Fishing · Ontario

Ontario FMZ 6 — Sport Fishing Regulations

Ontario Fisheries Management Zone 6 (FMZ 6) sport-fishing rules for licence year 2026: seasons, S-n and C-n limits, exceptions and sanctuaries — reproduced from the Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary HTML, with citations. The Summary is not the law.

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Official source (Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary): https://www.ontario.ca/document/ontario-fishing-regulations-summary/fisheries-management-zone-6

Data retrieved: 2026-09-04 · HTML last updated 2026-08-04 · Licence year 2026 (calendar). 18 of 18 zone-wide species included. All 14 waterbody exceptions listed on the Ontario HTML for this FMZ are included. This is not complete Ontario.

Verify on Fish ON-Line (map only) →

Reproduction of the Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary. The Summary is not the law. Always verify with the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) and Fish ON-Line before you fish. Crown copyright.

General information

Refer to general fishing regulations for more information on how to use this summary.
Non-Canadian residents camping on Crown land must follow conservation fishing licence limits.
Rainbow smelt may not be used as bait or possessed for use as bait.
The following waterbodies, or portions of them, have different regulations that are listed in the waterbody exceptions :
New Arrow River
Jessie Lake
New Lac des Mille Lacs including Casino, Cushing, Panache, and Pike Lakes and their connected waters
Lake Helen
Lake Nipigon
New Little Savanne River
McIntyre River
Nipigon River
Polly Lake
Savanne River
FMZ 6, with the exception of St. Ignace Island and Simpson Island, is part of the Northwest Bait Management Zone ( BMZ ). Live or dead baitfish or leeches may not be transported into or out of a BMZ . These rules do not apply to baitfish and leeches which are both dead and preserved. Refer to bait for more details.

Zone-wide rules

Species	Catch limit	Length limit	Gear	Notes
Aggregate limits for trout and salmon (including splake)	S-5 and C-2; total daily catch and possession limit for all trout and salmon species combined

open all year

Species	Catch limit	Length limit	Gear	Notes
Atlantic salmon	S-1 and C-0
Brown trout	S-5 and C-2
Channel catfish	S-12 and C-6
Crappie	S-15 and C-10
Lake whitefish	S-12 and C-6
Largemouth and smallmouth bass combined	S-4 and C-2
Northern pike	S-4 and C-2; not more than 1 greater than or equal to 70 centimetres
Pacific salmon	S-5 and C-2
Rainbow trout	S-1 and C-0
Splake	S-5 and C-2
Sunfish	S-50 and C-25
Yellow perch	S-50 and C-25

fourth Saturday in April to Labour Day

Species	Catch limit	Length limit	Gear	Notes
Brook trout	S-5 and C-2; not more than 1 greater than 30 centimetres

closed all year

Species	Catch limit	Length limit	Gear	Notes
Lake sturgeon

January 1 to September 30

Species	Catch limit	Length limit	Gear	Notes
Lake trout	S-2; not more than 1 greater than 56 centimetres from September 1 to September 30, no size limit the rest of the season and C-1; no size limit

third Saturday in June to December 15

Species	Catch limit	Length limit	Gear	Notes
Muskellunge	S-1; must be greater than 91 centimetres, and C-0	must be greater than 91 centimetres

January 1 to April 14 and third Saturday in May to December 31

Species	Catch limit	Length limit	Gear	Notes
Walleye and sauger combined	S-4 and C-2; not more than 1 greater than 46 centimetres

Species exceptions

Brook trout

open all year · S-5 and C-2; no size limit View these waterbodies and additional information on Fish ON-Line . Limits : S-1; must be greater than 56 centimetres, and C-0

