you do not need to buy a fishing licence if you want to fish during:

• Family Fishing Weekend in February (Family Day weekend)
• Mother’s Day Weekend in May (Mother's Day weekend)
• Father’s Day Weekend in June (Father's Day weekend)
• Family Fishing Week in July (First week in July)

Check the Ontario Family Fishing website for info about those events and for licensing requirements and regulations during the rest of the year.

Ice Fishing

Some of the best fishing happens in the off season. You’ll find some awesome ice fishing holes if you’re keen to bundle up and give it a try!

Photo Credit: Jane Rutter

Need a rod and reel? Initiated by the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) and proudly sponsored by Ontario Power Generation, the TackleShare Program gives new and young anglers the opportunity to go fishing at no cost. Participating anglers simply sign out a rod and reel, as well as an assortment of tackle in the same way that they would borrow library material.

Local Participating Sites

North Grenville Public Library

Rideau River Provincial Park