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Zone 15 fishing regulations (FMZ 15)

Seasons, limits, exceptions and sanctuaries for Ontario Fisheries Management Zone 15, from the official Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary. Last checked October 18, 2026.

There are a number of brook trout and lake trout waterbodies that have species-specific regulations in addition to restrictions related to gear, bait and fish sanctuaries. These additional restrictions are applicable to the waterbody, regardless of what species are being targeted. Refer to species exceptions for more details.

The following waterbodies, or portion of them, have different regulations that are listed in the waterbody exceptions:all waterbodies in Algonquin Park

FMZ 15 is part of the Central Bait Management Zone (BMZ). Live or dead baitfish or leeches may not be transported into or out of a BMZ. These rules do not apply to baitfish and leeches which are both dead and preserved. Refer to bait for more details.

Zone-wide seasons and limits in FMZ 15

These apply to every water in the zone unless a species exception, waterbody exception or sanctuary below says otherwise. "S" is the sport fishing licence limit and "C" the conservation licence limit.

SpeciesSeasonLimitsToday
Aggregate limits for trout and salmon (including splake) See the official summary S-5 and C-2; total daily catch and possession limit for all trout and salmon species combinedSee limits
Atlantic salmon closed all year Closed today
Brook trout January 1 to September 30
Jan 1 – Sep 30 in 2026
S-5 and C-2Closed today
Brown trout open all year S-5 and C-2Open today
Channel catfish open all year S-12 and C-6Open today
Crappie open all year S-30 and C-10Open today
Lake sturgeon closed all year Closed today
Lake trout January 1 to September 30
Jan 1 – Sep 30 in 2026
S-2 and C-1Closed today
Lake whitefish open all year S-12 and C-6Open today
Largemouth and smallmouth bass combined fourth Saturday in June to November 30
Jun 27 – Nov 30 in 2026
S-6 and C-2Open today
Muskellunge 1st Saturday in June to December 15
Jun 6 – Dec 15 in 2026
S-1; must be greater than 91 centimetres, and C-0Open today
Northern pike January 1 to March 31 and third Saturday in May to December 31
Jan 1 – Mar 31, May 16 – Dec 31 in 2026
S-6 and C-2Open today
Pacific salmon open all year S-5 and C-2Open today
Rainbow trout open all year S-5 and C-2Open today
Splake open all year S-5 and C-2Open today
Sunfish open all year S-50 and C-25Open today
Walleye and sauger combined January 1 to March 15 and third Saturday in May to December 31
Jan 1 – Mar 15, May 16 – Dec 31 in 2026
S-4 and C-2; not more than 1 greater than 46 centimetresOpen today
Yellow perch open all year S-50 and C-25Open today

Source: Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary, Zone 15 on ontario.ca. The summary is Ontario's guide to the regulations made under the Fisheries Act.

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Species exceptions in Zone 15

These waters have different seasons or limits for the species named. They override the zone-wide rules above.

Brook trout: open all year (72 waters)
Brook trout: open all year (19 waters)
Brook trout: see official entry (4 waters)

Limits: S-2 and C-2; must be greater than 36 centimetres

Brook trout: see official entry (1 water)

Limits: S-2 and C-2; must be greater than 46 centimetres

Brook trout: see official entry (2 waters)

Limits: S-2 and C-2

Brook trout: fourth Saturday in April to September 30 (13 waters)

Limits: S-5 and C-2; must be greater than 28 centimetres

Brook trout: fourth Saturday in April to September 30 (1 water)
Lake Trout: open all year (70 waters)
Lake Trout: January 1 to June 30 (4 waters)
Lake Trout: third Saturday in May to September 30 (8 waters)

Limits: S-2 and C-1; none between 40-55 centimetres

Lake Trout: third Saturday in May to September 30 (32 waters)
Lake Trout: see official entry (5 waters)

Limits: S-2 and C-1; none between 40-55 centimetres

Lake Trout: see official entry (11 waters)

Limits: S-2 and C-1; none between 40-55 centimetres

Lake Trout: see official entry (53 waters)

Limits: S-2 and C-1; none between 40-55 centimetres

Lake Trout: see official entry (8 waters)

Limits: S-2 and C-1; none between 40-55 centimetres

Lake Trout: see official entry (6 waters)

Limits: S-2 and C-1; none between 33-40 centimetres

Muskellunge: see official entry (1 water)

Limits: S-1; must be greater than 122 centimetres, and C-0

Walleye: third Saturday in May to December 31 (1 water)
Walleye: see official entry (6 waters)

Limits: S-2 and C-1; must be greater than 50 centimetres

Waterbody exceptions in Zone 15

Lakes and rivers with their own rules, in the official wording.

Algonquin Park

Algonquin Park

  • Live fish may not be used as bait or possessed for use as bait
  • Dip nets and baitfish traps may not be used to harvest baitfish
  • Fish sanctuary - no fishing from January 1 to Friday before fourth Saturday in April and December 1 to December 31
Lake Opeongo

Lake Opeongo

  • Lake Whitefish - closed all year
Bonnechere River

Bonnechere River and the expansions - being Sicards, Square, Wilson and Kranz bays and Griffins Narrows lying between the south face of the Tramere Dam and the northerly edge of the bridge at King’s Highway 60 (North Algona, Hagarty and Richards Townships)

  • Fish sanctuary - no fishing from March 1 to Friday before third Saturday in May
Bonnechere River

Bonnechere River - downstream of the Tramore Dam (Round Lake) (45º37′N, 77º28′W) and upstream of the Golden Lake Dam (45º34′N, 77º14′W)