Adrian Lake (48°27′10″ N , 89°48′58″ W )
Aldina Lake (48°21′31″ N , 89°58′41″ W )
Annette Lake (49°26′06″ N , 89°39′49″ W )
Bateman Lake (48°30′33″ N , 89°45′17″ W )
Bell Lake (48°06′16″ N , 89°42′26″ W )
Birch Lake (48°10′28″ N , 90°07′18″ W )
Blake’s Lake (48°56′57″ N , 88°28′11″ W )
Caribou Lake (48°37′23″ N , 88°40′14″ W )
Caro Lake (49°06′13″ N , 88°57′50″ W )
Cavern Lake (48°50′04″ N , 88°39′35″ W )
Chub Lake (48°16′54″ N , 89°34′22″ W )
Deer Lake (49°03′36″ N , 88°20′23″ W )
Devon Lake (48°09′18″ N , 89°50′45″ W )
Devonline Lake (48°09′33″ N , 89°50′58″ W )
Downy Lake (48°14′23″ N , 89°52′10″ W )
Duchess Lake (Dutchies Lake) (48°52′26″ N , 88°34′18″ W )
Echo Lake (48°19′30″ N , 89°53′33″ W )
Elbow Lake (48°10′56″ N , 90°16′23″ W )
Fall Lake (48°47′51″ N , 88°38′02″ W )
Five Minute Lake (48°40′28″ N , 88°48′04″ W )
Float Lake (48°20′37″ N , 89°53′20″ W )
Forrest Lake (48°07′24″ N , 90°15′14″ W )
Furcate Lake (48°47′11″ N , 88°45′50″ W )
Goddard Lake (49°42′22″ N , 87°43′38″ W )
Gold Lake (48°30′05″ N , 89°45′08″ W )
Golding Lake (48°35′49″ N , 89°14′00″ W )
Goodmorning Lakes North (48°47'11″ N , 88°42'03″ W )
Goodmorning Lakes South (48°46'41″ N , 88°41'47″ W )
Grande Lake (48°49′09″ N , 88°40′52″ W )
Hans’ Lake (McMaster Lake 79) (49°01′53″ N , 88°35′04″ W )
Hartington Lake 1 (48°09′04″ N , 89°56′37″ W ) – Hartington Township
Hartington Lake 2 (48°08′32″ N , 89°57′18″ W ) – Hartington Township
Hartington Lake 3 (48°08′49″ N , 89°56′57″ W ) – Hartington Township
Head Lake (48°16′50″ N , 90°09′30″ W )
Himdick Lake (48°45′22″ N , 88°43′30″ W )
Inwood Lake (49°01′10″ N , 90°26′45″ W )
Jeff Lake (48°43′14″ N , 88°39′58″ W )
Joan Lake (48°06′19″ N , 89°43′38″ W )
Lauries Lakes 1 (48°15′01″ N , 90°16′32″ W )
Lauries Lake 3 (Larrys Lake 3) (48°14′16″ N , 90°17′18″ W )
Lauries Lake 4 (Larrys Lake 4) (48°14′30″ N , 90°17′16″ W )
Lismore Lake 1 (48°09′28″ N , 89°56′42″ W )
Lismore Lake 2 (48°09′21″ N , 89°57′06″ W )
Little Addie Lake (48°09′18″ N , 90°25′02″ W )
Little Hawkeye Lake (48°40′08″ N , 89°27′40″ W )
Little Head Lake (48°16′20″ N , 90°08′21″ W )
Liver Lake (48°36′33″ N , 88°56′28″ W )
Lizard Lake (48°14′33″ N , 89°52′23″ W )
Loch Muich Lake (48°36′14″ N , 90°20′39″ W )
Lofquist Lake (49°02′18″ N , 88°20′21″ W )
Lorne’s Lake (49°03′47″ N , 88°35′57″ W )
Lower Moonshine Lake (48°52′25″ N , 88°35′59″ W )
Malborne Lake (49°11′52″ N , 88°25′15″ W )
Male Lake (49°13′11″ N , 88°22′33″ W )
Matson Lake (48°05′48″ N , 89°42′04″ W )
McKecknie Lake (48°07′25″ N , 90°14′21″ W )
Middle Moonshine Lake (48°52′39″ N , 88°36′04″ W )
