2017 Fishing Ontario Recreational Fishing Regulations Summary (Effective January 1, 2017) New to fishing? Join a family-friendly Learn to Fish experience. Learn more at ontario.ca/learntofish. For everything you need to plan your next fishing trip visit Fish ON-Line at ontario.ca/fishonline. See our recipe inside from Foodland Ontario Grilled Walleye Tacos with Fruit and Corn Salsa Report Resource Abuse | Please call 1-877-847-7667 ontario.ca/fishing 125 125 YEARS ANS 1 8 9 2 -201 7 The Hobie MirageDrive® opens up a new world of angling possibilities. Discover a new way to fish on a Hobie. hobiefishing.com Hobie_OntarioFishing_Ad_9_16.indd 1 9/21/16 9:17 AM TABLE OF CONTENTS IMPORTANT NOTICE This is a summary of information dealing with fishing licences and Message from the Government of Ontario 2 fishing laws. This summary is neither a legal document nor a How to Use this Summary 3 complete collection of the current Recreational Fishing Licence Information 4 regulations. It is meant to be a convenient reference only. General Fishing Regulations 7 For details on the current Angler’s Guide to Fishing Regulations 7 regulations see: General Prohibitions – It is Illegal To 8 • Fish and Wildlife Transporting Fish 9 Conservation Act and regulations Ontario’s Provincial Possession Limits 10 • Federal Fisheries Act Bait 10 • Endangered Species Act and regulations Ice Fishing 11 • Federal Species at Risk Act Non-angling Methods 11 • Ontario Fishery Regulations Provincial Boundary Waters 12 - Close times, fishing quotas and limits on the size of fish Crown Land Camping 12 established in the Ontario Laws to Help Stop the Spread of Invading Species 13 Fishery Regulations may be changed through Variation VHS (Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia) 13 Orders which are available at ontario.ca/fishing. ZONE SPECIFIC REGULATIONS The maps presented in this Zones 1, 2 & 3. ................................................................ 14 summary are provided as a guide only. Due to the scale Zone 4. ....................................................................... 18 of the maps, the official plan Zone 5 (including Border Waters Regulations for Non-Canadian Resident Anglers)....... 22 (detailed information) for the boundaries of the Zones cannot Zone 6. ....................................................................... 28 be provided in this summary. Zone 7. ....................................................................... 34 You can obtain specific details of the regulations, including Zone 8. ....................................................................... 42 more detailed maps of Zone boundaries, from ontario.ca/fishing Zone 9. ....................................................................... 48 or local MNRF offices. Zone 10. ...................................................................... 50 Zone 11. ...................................................................... 58 Find the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry at: Zone 12. ...................................................................... 62 ontario.ca/mnrf Zones 13 & 14 ................................................................ 64 Zone 15. ...................................................................... 68 Visit the ministry’s fishing website: ontario.ca/fishing Zone 16. ...................................................................... 78 Zone 17. ...................................................................... 84 All proceeds from the sale Zone 18. ...................................................................... 87 of advertisements appearing in this summary support fish Zone 19. ...................................................................... 90 and wildlife management programs in Ontario. The Zone 20. ...................................................................... 92 Province of Ontario and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry neither endorse Government Offices 96 products or services offered in advertisements nor accept any FSC logo ChoiCe Cover photo credit: Matt Garvin, 2016 liability arising from the use of orientation : such products or services. Portrait landscape MNRF #5439 (English version) ISSN PRINT/ENGLISH VERSION 1911-6276 (250.0 k.P.R., 12/14/16) Recreational Fishing Regulations 2017 1 Color : reverse-green green reverse-black black MESSAGE FROM THE MINISTER Recreational fishing is one of the most popular outdoor activities for Significant upgrades have been made to Fish ON-Line, the Ministry’s Ontario residents and visitors alike. A time-honoured tradition that can electronic guide to fishing in Ontario. It is now easier to access on be pursued year-round, it is both exciting and challenging. Ontario’s mobile devices and, for the first