Ice fishing in Zone 2 (FMZ 2), 2026–27
Fisheries Management Zone 2, with 2,028 lakes and rivers on our map. Through the 2026–27 ice season (December 1 to March 31), 10 of 13 species groups are open the whole time, 3 for part of it and 0 are closed. Walleye and sauger are open all ice season. Lake trout are open Jan 1 – Mar 31. 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 2
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 Labour Day | S-5 and C-2; not more than one greater than 30 centimetres |
| Brown trout | Open all season | open all year | S-5 and C-2 |
| Lake sturgeon | Open all season | January 1 to April 30 and July 1 to December 31 | S-0 and C-0 |
| Lake trout |
Part of the season
Jan 1 – Mar 31 |
January 1 to September 30 | S-2; not more than one greater than 56 centimetres from September 1 to September 30, no size limit rest of season and C-1; any size |
| Lake whitefish | Open all season | open all year | S-12 and C-6 |
| Largemouth and smallmouth bass combined | Open all season | open all year | S-2 and C-1; must be less than 35 centimetres from January 1 to June 30 and December 1 to December 31, S-4 and C-2; no size limit from July 1 to November 30 |
| Muskellunge |
Part of the season
Dec 1 – Dec 15 |
third Saturday in June to December 15 | S-1; must be greater than 91 centimetres and C-0 |
| Northern pike | Open all season | open all year | S-4 and C-2; none between 70 centimetres to 90 centimetres, not more than one greater than 90 centimetres |
| Rainbow trout | Open all season | open all year | S-5 and C-2 |
| Splake | Open all season | open all year | S-5 and C-2 |
| Sunfish | Open all season | open all year | S-50 and C-25 |
| Walleye and sauger combined | Open all season | January 1 to April 14 and third Saturday in May to December 31 | 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, channel catfish, crappie, Pacific salmon.
Ice huts and lines in Zone 2
- Zone 2 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 2
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 2 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
- Lake St. Joseph: Fish sanctuary - no fishing from March 1 to June 14 in the following areas: Twiname Bay east of a line beginning at the north shore at 51°09′10″N, 90°27′10″W, southeast to 51°08′54″N, 90°25′52″W and south to 51°08′30″N, 90°25′35″W
- Sydney Lake area: Species based regulations for all non-Canadian anglers: largemouth and smallmouth bass combined - S-1 and C-1; must be less than 35 centimetres from January 1 to June 30 and December 1 to December 31
- North Kenora Pilot Project area (included with sydney lake area): Species based regulations for all non-Canadian anglers: largemouth and smallmouth bass combined - S-1 and C-1; must be less than 35 centimetres from January 1 to June 30 and December 1 to December 31
- Sydney (included with sydney lake area): Species based regulations for all non-Canadian anglers: largemouth and smallmouth bass combined - S-1 and C-1; must be less than 35 centimetres from January 1 to June 30 and December 1 to December 31
- Rowdy (included with sydney lake area): Species based regulations for all non-Canadian anglers: largemouth and smallmouth bass combined - S-1 and C-1; must be less than 35 centimetres from January 1 to June 30 and December 1 to December 31
- Leano Lake (included with sydney lake area): Species based regulations for all non-Canadian anglers: largemouth and smallmouth bass combined - S-1 and C-1; must be less than 35 centimetres from January 1 to June 30 and December 1 to December 31
Fish sanctuaries: no fishing - closed all year
Zeemel Lake (including the Paseminon River upstream to 300 metres above t...)
Fish sanctuaries: no fishing - from march 1 to june 14
Esnagami River (from the northern boundary of Esnagami Township downstream...), Lake St. Joseph (refer to waterbody exceptions)
Other zone notes
- Non-Canadian residents camping on Crown land must follow conservation fishing licence limits.
- Rainbow smelt may not be used as bait or possessed for use as bait, except in the tributaries of Lake Nipigon within FMZ 2.
- Live fish may not be used as bait or possessed for use as bait in all waters north of the 11th baseline at latitude 51°48′11″N and west of longitude 89°00′W
Source: Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary 2026, Fisheries Management Zone 2 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.