Ice fishing in Zone 1 (FMZ 1), 2026–27
Fisheries Management Zone 1, with 82 lakes and rivers on our map. Through the 2026–27 ice season (December 1 to March 31), 6 of 7 species groups are open the whole time, 1 for part of it and 0 are closed. Walleye and sauger are open all ice season. Lake trout are open all ice season. Pike are open all ice season and perch open all ice season.
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What you can fish through the ice in Zone 1
Zone-wide seasons and limits from the 2026 Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary, with the dates worked out for 2026–27. They apply to every lake in the zone except the waters listed further down.
| Species | 2026–27 ice season | Zone-wide season (as written) | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aggregate limits for trout and salmon (including splake) | — | Limit only | S-5 and C-2; total daily catch and possession limit for all trout and salmon species combined |
| Brook trout |
Part of the season
Jan 1 – Mar 31 |
January 1 to September 30 | S-5 and C-2; not more than one greater than 40 centimetres |
| Lake sturgeon | Open all season | January 1 to April 30 and July 1 to December 31 | S-0 and C-0 |
| Lake trout | Open all season | Open all year | S-3 and C-1 |
| Lake whitefish | Open all season | Open all year | S-12 and C-6 |
| Northern pike | Open all season | Open all year | S-6; not more than two greater than 61 centimetres, of which not more than one greater than 86 centimetres, and C-2; not more than one greater than 61 centimetres, none greater than 86 centimetres |
| Walleye and sauger combined | Open all season | Open all year | S-4 and C-2; not more than one greater than 46 centimetres |
| Yellow perch | Open all season | Open all year | S-50 and C-25 |
S = sport fishing licence, C = conservation fishing licence. A season "open all ice season" runs December 1 to March 31 without a break. The 2027 summary takes effect January 1, 2027 and can change dates for the rest of the winter; we refresh this page when it is published. Not present in this zone and closed all year: Atlantic salmon, brown trout, channel catfish, crappie, largemouth and smallmouth bass, muskellunge, rainbow trout, splake, sunfish, Pacific salmon.
Ice huts and lines in Zone 1
- Zone 1 is one of the zones (1 to 8 and 13) where ice huts do not need to be registered.
- In every zone, huts must come off before the ice breaks up, whatever the date.
- You can fish with two lines through the ice in most waters, as long as you stay within 60 m of each line or tip-up and can see them all.
Surveyed lakes in Zone 1
Lakes in this zone with the most government fish survey records, the game fish recorded and the deepest contour on the provincial depth chart. Each page shows its own winter rules.
Other zone notes
- In Zone 1, only one barbless hook may be used and live fish may not be used as bait or possessed for use as bait.
Source: Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary 2026, Fisheries Management Zone 1 and ontario.ca ice fishing rules, read October 25, 2026; zone boundary: Land Information Ontario (Open Government Licence – Ontario). The summary is a guide to the regulations, not the law itself, and this page is a reading of the summary. Check the official text, and test the ice yourself: no regulation makes ice safe.