Ice fishing in the Southern Division

The Southern Division of Manitoba's angling regulations takes in Beausejour, Brandon, Dauphin, Duck Mountain, East Beaches, Gimli, Hecla-Grindstone, Interlake, Killarney, Lac du Bonnet, Lake Manitoba, Lake Winnipegosis, Minnedosa, Nopiming, Pembina Valley, Porcupine Hills, Portage la Prairie, Riding Mountain, Roblin, Russell, Sandilands, Selkirk, Southeast Manitoba, Spruce Woods, Steinbach, Swan River, Turtle Mountain and Winnipeg. Walleye and sauger are open May 9, 2026 to April 4, 2027, and most other species all year. Ice fishing shelters have to be off the ice by March 31, 2027, except March 14 on the Red River and March 15 in Area B (southwestern Manitoba). The 2026 Anglers' Guide lists 58 waters here with rules of their own, 19 of them with a closure that starts between November and April or lasts all year.

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Seasons

On every Manitoba lake: two lines through the ice, barbless hooks, stay within 50 m of your lines. All province-wide ice rules and possession limits →

Closures from November to April

Waters, or parts of them, with a closure that starts between November and April or lasts all year. Spring spawning closures that start in early April take in the last weeks of ice on many lakes.

• Assiniboine River downstream of the Portage Diversion to Highway 240: Closed to all fishing from April 6 to and including May 8.
• Basket Creek: Closed to all fishing, including dip netting, from April 1 to and including May 8.
• Dauphin Lake including that portion of the Mossy River to municipal road 107 west and all inflowing tributaries: All inflowing tributaries and those parts of Dauphin Lake within 1 km of their mouths, excluding the Vermilion Reservoir, are closed to all fishing, including dip netting from March 1 to and including May 8. The remaining parts of Dauphin Lake remain open in March and are closed to all fishing from April 1 to and including May 8.
• Dog Lake Drain: Closed to all fishing, including dip netting, from April 1 to and including May 8.
• Dufaults Creek: Closed to all fishing including dip netting, from April 1 to and including May 8.
• Falcon Creek: Closed to all fishing, including dip netting, from April 1 to and including May 31.
• Hamilton Creek: Closed to all fishing, including dip netting, from April 1 to and including May 31.
• Hamlin Drain: Closed to all fishing, including dip netting, from April 1 to and including May 8.
• Lake Winnipeg: Walleye/sauger season closed April 6 to and including May 15.
• Limestone Bay (on Lake Winnipeg): Closed to fishing all year.
• Lonely Lake Drain: Closed to all fishing, including dip netting, from April 1 to and including May 31.
• Proulx Creek and all other creeks and drains that intersect PR 328 to the east: Closed to all fishing, including dip netting, from April 1 to and including May 8.
• Red River between Lockport Dam and Lake Winnipeg, including its tributaries upstream to Highway 9 and Highway 59: Closed to all fishing from April 6 to and including May 8.
• Red River at St. Andrews Lock and Dam (Special Conservation Area for pelicans): Closed to all fishing and possession of fishing gear from April 1 to and including November 15.
• Wahtopanah Lake and Little Saskatchewan River from the Rivers Dam upstream to Riding Mountain National Park, including Rapid City Reservoir and Minnedosa Lake: That portion of Wahtopanah Lake and the Little Saskatchewan River from PTH 24 to the TC Energy Pipeline crossing on Wahtopanah Lake is closed to all fishing from April 1 to and including May 31.
• West Watjask Lake: Closed to all fishing from November 15 to and including June 15.
• Whitefish Lake (in the Porcupine Forest) including the Marina Lagoon, North Creek and Whitefish Creek: North Creek closed to all fishing from April 1 to and including June 1.
• Whiteshell River from West Hawk Lake to Caddy Lake: Trout limit is 0 and closed to all fishing from November 1 to and including April 15.
• Winnipeg River between the Manitoba/Ontario border and the Pine Falls Generating Station: Closed to lake sturgeon fishing all year.

Waterbody rules (58)

The Waterbody Specific Regulations for the Southern Division, as printed. They replace or add to the provincial limits and the division seasons.

