Muddy York Winter fishing near Toronto: open-water rivers and ice
You don't have to stop fishing when the trout season closes. Near Toronto, the lower ends of several Lake Ontario tributaries stay open all year, and from January the lakes north and east of the city freeze for ice fishing.
River stretches open in mid-winter
Computed from the official Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary for rainbow trout (steelhead), as of January 15:
| River | Stretch |
|---|---|
| Credit River | Lake Ontario to Hwy 403 (Lower) |
| Ganaraska River | CNR tracks to Lake Ontario |
| Nottawasaga River | Below the Boyne River (Angus to Wasaga) |
| Bronte Creek | Lakeshore Rd (Hwy 2) to Lake Ontario |
| Sixteen Mile Creek | Lakeshore Rd (Hwy 2) to Lake Ontario |
| Duffins Creek | CNR tracks to Lake Ontario |
| Wilmot Creek | CNR tracks to Lake Ontario |
| Niagara River | Below the Falls (Whirlpool, Devil's Hole) |
| Humber River | Eglinton Ave to Lake Ontario |
| Rouge River | Kingston Rd (Hwy 2) to Lake Ontario |
| Bowmanville Creek | CNR tracks to Lake Ontario |
Rules change, sometimes at a single bridge. Check the stretch on the river's page, which shows today's status.
Winter steelhead basics
- Pick mild days. A thaw or a few days above freezing gets fish moving.
- Fish slow and deep. In near-freezing water steelhead hold in the slowest, deepest pools.
- Stay off shelf ice along the banks, and wear a wading belt.
More in our winter steelhead guide.
Ice fishing within an hour or two
When the lakes lock up, Lake Simcoe is the classic trip from Toronto, with Lake Scugog, Rice Lake and the Bay of Quinte further east. Each guide shows what's open in winter under the official rules. We never rate ice safety: check it yourself and ask locally.
Know which water is fishing this weekend
Muddy York Fishing checks every river's flow, temperature and weather each morning and shows the official season for your stretch.
Start your free 7-day trialFrequently asked
Can you fish in winter near Toronto?
Yes. Several river stretches are open all year for steelhead, brown trout and salmon, mostly the lower ends of Lake Ontario tributaries, and nearby lakes like Lake Simcoe offer ice fishing.
What can you catch in winter in Ontario rivers?
Mostly steelhead (lake-run rainbow trout) that came in during the fall, plus some lake-run brown trout, on the stretches that stay open.
Is ice fishing better than river fishing in winter?
They're different. Rivers offer steelhead on open-all-year stretches on mild days. Ice fishing offers perch, crappie, pike and, on some lakes, lake trout, whitefish and walleye, but depends on safe ice, which you have to check yourself.
All steelhead rivers · Ice fishing in Ontario · Fishing licence · Regulations by zone