Ice fishing in Zone 19 (FMZ 19), 2026–27
Fisheries Management Zone 19, with 44 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 19
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-3 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 |
first Saturday in June to December 15 | S-1; must be greater than 112 centimetres, and C-0 |
| Northern pike | Open all season | open all year | S-6 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-5 and C-2 |
| Sunfish | Open all season | open all year | S-100 and C-50 |
| 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; in one day, possession limit of 100, and C-25; in one day, possession limit of 50 |
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 19
- 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 15. 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 19
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 19 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.
Other zone notes
- Refer togeneral fishing regulations for more information on how to use this summary.
- Warmouth is listed as endangered in Ontario and may not be caught or possessed under a recreational fishing licence.
- FMZ 19 is 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 19 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.