Ice fishing in Zone 13 (FMZ 13), 2026–27
Fisheries Management Zone 13, with 63 lakes and rivers on our map. Through the 2026–27 ice season (December 1 to March 31), 12 of 15 species groups are open the whole time, 1 for part of it and 2 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 13
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 |
| Atlantic salmon | Open all season | open all year | S-1 and C-0 |
| Brown trout | Open all season | open all year | S-5 and C-2 |
| Channel catfish | Open all season | open all year | S-12 and C-6 |
| Crappie | Open all season | open all year | S-30 and C-10 |
| Lake sturgeon | Closed | closed all year | |
| Lake trout | Open all season | January 1 to September 30 and December 1 to December 31 | S-2 and C-1 |
| Lake whitefish | Open all season | open all year | S-12 and C-6 |
| Largemouth and smallmouth bass combined | Closed | fourth Saturday in June to November 30 | S-6 and C-2 |
| Muskellunge |
Part of the season
Dec 1 – Dec 15 |
third Saturday in June to December 15 | S-1; must be greater than 102 centimetres, and C-0 |
| Northern pike | Open all season | open all year | S-4 and C-2 |
| Pacific salmon | Open all season | open all year | S-5 and C-2 |
| Rainbow trout | Open all season | open all year | S-2 and C-1 |
| Sunfish | Open all season | open all year | S-50 and C-25 |
| Walleye and sauger combined | Open all season | open all year | S-6 and C-2 |
| 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: brook trout, splake.
Ice huts and lines in Zone 13
- Zone 13 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 13
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
- Two lines may be used when trolling from a boat in open water in Lake Huron (Main Basin).
- FMZ 13 part of the Great Lakes. Baitfish and leeches that are both dead and preserved can be transported into and out of BMZs and the Great Lakes.
- Baitfish and leeches that are not both dead and preserved may be transported out of:Refer to bait for more details. an adjacent bait management zone and used in the Great Lakes; the Great Lakes only to be disposed of immediately more than 30 metres from the water
Source: Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary 2026, Fisheries Management Zone 13 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.