Cataract Lake

Lake South Western Ontario FMZ 10 Crown Land (Free)

3 m

Deepest charted contour

About this spot

Cataract Lake is a lake in the South Western Ontario area of Ontario, in Fisheries Management Zone 10. MNR fish surveys (2011) recorded 10 species here, including yellow perch, rock bass and smallmouth bass. An MNR depth chart exists for this lake (surveyed 1976); its deepest charted contour is 3 m. This waterbody sits on Ontario Crown land open to anglers holding a valid Ontario fishing licence.

Location

Fish Species

Yellow Perch Rock Bass Smallmouth Bass Northern Pike Sucker

No species reported for this spot yet.

Lake data from Ontario government surveys

Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources holds 12 fish survey records from 2011. Survey methods: Broad-scale Monitoring.

Species recorded (10)

Yellow Perch · 9 Rock Bass · 8 Smallmouth Bass · 7 Northern Pike · 4 White Sucker · 4 Bluntnose Minnow · 4 Pumpkinseed · 4 Trout-Perch · 1 Logperch · 1 Golden Shiner · 1

Number of survey records that list the species.

Depth chart

MNR depth chart on file, surveyed 1976
Deepest charted contour: 3 m
The deepest contour line on the chart. The true maximum depth is at least this deep.

Boat launches and access points

⚓ Cataract Lake

Boat Launch · 1.8 km from the lake reference point

Sources: Land Information Ontario — Aquatic Resource Area survey points, Bathymetry Index and Bathymetry Line, Fisheries Management Zones, Fishing Access Points. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.

Fisheries Management Zone 10

Cataract Lake is in Fisheries Management Zone 10. Open seasons, catch limits and size limits in Ontario are set zone by zone, and some lakes carry their own exceptions, so check the FMZ 10 rules before you fish.

FMZ 10 regulations on ontario.ca

Ice fishing on Cataract Lake (2026–27)

Ontario has no separate ice fishing season: the regular open seasons apply through the ice. Cataract Lake is in Fisheries Management Zone 10, where 10 of 17 species groups are open for the whole ice season (December 1 to March 31) under the zone-wide rules. Of the game fish government surveys recorded in this lake, northern pike, pumpkinseed and yellow perch are open at least part of the winter under the zone-wide rules.

Species	Through the ice	Zone-wide season	Limits
Largemouth and smallmouth bass combined recorded here	Closed	third Saturday in June to November 30	S-6 and C-3
Northern pike recorded here	Open	open all year	S-6; not more than 1 greater than 61 centimetres, none greater than 86 centimetres, and C-2; none greater than 61 centimetres
Sunfish recorded here	Open	open all year	S-50 and C-25
Yellow perch recorded here	Open	open all year	S-50 and C-25
Atlantic salmon	Part of the season Jan 1 – Mar 31	January 1 to September 30	S-1 and C-0
Brook trout	Part of the season Jan 1 – Mar 31	January 1 to September 30	S-5 and C-2
Brown trout	Open	open all year	S-5 and C-2
Channel catfish	Open	open all year	S-12 and C-6
Crappie	Open	open all year	S-30 and C-10
Lake sturgeon	Closed	closed all year
Lake trout	Part of the season Jan 1 – Mar 31	January 1 to Labour Day	S-2; not more than 1 greater than 40 centimetres, and C-1
Lake whitefish	Open	open all year	S-12 and C-6
Muskellunge	Part of the season Dec 1 – Dec 15	third Saturday in June to December 15	S-1; must be greater than 122 centimetres, and C-0
Pacific salmon	Open	open all year	S-5 and C-2
Rainbow trout	Open	open all year	S-2 and C-1
Splake	Open	open all year	S-5 and C-2
Walleye and sauger combined	Part of the season Dec 1 – Mar 21	January 1 to the third Sunday in March and third Saturday in May to December 31	S-4 and C-2; none greater than 46 centimetres

S = sport fishing licence, C = conservation licence (daily catch and possession). Dates are worked out for 2026–27 from the wording of the 2026 summary. Ontario publishes a new summary every January 1, so check the 2027 edition for dates after December 31.

Cataract Lake is not listed by name in the zone's species or waterbody exceptions or fish sanctuaries. Some exceptions cover whole townships or river systems, so read the zone page before you go.

Ice huts in Zone 10

Huts must be registered (free, once) and show the number outside; fabric shelters under 7 m² are exempt. Remove your hut by March 31, and in any case before the ice breaks up. You may fish with two lines through the ice in most waters, within 60 m and in sight of each.

Zone 10 ice fishing rules Ice fishing in Ontario guide

Source: Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary 2026, Zone 10 (ontario.ca); ice hut rules: ontario.ca/page/ice-fishing. This summary is not the law: check the regulations and local conditions, and never go on ice you have not tested.