Moonshine Lake (48°52′53″ N , 88°36′12″ W )
Morrison Lake (48°11′09″ N , 89°52′44″ W )
Mutt Lake (48°43′25″ N , 88°40′09″ W )
No Good Lake (49°03′00″ N , 88°21′00″ W )
Nunya Lake (49°28'59″ N , 89°35'27″ W )
Paradise Lake (48°40′55″ N , 88°48′20″ W )
Peridotite Lake (48°29′34″ N , 89°46′50″ W )
Peter’s Lake (48°57′13″ N , 88°28′58″ W )
Pocket Lake (48°52′19″ N , 88°40′39″ W )
Ranger Lake (48°23′16″ N , 89°52′10″ W )
Rock Lake (48°11′13″ N , 90°05′29″ W )
Roll Lake (Lake 19) (48°38′30″ N , 88°57′37″ W )
Sand Lake North (48°15′18″ N , 90°14′25″ W )
Scott Lake 1 (48°10′51″ N , 90°18′47″ W )
Scott Lake 2 (48°10′41″ N , 90°17′49″ W )
Shale Lake (48°53′36″ N , 88°43′16″ W )
Shoepac Lake (49°00′50″ N , 88°22′47″ W )
Sitches Lake (48°39′24″ N , 90°38′27″ W )
South Fallingsnow East Lake (48°08′21″ N , 89°47′46″ W )
South Fallingsnow West Lake (48°08′33″ N , 89°48′00″ W )
Stillwater Lake (49°02′07″ N , 88°24′17″ W )
Sunset Lake (48°44′19″ N , 88°40′55″ W )
Sunset Lake (48°12′11″ N , 89°56′20″ W )
Tear Drop Lake (48°37′17″ N , 90°21′60″ W )
Ten Minute Lake (48°22′38″ N , 89°52′14″ W )
Thompson Lake (48°52′52″ N , 88°34′42″ W )
Thompson Lake 2 (48°17′37″ N , 89°35′06″ W )
Thunder Lake (48°29′55″ N , 89°45′55″ W )
Tuesday Lake (48°44′15″ N , 89°05′16″ W )
Twin Mountain Lake (48°10′47″ N , 89°49′33″ W )
Unnamed Lake 9 (49°02′12″ N , 88°28′20″ W )
Unnamed Lake 19 (49°02′11″ N , 88°26′23″ W )
Unnamed Lake 20 (49°00′31″ N , 88°28′44″ W )
Unnamed Lake 21 (49°00′03″ N , 88°28′08″ W )
Unnamed Lake 22 (48°58′05″ N , 88°32′09″ W )
Unnamed Lake 34 (49°01′55″ N , 88°25′13″ W )
Unnamed Lake 39 (48°56′32″ N , 88°25′45″ W )
Wasp Lake (48°13′31″ N , 90°11′12″ W )
West Arrow Lake (48°07′35″ N , 90°26′13″ W )
West Greenhue Lake (48°42′01″ N , 89°27′03″ W )
West MacDonald Lake (48°50′16″ N , 88°38′45″ W )
All tributaries to Lake Superior in Zone 6 described as follows:
Current River downstream from the Boulevard Lake Dam (48°27′ N , 89°11′ W )
Coldwater Creek downstream from Ouimet Canyon Road (48°45′ N , 88°36′ W )
Spring Creek downstream from Dorion Fish Culture Station (48°50′ N , 88°36′ W )
Wolf River downstream from the lower falls (48°50′58″ N , 88°34′87″ W )
Black Sturgeon River downstream from the dam (48°55′ N , 88°23′ W )
Nipigon River, entire length including Jessie Lake, Polly Lake and Lake Helen (49°04'20″ N , 88°16'17″ W )
from the Pigeon River to the Nipigon River, all tributaries lying downstream from Highway 61 and Highway 11/17, including Sibley and Black Bay Peninsula and all islands and excluding those listed in the first 6 sub-bullets above

