Ice fishing in Manitoba by division
Manitoba sets its angling seasons by fishing division. In the Southern Division walleye and sauger are open through the winter until April 4, 2027; in the three northern divisions until April 30. Most other species are open all year, so the rules that change your ice season are the shelter removal date, the live bait rule, the possession limits and the rules for your own lake. The 2026 Anglers' Guide lists 98 waters with rules of their own and 94 stocked trout waters.
- You may fish with two lines through the ice (one in open water), with no more than two hooks or lures per line, and you must stay within 50 m of your lines.
- Barbless hooks are required on every line in Manitoba, ice fishing included.
- An unattended ice fishing shelter must show the owner's full name or Customer Identification Number and a phone number on the outside, in block letters at least 5 cm high.
- Shelters must come off the ice by the removal date for the water, or sooner if a Conservation Officer orders it because the ice is unsafe, and must be stored away from the shore on private property.
- Open liquor, beer included, is not allowed in ice fishing shelters.
Open the full Manitoba Crown land map
| Division | Shelters off by | Live bait fish | Waters with own rules | Closures in the ice season | Stocked trout waters | Around |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Division | March 31, 2027, except March 14 on the Red River and March 15 in Area B (southwestern Manitoba) | Allowed, with exceptions | 58 | 19 | 75 | Beausejour, Brandon, Dauphin |
| Northwest Division | April 15, 2027 | Not allowed | 20 | 6 | 8 | Flin Flon, Grass River, Snow Lake |
| North Central Division | April 15, 2027 | Not allowed | 8 | 2 | 11 | Thompson |
| Northeast Division | April 15, 2027 | Not allowed | 12 | 4 | — |
Possession limits
Provincial limits from the 2026 Anglers' Guide. Possession limits are the same as daily limits, and many waters set lower ones (see each division).
| Species | Limit | Size rule |
|---|---|---|
| Walleye (pickerel) and sauger, combined | 4 | None over 55 cm |
| Northern pike (jackfish) | 4 | None over 75 cm |
| Yellow perch | 25 | — |
| Lake whitefish | 10 | — |
| Lake trout | 1 | None over 65 cm |
| Stocked brook, brown and rainbow trout, splake, other trout hybrids and arctic char, combined | 3 | Only one over 45 cm, none over 60 cm |
| Brook trout (not in stocked trout waters) | 1 | None over 45 cm |
| Arctic char (not in stocked trout waters) | 1 | — |
| Arctic grayling | 3 | None over 40 cm |
| Burbot | 6 | None over 70 cm |
| Black crappie | 6 | None over 35 cm |
| Smallmouth and largemouth bass, each | 4 | None over 45 cm |
| Channel catfish | 4 | None over 60 cm |
| Goldeye and mooneye, combined | 10 | — |
| Lake sturgeon, muskellunge and bigmouth buffalo | 0 | Catch and release only |
Invasive species in winter
Augers, ice scoops, fishing gear and bait containers can carry zebra mussels, spiny water fleas and other invasive species from one lake to the next. The province's ice-season checklist:
- Before going onto a lake, make sure augers, scoops and gear are free of invasive species, plants and mud, and drain any water from bait containers on land.
- Gear last used on another lake must be completely dry, or decontaminated; in winter, three days outside at −10 °C or colder does it.
- Leaving an AIS Control Zone, throw out all remaining bait, live or dead, before you leave the shore.
Live bait after this winter
The Anglers' Guide announces that harvesting, possessing and using live bait fish and leeches will be prohibited across Manitoba from April 1, 2027. This winter's rules still allow live bait fish in most of the Southern Division; from next winter, plan on frozen bait or artificial lures.
Source: Manitoba Anglers' Guide 2026 (regulations in effect from April 1, 2026); division boundaries: Manitoba Fishing Divisions (Manitoba Open Data Licence). The guide is a summary; the regulations themselves apply. No regulation makes ice safe: check it yourself.