• Assiniboine River downstream of the Portage Diversion to Highway 240: Closed to all fishing from April 6 to and including May 8.
• Basket Creek: Closed to all fishing, including dip netting, from April 1 to and including May 8.
• Beaver Lake (Duck Mountain): Walleye limit is 2 and all walleye over 45 cm must be released. No Motors, except electric motors, are allowed.
• Bell Lake: Walleye limit is 2 and all walleye over 45 cm must be released.
• Big Bobs Lake: Walleye limit is 2 and all walleye over 45 cm must be released. Yellow perch limit is 10 and all yellow perch over 30 cm must be released.
• Big Whiteshell Lake: Cisco limit is 6 and only one may exceed 45 cm.
• Chain Lakes: No motors, except electric motors, are allowed.
• Crawford Creek: See Dauphin Lake.
• Crowduck Lake: Walleye limit is 2 and all walleye over 48 cm must be released. All smallmouth bass over 40 cm must be released.
• Dauphin Lake including that portion of the Mossy River to municipal road 107 west and all inflowing tributaries: All walleye over 48 cm must be released. All inflowing tributaries and those parts of Dauphin Lake within 1 km of their mouths, excluding the Vermilion Reservoir, are closed to all fishing, including dip netting from March 1 to and including May 8. The remaining parts of Dauphin Lake remain open in March and are closed to all fishing from April 1 to and including May 8.
• Dog Lake Drain: Closed to all fishing, including dip netting, from April 1 to and including May 8.
• Dufaults Creek: Closed to all fishing including dip netting, from April 1 to and including May 8.
• Falcon Creek: Closed to all fishing, including dip netting, from April 1 to and including May 31.
• Glad Lake: All arctic char must be released. Only 1 northern pike may exceed 75 cm.
• Gull Lake (near Beaconia): All northern pike over 60 cm must be released.
• Hamilton Creek: Closed to all fishing, including dip netting, from April 1 to and including May 31.
• Hamlin Drain: Closed to all fishing, including dip netting, from April 1 to and including May 8.
• Hunt Lake: No possession limit or size restriction for largemouth bass.
• Lake of the Prairies and its tributaries, including the Shell River west of PTH 83: All walleye over 45 cm must be released. Anglers may fish with either a Manitoba or Saskatchewan angling licence upstream from the Shellmouth Dam (see border waters - page 5). Check Saskatchewan angling regulations if fishing on the Saskatchewan side.
• Lake St. George: All walleye over 45 cm must be released.
• Lake Winnipeg: Walleye/sauger season closed April 6 to and including May 15.
• Lake Winnipeg and its tributaries up to the first impassable barrier for fish: All walleye and sauger shorter than 35 cm must be released.
• Limestone Bay (on Lake Winnipeg): Closed to fishing all year.
• Lonely Lake Drain: Closed to all fishing, including dip netting, from April 1 to and including May 31.
• Marge Lake: Walleye limit is 2 and all walleye shorter than 35 cm must be released.
• Mary Jane Reservoir: All walleye shorter than 35 cm must be released. Black crappie limit is 4. All largemouth bass must be released.
• Mink Creek: See Dauphin Lake.
• Minnedosa Lake: See Wahtopanah Lake.
• Minnewasta Lake: All walleye shorter than 35 cm must be released.
• Moose Lake (near Sprague): All walleye shorter than 35 cm must be released.
• North Steeprock Lake: Walleye limit is 2 and all walleye over 45 cm must be released.
• Ochre River: See Dauphin Lake.
• Proulx Creek and all other creeks and drains that intersect PR 328 to the east: Closed to all fishing, including dip netting, from April 1 to and including May 8.
• Rapid City Reservoir: See Wahtopanah Lake.
• Red River from the Canada/US border to Lake Winnipeg and all tributaries between Lockport Dam and Lake Winnipeg: All walleye and sauger shorter than 35 cm must be released.
• Red River between Lockport Dam and Lake Winnipeg, including its tributaries upstream to Highway 9 and Highway 59: Closed to all fishing from April 6 to and including May 8.
• Red River from Lockport Dam to 1 km downstream: Dip netting and seining for bait fish only, not suckers (excluding the Special Conservation Area); no bow fishing allowed.
• Red River at St. Andrews Lock and Dam (Special Conservation Area for pelicans): Closed to all fishing and possession of fishing gear from April 1 to and including November 15.
• Rennie River: All walleye over 45 cm must be released.
• Reynolds Ponds: Largemouth bass limit is 2 and all largemouth bass over 40 cm must be released.
• Shoal Lake (on the Ontario border): All walleye and sauger must be released.
• Singush Lake: Walleye limit is 2 and all walleye over 45 cm must be released.
• St. Malo Lake: No motors, except electric motors, allowed.
• Stephenfield Lake: All walleye shorter than 35 cm must be released.
• Turtle River from PTH 5 near Laurier to Dauphin Lake: See Dauphin Lake.
• Valley River: See Dauphin Lake.
• Vermilion River and Vermilion Reservoir: See Dauphin Lake.
• Verrall Lake: Walleye limit is 2 and all walleye over 45 cm must be released.
• Vini Lake: Only 1 northern pike may exceed 75 cm.
• Wahtopanah Lake and Little Saskatchewan River from the Rivers Dam upstream to Riding Mountain National Park, including Rapid City Reservoir and Minnedosa Lake: All walleye over 45 cm must be released. That portion of Wahtopanah Lake and the Little Saskatchewan River from PTH 24 to the TC Energy Pipeline crossing on Wahtopanah Lake is closed to all fishing from April 1 to and including May 31.
• Wellman Lake: Walleye limit is 2 and all walleye over 45 cm must be released.
• West Watjask Lake: Closed to all fishing from November 15 to and including June 15. May only use artificial lures and flies and may only use one hook per lure.
• Whitefish Lake (in the Porcupine Forest) including the Marina Lagoon, North Creek and Whitefish Creek: Walleye limit is 2 and all walleye over 45 cm must be released. North Creek closed to all fishing from April 1 to and including June 1.
• Whiteshell River from West Hawk Lake to Caddy Lake: Trout limit is 0 and closed to all fishing from November 1 to and including April 15.
• Winnipeg River between the Manitoba/Ontario border and the Pine Falls Generating Station: Closed to lake sturgeon fishing all year.
• Winnipeg River from Pine Falls Generating Station to Lake Winnipeg to and including Traverse Bay: All walleye and sauger shorter than 35 cm must be released.
• Wilson River: See Dauphin Lake.
• William Lake: Smallmouth bass limit is 2 and only 1 may exceed 40 cm.