Lake trout

open all year · S-2 and C-1; no size limit Season : closed all year

Black Sturgeon Lake (49°19′27″ N , 88°51′34″ W )
Keemle Lake (49°17′00″ N , 88°07′00″ W )
Pasha Lake (49°42′00″ N , 87°43′00″ W ) – Walters Township
Pass Lake (48°33′45″ N , 88°44′05″ W )
Shebandowan Lakes (48°38′53″ N , 90°19′22″ W )

Rainbow Trout

· S-5 and C-2 Limits : S-1; must be greater than 69 centimetres, and C-0

Amanda Lake (49°29′01″ N , 89°34′06″ W )
Badger Lake (49°29′48″ N , 89°31′39″ W )
Danielle Lake (49°29'16″ N , 89°34'38″ W )
D'Arcy Lake (48°35′49″ N , 88°39′38″ W )
Dayle Lake (49°24′52″ N , 89°41′47″ W )
Dennis Lake (49°28'55″ N , 89°35'56″ W )
Hades Lake (48°44′10″ N , 88°48′58″ W )
Lake 81E (48°13′42″ N , 89°54′17″ W )
Pothole Lake (48°13′47″ N , 89°53′45″ W )
Sandybeach Lake (48°46'42″ N , 88°46'09″ W )
Uncle Al’s Lake (48°26′32″ N , 89°50′02″ W )
Ursus Lake (48°35'35″ N , 89°01'11″ W )
Wednesday Lake (48°44′13″ N , 89°05′47″ W )
Neebing River

Walleye

closed all year

Black Sturgeon River – downstream from the dam (48°55′ N , 88°23′ W ) to Lake Superior

Waterbody exceptions

Licence year 2026 (calendar). 18 of 18 zone-wide species included. All 14 waterbody exceptions listed on the Ontario HTML for this FMZ are included. This is not complete Ontario.

Arrow River

Species	Catch limit	Notes
		Live fish may not be used as bait or possessed for use as bait
		Only barbless hooks may be used
Brown trout	S-0 and C-0	S-0 and C-0
Brown trout open from fourth Saturday in April to September 30		open from fourth Saturday in April to September 30
		Only artificial flies may be used
		Only artificial lures may be used

Jessie Lake — (49°11′19″ N , 88°19′52″ W ) – Purdom Township

Species	Catch limit	Length limit	Notes
			Dead rainbow smelt may be used as bait or possessed for use as bait
Brook trout	S-1; must be greater than 56 centimetres, and C-0	must be greater than 56 centimetres	S-1; must be greater than 56 centimetres, and C-0
Lake trout open from February 15 to March 15 and fourth Saturday in May to September 30			open from February 15 to March 15 and fourth Saturday in May to September 30
Northern pike	S-4 and C-2; none between 70-90 centimetres, not more than 1 greater than 90 centimetres		S-4 and C-2; none between 70-90 centimetres, not more than 1 greater than 90 centimetres
Northern pike open from January 1 to April 14 and second Saturday in May to December 31			open from January 1 to April 14 and second Saturday in May to December 31
Walleye	S-4 and C-2; must be greater than 33 centimetres, not more than 1 greater than 46 centimetres	must be greater than 33 centimetres	S-4 and C-2; must be greater than 33 centimetres, not more than 1 greater than 46 centimetres

Lake Helen — (49°04′20″ N , 88°16′17″ W )

Species	Catch limit	Length limit	Notes
			Dead rainbow smelt may be used as bait or possessed for use as bait
Brook trout	S-1; must be greater than 56 centimetres, and C-0	must be greater than 56 centimetres	S-1; must be greater than 56 centimetres, and C-0
Northern pike	S-4 and C-2; none between 70-90 centimetres, not more than 1 greater than 90 centimetres		S-4 and C-2; none between 70-90 centimetres, not more than 1 greater than 90 centimetres
Walleye and sauger closed all year			closed all year

Lake Nipigon — and its tributaries downstream from the first falls, rapids, dams or lakes or the entire stream if there are no falls, rapids, dams or lakes

