Ice fishing in Zone 11 (FMZ 11), 2026–27

Fisheries Management Zone 11, with 1,239 lakes and rivers on our map. Through the 2026–27 ice season (December 1 to March 31), 8 of 17 species groups are open the whole time, 6 for part of it and 3 are closed. Walleye and sauger are open Dec 1 – Mar 21. Lake trout are open Feb 15 – Mar 21. Pike are open Dec 1 – Mar 21 and perch open all ice season.

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What you can fish through the ice in Zone 11

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.

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.

Ice huts and lines in Zone 11

• Ice huts must be registered in this zone if they are made of anything other than fabric, or are fabric tents covering 7 m² or more. Registration is free, done once through the Fish and Wildlife Licensing Service or ServiceOntario, and the number goes on the outside of the hut in characters at least 6.3 cm high.
• Huts must be off the ice by March 31. Removing your hut does not end the fishing season; it is a safety deadline.
• 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 11

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.

Waters in Zone 11 with their own winter rules

These waters are listed in the zone's exceptions with a rule that mentions the ice or the winter months, or that opens or closes them all year. The zone-wide table above does not apply to them where the rules overlap. Waters linked below have their own page on this site.

Waterbody exceptions

• Cut Lake: Fish sanctuary - no fishing from January 1 to Friday before third Saturday in May and day after Labour Day to December 31
• McConnell Lake: Fish sanctuary - no fishing from January 1 to Friday before third Saturday in May and day after Labour Day to December 31
• Lake Nipissing: Fish sanctuary - no fishing from March 16 to Friday before third Saturday in May
• Lake Nipissing: Fish sanctuary - no fishing from March 16 to May 31 and October 1 to November 30
• Lake Nipissing: Closed to all species - from March 16 to Friday before third Saturday in May and December 1 to December 31; Walleye and yellow perch - open from January 1 to March 15 and third Saturday in May to October 15
• Lavase River from Lake Nipissing to the Champlain Park Boat Ramp (included with lake nipissing): Closed to all species - from March 16 to Friday before third Saturday in May and December 1 to December 31; Walleye and yellow perch - open from January 1 to March 15 and third Saturday in May to October 15
• Lake Temagami: Lake trout - open February 15 to third Sunday in March and third Saturday in May to September 30; Lake trout - S-2; not more than 1 greater than 50 centimetres, and C-1, from February 15 to third Sunday in March and third Saturday in May to Labour Day; Fish sanctuary - no fishing from Monday after third Sunday in March to June 15 in the following areas: Gull Creek from dam at outlet of Gull Lake to 200 metres in an arc extending into Lake Temagami; Fish sanctuary - no fishing from Monday after third Sunday in March to June 15 in the following areas: Kokoko Bay north of Island 1063; Fish sanctuary - no fishing from Monday after third Sunday in March to June 15 in the following areas: Spawning Creek from Spawning Lake, including all waters of Spawning Bay and Loon Bay
• Shanty Lake: Fish sanctuary - no fishing from January 1 to April 30 and October 1 to December 31

Fish sanctuaries: no fishing - closed all year

Aurora Lake (Gamble Township), Four Mile Creek (Widdifield Township, within Lots 8 and 9 in Concession B), Little Aurora Lake (Gamble Township), Little Whitepine Lake (Gamble Township), Whirligig Lake (Gamble Township), Whitepine Lake (Gamble Township)

Fish sanctuaries: no fishing - january 1 to april 30 and october 1 to december 31

Blue Lake (McAuslan Township), Shanty Lake (refer to waterbody exceptions)

Fish sanctuaries: no fishing - january 1 to friday before third saturday in may

Wicksteed Lake (Kenny, Gladman, Flett, Gooderham and Milne Townships)

Fish sanctuaries: no fishing - january 1 to friday before third saturday in may and the day after labour day to december 31

Cut Lake (refer to waterbody exceptions), McConnell Lake (refer to waterbody exceptions)

Fish sanctuaries: no fishing - march 1 to friday before third saturday in may

Kaibuskong Bay (in front of Bonfield Township), Kaibuskong River (from Sheedy Lake to Kaibuskong Bay), Sharpes Creek (from Highway 17 to Kaibuskong Bay), Talon Lake (in front of Olrig and Calvin Townships, including Kaibuskong...)

Fish sanctuaries: no fishing - march 1 to june 15

Restoule Lake and River (Patterson Township, that part in Lots 24 and 25, Concessions...)

Fish sanctuaries: no fishing - march 16 to friday before third saturday in may

Duchesney Creek (City of North Bay and Commanda Township, from Lake Nipissing...), Lake Nipissing (refer to waterbody exceptions)

Fish sanctuaries: no fishing - march 16 to friday before third saturday in may and october 1 to november 30

South River (the waters of the South River lying between the bridge that...)

Fish sanctuaries: no fishing - march 16 to may 31 and october 1 to november 30

Lake Nipissing (refer to waterbody exceptions)

Fish sanctuaries: no fishing - monday after third sunday in march to friday before third saturday in may

Ferrim Creek (Cynthia Township, from Ferrim Lake to 200 metres in an arc e...)

Fish sanctuaries: no fishing - monday after third sunday in march to june 15

Lake Temagami (refer to waterbody exceptions)

Other zone notes

• Some brook trout additional fishing opportunities in Zone 11 also have bait restrictions.
• As of January 1, 2025 all waters where angling is permitted in Zone 11 are included in the dip netting season (October 1 to December 15) for lake herring (cisco) and lake whitefish.

Source: Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary 2026, Fisheries Management Zone 11 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.