time, includes some 4,000 rivers and quarter million lakes and innumerable rivers and streams mean there streams in addition to the 14,000 lakes already available. are angling opportunities for every outdoor enthusiast. In response to the continuing threat posed by invasive species, Fishing can also help strengthen family ties, foster a greater appreciation Ontario passed the Invasive Species Act. The legislation is an of nature, and be a great way to spend some peaceful time outdoors. important tool in the fight against invasive species as it supports the Ontario offers two opportunities each year for new anglers to try their prevention, early detection, rapid response and eradication of these hand at fishing without having to buy a licence. The Family Fishing species. Ontario is the only jurisdiction in Canada to have enacted Weekend in February, which coincides with the Family Day long standalone invasive species legislation. weekend, and the Family Fishing Week in July let Canadians fish The use and movement of live bait brings with it the potential to licence-free. spread invasive species and diseases. Ontario is reviewing ways to In 2017, Canada will mark the 150th anniversary of Confederation. reduce the risks associated with the use of live bait while trying to Ontario is one of Canada’s founding provinces and will be joining in the simplify the rules for anglers and the bait industry. We continue to nation-wide celebrations of this milestone. Angling is an activity with a make every effort to inform anglers of the risks posed by the transfer long and proud history dating back even before 1867, and the province of non-baitfish species and other aquatic organisms and seek to is working to ensure that angling continues to be a favourite outdoor minimize risks by promoting compliance with the rules. pursuit for years to come. We all need to do our part to keep the province’s world-class Our Learn to Fish program continues to grow in popularity. The two- recreational fisheries both healthy and sustainable. Please follow the hour program helps new anglers learn the basics of fishing, including rules outlined in this summary, and respect the environment and each fish handling, live release of fish, safety and more. It is offered in other. By working together, we can help make the province a great conjunction with Learn to Camp at six provincial parks, and at a range place to get outside and enjoy our wonderful natural resources. of community events throughout the summer. Find out more at ontario. ca/learntofish. Honourable Kathryn McGarry Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry Our Cover Fish and Wildlife Forty-four inches (112 cm) is a lot of Muskellunge – and back in the Heritage Commission water it went, carefully handled and quickly released. The Fish and Wildlife Heritage Commission was created in 2002 to Angler adoption of proper handling and live advise the Minister on promoting hunting, fishing and other outdoor 2017 release techniques has been a significant Fishing activities, funding of the Fish and Wildlife Program, and other Ontario factor in the health of Ontario’s Muskellunge Recreational Fishing matters as requested by the Minister. The commission consists of Regulations Summary fishery, and in recent years the catch rate (Effective January 1, 2017) ten members, including the chair, who represent a cross-section New to fishing? Join a family-friendly Learn to Fish experience. Learn more at in Ontario has definitely improved. Why? In ontario.ca/learntofish. For everything you need to plan of key interests in the sustainable use of our fish and wildlife your next fishing trip visit Fish ON-Line at ontario.ca/fishonline. See our recipe inside from Foodland Ontario 2001 the science of Dr. John Casselman led to Grilled Walleye Tacos resources. The commission continues to work on a number of with Fruit and Corn Salsa changes in Ontario’s Muskellunge regulations Report Resource Abuse | Please call 1-877-847-7667 important issues, including the development of strategies to engage to put an emphasis on minimum sizes to ontario.ca/fishing youth in our fishing and hunting heritage and the continued effective 125 125 YEARS ANS 1 8 9 2 -201 7 125 125 YEARS ANS protect the fishery. These regulations are 1 892 -2017 management of the Fish and Wildlife Special Purpose Account. based on the growth potential of fish in a particular waterbody. Each of Ontario’s 400+ Muskellunge waters has one of three designations to guide its management: High density populations include those waters which provide good opportunities to catch Muskellunge, most of which are smaller in size. Enhanced size fisheries are those waters which are able to produce larger-than-average fish so an angler can try for a personal trophy. Ontario also has some record