Species	Catch limit	Length limit	Notes
			Also including:
waters on the islands of Lake Nipigon			including Forgan Lake, Bonner Lake, Little Bonner Lake and Jackpot Lake (Madeline Lake)
Gull River			downstream from the Highway 527 bridge
Kabitotikwia River			downstream from the Highway 527 bridge
Poshkokagan River			downstream from and including the rapids (49°25′45″ N , 89°04′55″ W ) located 13 kilometres upstream from the Black Sturgeon Road bridge
Wabinosh River			downstream from Wabinosh Lake
Little Jackfish River			downstream from the centre line of the CN railway bridge
			Dead rainbow smelt may be used as bait or possessed for use as bait
			Only artificial lures may be used when angling through the ice
			Only 1 barbless hook may be used
			No person shall use stringers, impounding devices or live holding boxes
			A person may hold fish, other than Brook Trout or Lake Trout, in a livewell
			No possession of live Lake Trout or Brook Trout permitted
Brook trout open from fourth Saturday in April to September 15			open from fourth Saturday in April to September 15
Brook trout	S-1; must be greater than 56 centimetres, and C-0	must be greater than 56 centimetres	S-1; must be greater than 56 centimetres, and C-0
Lake trout open from March 1 to September 30			open from March 1 to September 30
Lake trout	S-2 and C-1; not more than 1 greater than 70 centimetres		S-2 and C-1; not more than 1 greater than 70 centimetres
Northern pike open from January 1 to April 14 and third Saturday in May to December 31			open from January 1 to April 14 and third Saturday in May to December 31
Northern pike	S-4 and C-2; none between 70-90 centimetres, not more than 1 greater than 90 centimetres		S-4 and C-2; none between 70-90 centimetres, not more than 1 greater than 90 centimetres
Walleye and sauger open from January 1 to April 14 and June 10 to December 31			open from January 1 to April 14 and June 10 to December 31

Lake Nipigon — Ombabika Bay (50°15′ N , 88°15′ W ) and Wabinosh Bay (50°02′ N , 88°50′ W ) and the tributaries of the bays up to the first barrier including the Little Jackfish River downstream from the centre line of the CN railway bridge and Wabinosh River downstream of Wabinosh Lake

Species	Catch limit	Length limit	Notes
Walleye and sauger combined	S-2 and C-2; not more than 1 greater than 46 centimetres		S-2 and C-2; not more than 1 greater than 46 centimetres

Lake Nipigon — West Bay, the waters lying north and west of the north tip of Boles Island

Species	Catch limit	Length limit	Notes
closed all year			closed all year
Walleye	S-4 and C-2; must be greater than 33 centimetres, not more than 1 greater than 46 centimetres	must be greater than 33 centimetres	S-4 and C-2; must be greater than 33 centimetres, not more than 1 greater than 46 centimetres
no fishing from April 1 to May 31			no fishing from April 1 to May 31

McIntyre River

Species	Catch limit	Length limit	Notes
Rainbow trout	S-1; must be greater than 69 centimetres, and C-0	must be greater than 69 centimetres	S-1; must be greater than 69 centimetres, and C-0

McIntyre River — from the footbridge to the dam on the University property in the City of Thunder Bay

Species	Catch limit	Length limit	Notes
closed all year			closed all year

Nipigon River

Species	Catch limit	Length limit	Notes
			Dead Rainbow Smelt may be used as bait or possessed for use as bait
Northern pike	S-4 and C-2; none between 70-90 centimetres, not more than 1 greater than 90 centimetres		S-4 and C-2; none between 70-90 centimetres, not more than 1 greater than 90 centimetres

Nipigon River and Nipigon Bay — the Nipigon River from the Alexander Falls Dam in Zone 6 to Nipigon Bay in Zone 9, and the waters of Nipigon Bay in Zone 9 north of a line drawn from Simpson Island (48°49'48″ N , 87°40'40″ W ) across the bay to the mainland at 48°51'21″ N , 87°38'47″ W

Species	Catch limit	Length limit	Notes
Walleye and sauger closed all year			closed all year