Stocked trout waters (75)

The stocked trout lakes, ponds and reservoirs below are open all year, so their trout can be fished through the ice. Lake trout caught here must be released from September 15 to October 31, and walleye follow the division season. The stocked trout creeks and rivers are closed to all fishing from November 1 to April 15. In Duck Mountain Provincial Park and Porcupine Provincial Forest, all trout under 35 cm must be released, except in streams. No live bait fish, dip netting, seining or bow fishing on any stocked trout water.

What lives in the lakes here

The province's waterbody data covers 441 lakes in the Southern Division. The species it records most often: northern pike (248 lakes), walleye (212 lakes), white sucker (205 lakes), yellow perch (199 lakes), rainbow trout (102 lakes), brook trout (76 lakes). The largest of them, each with its own page:

Snow in the Southern Division now

Daily snow on the ground at Environment and Climate Change Canada climate stations, refreshed daily. Reports run a few days behind, and snow cover can differ a lot over short distances.

Provincial parks with winter trails

Beaudry Provincial Park, Birds Hill Provincial Park, Camp Morton Provincial Park, Duck Mountain Provincial Park, Grand Beach Provincial Park, Hecla/Grindstone Provincial Park, Spruce Woods Provincial Park, St. Malo Provincial Park, Turtle Mountain Provincial Park, Whitemouth Falls Provincial Park, Whiteshell Provincial Park. Ice fishing shelters on lakes in provincial parks must also meet Manitoba Parks' size, location and use standards, and may not be slept in.

Source: Manitoba Anglers' Guide 2026, Southern Division Regulations; lake species: Manitoba Waterbody Data; division boundary: Manitoba Fishing Divisions (both Manitoba Open Data Licence). The guide is a summary, not the regulation. Lake names are linked where we could match them to a lake on our map by name and division. No regulation makes ice safe: check it yourself.