Ice fishing in Ontario by zone, 2026–27
Ontario has no separate ice fishing season. The open seasons of the 2026 Fishing Regulations Summary apply through the ice, and they change from one Fisheries Management Zone to the next: walleye are open all winter in 12 of the 20 zones, and lake trout open on January 1 in most of the north. The table below works out each zone's seasons for December 1 to March 31, with the ice hut deadline for each zone. Each zone page lists the limits for every species, the lakes with their own winter rules and the surveyed lakes worth a look.
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What is open through the ice, zone by zone
"Open" means open for the whole ice season (December 1 to March 31). Dates are the open part of the season where it is shorter. Zone-wide rules only: many lakes have their own, listed on each zone page.
| Zone | Walleye | Pike | Perch | Lake trout | Brook trout | Whitefish | Hut removal | Lakes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | Open | Open | Open | Open | Jan 1 – Mar 31 | Open | Before breakup | 82 |
| Zone 2 | Open | Open | Open | Jan 1 – Mar 31 | Jan 1 – Mar 31 | Open | Before breakup | 2,028 |
| Zone 3 | Open | Open | Open | Jan 1 – Mar 31 | Jan 1 – Mar 31 | Open | Before breakup | 275 |
| Zone 4 | Open | Open | Open | Jan 1 – Mar 31 | Jan 1 – Mar 31 | Open | Before breakup | 1,832 |
| Zone 5 | Open | Open | Open | Jan 1 – Mar 31 | Open | Open | Before breakup | 2,687 |
| Zone 6 | Open | Open | Open | Jan 1 – Mar 31 | Closed | Open | Before breakup | 1,684 |
| Zone 7 | Open | Open | Open | Jan 1 – Mar 31 | Jan 1 – Mar 31 | Open | Before breakup | 2,825 |
| Zone 8 | Open | Open | Open | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Jan 1 – Mar 31 | Open | Before breakup | 2,620 |
| Zone 9 | Open | Open | Open | Jan 1 – Mar 31 | Closed | Open | March 31 | 162 |
| Zone 10 | Dec 1 – Mar 21 | Open | Open | Jan 1 – Mar 31 | Jan 1 – Mar 31 | Open | March 31 | 3,678 |
| Zone 11 | Dec 1 – Mar 21 | Dec 1 – Mar 21 | Open | Feb 15 – Mar 21 | Feb 15 – Mar 31 | Open | March 31 | 1,239 |
| Zone 12 | Open | Open | Open | — | Closed | Open | March 15* | 71 |
| Zone 13 | Open | Open | Open | Open | — | Open | Before breakup | 63 |
| Zone 14 | Dec 1 – Mar 1 | Dec 1 – Mar 1 | Open | Open | — | Open | March 15 | 358 |
| Zone 15 | Dec 1 – Mar 15 | Open | Open | Jan 1 – Mar 31 | Jan 1 – Mar 31 | Open | March 31 | 4,208 |
| Zone 16 | Dec 1 – Mar 15 | Open | Open | Jan 1 – Mar 31 | Closed | Open | March 15 | 425 |
| Zone 17 | Closed | Open | Open | Closed | Closed | Closed | March 1 | 162 |
| Zone 18 | Dec 1 – Mar 1 | Open | Open | Closed | Open | Open | March 15 | 1,241 |
| Zone 19 | Open | Open | Open | Open | — | Open | March 15 | 44 |
| Zone 20 | Dec 1 – Mar 1 | Open | Open | Open | — | Open | March 1 | 78 |
* Zone 12: March 15 below the Lake Timiskaming dam, March 31 above it. "Lakes" counts the lakes and rivers of each zone on our map. Dates after December 31 follow the 2026 summary; the 2027 edition takes effect January 1 and we update these pages when it is out.
Before you head out
- You need a fishing licence and an Outdoors Card if you are 18 to 64; the free licence-free family fishing days also apply on the ice.
- Baitfish and leeches cannot be moved between Ontario's four Bait Management Zones, and some lakes ban live bait altogether. Zone pages name the bait zone.
- Huts in provincial parks may need extra authorization from the park, and commercial or tourist hut operations on Lake Nipissing need a special licence.
- Ontario's own guideline: at least 20 cm of clear blue ice for a snowmobile and 30 cm or more for a light vehicle, doubled for white or opaque ice. Ice thickness changes across a lake; check it as you go.
Ice fishing in Ontario: the full guide Browse Ontario lakes
Sources: Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary 2026, ontario.ca ice fishing rules; zone boundaries: Land Information Ontario (Open Government Licence – Ontario). This page reads the summary for you; it is not the regulation.