Nipigon River

Species	Catch limit	Length limit	Notes
no fishing from January 1 to Friday before fourth Saturday in May and Tuesday after Labour Day to December 31 in the following areas:			no fishing from January 1 to Friday before fourth Saturday in May and Tuesday after Labour Day to December 31 in the following areas:
Nipigon River			Backpool below the Alexander Dam east of a line drawn south from the Alexander Dam Log Chute to the northernmost tip of the point of land on the east shore of the Nipigon River
Nipigon River			Gapen's Pool (49°01′ N , 88°15′ W ) that part of the Nipigon River lying east of a line drawn north from the eastern shore abutment of Highway 11/17 bridges to the western tip of a point of land on the eastern shore of the outflow from Lake Helen
Nipigon River			Parmacheene (49°05′ N , 88°19′ W ) from the downstream edge of the Parmacheene C.N.R. bridge abutments, upstream approximately 400 metres to the first narrows

Polly Lake — (49°07′52″ N , 88°15′58″ W )

Species	Catch limit	Length limit	Notes
			Dead rainbow smelt may be used as bait or possessed for use as bait
Brook trout	S-1; must be greater than 56 centimetres, and C-0	must be greater than 56 centimetres	S-1; must be greater than 56 centimetres, and C-0
Northern pike	S-4 and C-2; none between 70-90 centimetres, not more than 1 greater than 90 centimetres		S-4 and C-2; none between 70-90 centimetres, not more than 1 greater than 90 centimetres
Walleye and sauger closed all year			closed all year

Savanne River — (48°56′ N , 90°17′ W )

Species	Catch limit	Length limit	Notes
Walleye	S-4 and C-2; must be greater than 33 centimetres, not more than 1 greater than 46 centimetres	must be greater than 33 centimetres	S-4 and C-2; must be greater than 33 centimetres, not more than 1 greater than 46 centimetres

Savanne River — (48°56′ N , 90°17′ W ) - from One Mile Creek to Dexter Creek.

Species	Catch limit	Length limit	Notes
no fishing from April 1 to May 31			no fishing from April 1 to May 31

Bait restrictions

Arrow River
Jessie Lake (49°11'19″ N , 88°19'52″ W ) · Lake Helen (49°04'20″ N , 88°16'17″ W ) · Nipigon River · Polly Lake (49°07'52″ N , 88°15'58″ W )

Fish sanctuaries

No fishing – closed all year

Argon Lake – Grand Trunk Pacific Block 2
Gessie Lake
Henderson Lake – Grand Trunk Pacific Block 2
Ice Lake
Lake Nipigon – refer to waterbody exceptions
McIntyre River – refer to waterbody exceptions
Savanne Lake – Grand Trunk Pacific Block 2
Squeers Lake (48°31′ N , 90°33′ W )

No fishing – from January 1 to Friday before fourth Saturday in May and Tuesday after Labour Day to December 31

Nipigon River – refer to waterbody exceptions

No fishing – April 1 to May 31

Granite River and Saganaga Lake – Saganaga Falls
Greenwater Creek – from the dam on Greenwater Creek to the first island in Upper Shebandowan Lake
Kashabowie River – from the dam on Kashabowie Lake to the island in Upper Shebandowan Lake
Little Gunflint Lake
Little North Lake
Little Savanne River – refer to waterbody exceptions
Maligne River and Curran Bay (Saganaga Lake)
Pine River – near Gunflint Lake
Savanne River – refer to waterbody exceptions
Sawmill Creek and Sawmill Bay – Upper Shebandowan Lake
Swamp River and Swamp Bay of Lower Shebandowan Lake – Conacher and Hagey Townships
Weikwabinonaw River – between Marks Lake and Weikwabinonaw Lake
Weikwabinonaw River – from Marks Lake upstream to the Weikwabinonaw Lake Road
Weikwabinonaw River – from Trafalgar Bay on Northern Light Lake extending upstream to its confluence with Nelson Creek, including the unnamed lake known locally as Lily Lake