  • Walleye - S-2 and C-1; must be greater than 50 centimetres
Calabogie Lake

Calabogie Lake (45°16′38″N, 76°44′34″W) - Bagot Township

  • Walleye - S-2 and C-1; must be greater than 50 centimetres
Calabogie Lake

Calabogie Lake - Bagot and Blithfield Townships, west of line from Nettleton’s Bay to Barnet’s Point and inflowing streams

  • Fish sanctuary - no fishing from March 1 to Friday before third Saturday in May
Carmichael Lake

Carmichael Lake (45°47′52″N, 79°07′40"W) - Paxton Township

  • Live fish may not be used as bait or possessed for use as bait
  • Fish sanctuary - no fishing from January 1 to Friday before fourth Saturday in April
Jack Lake

Jack Lake - Burleigh and Methuen Townships, those waters lying north of the most northerly narrows of Rathbun Bay in Lot 27, Concession 8 (Methuen Township)

  • Fish sanctuary - no fishing from March 1 to Friday before third Saturday in May
Jack Lake

Jack Lake - Burleigh and Methuen Townships, those waters lying within Lots 22 to 25 in Concession 8, and within Lots 21 to 26 in Concessions 9 and 10 (Methuen Township)

  • Fish sanctuary - no fishing from April 1 to Friday before third Saturday in May
Kushog Lake

Kushog Lake (45°05'24"N, 78°47'32"W) - Stanhope Township

  • Only 1 line may be used when angling through ice
  • Lake trout - S-2 and C-1; none between 40-55 centimetres
Kushog Lake

Kushog Lake (Ox Narrows) - Stanhope Township, 100 metres on either side of the bridge on Highway 35

  • Fish sanctuary - no fishing from September 15 to November 30
Lake Clear

Lake Clear (45°26′29″N, 77°11′44″W) and Little Lake Clear (45°28′06″N, 77°12′52″W) - Sebastopol Township

  • Walleye - S-2 and C-1; must be greater than 50 centimetres
  • Lake trout - open from third Saturday in May to September 30
  • Lake trout - S-2 and C-1; none between 40-55 centimetres
Madawaska River

Madawaska River

  • Fish sanctuary - no fishing from March 1 to Friday before third Saturday in May in the following areas:Madawaska River - Bagot Township, Lots 17 and 18, Concessions 9 and 10
  • Madawaska River - from Mountain Chute Hydro Dam to Lots 17-19, Concession 1 (Brougham Township) and Lots 17-20, Concession 9 (North Canonto Township)
  • Madawaska River - from the bridge on Highway 62 at Combermere south to the bridge crossing at Madawaska River at Lot 24, Concession 18 (Raglan Township) on Highway 515
  • Madawaska River - Griffith and Matawatchan Townships
  • Madawaska River - McNabb Township, downstream from the Stewartville Hydro Dam, including Lots 9 to 13 in Concession 6
  • Madawaska River (Calabogie Lake) - Bagot and Blithfield Townships, west of line from Nettleton’s Bay to Barnet’s Point and inflowing streams
Madawaska River

Madawaska River - upstream of Mountain Chute Dam (45°12′N, 76°54′W) and downstream of Highland Falls (45°15′N, 77°11′W), including Black Donald Lake (45°13′N, 76°56′W) and Centennial Lake (45°09′N, 77°04′W)

  • Walleye - S-2 and C-1; must be greater than 50 centimetres
Upper Madawaska River

Upper Madawaska River - from the village of Whitney to the Hamlet of Madawaska

  • Walleye - open from third Saturday in May to November 30
Mud Lake

Mud Lake (45°48′39″N, 79°08′36″W) – Paxton Township

  • Live fish may not be used as bait or possessed for use as bait
  • Fish sanctuary - no fishing from January 1 to Friday before fourth Saturday in April
Murphy’s Lake

Murphy’s Lake (Arabis Lake) – Burns Township

  • Fish sanctuary - no fishing from January 1 to Friday before third Saturday in May and December 1 to December 31
  • Brook trout - S-5 and C-2; must be greater than 28 centimetres
Royal Lake

Royal Lake (45°49′18″N, 79°07′58″W) – Paxton Township

  • Live fish may not be used as bait or possessed for use as bait
  • Fish sanctuary - no fishing from January 1 to Friday before fourth Saturday in April
Slipper Lake

Slipper Lake (45°17'23"N, 78°41'35"W) - Havelock Township

  • Live fish may not be used as bait or possessed for use as bait
  • Fish sanctuary - no fishing from January 1 to Friday before third Saturday in May and December 1 to December 31
  • Brook trout - S-5 and C-2; must be greater than 28 centimetres
South Wildcat Lake

South Wildcat Lake (45°19'20″N, 78°34'59″W) - Havelock Township

  • Live fish may not be used as bait or possessed for use as bait
  • Lake trout - open from third Saturday in May to September 30
Stocking Lake

Stocking Lake (45°16'42″N, 78°40'58″W) - Havelock Township

  • Live fish may not be used as bait or possessed for use as bait
  • Fish sanctuary - no fishing from January 1 to Friday before third Saturday in May and December 1 to December 31
  • Brook trout - S-5 and C-2; must be greater than 28 centimetres
Stoney Lake

Stoney Lake (45°47'51″N, 79°08'28″W) – Paxton Township

  • Live fish may not be used as bait or possessed for use as bait
  • Fish sanctuary - no fishing from January 1 to Friday before fourth Saturday in April
Trout Lake

Trout Lake (45°48'13″N, 79°08'42″W) – Paxton Township

  • Live fish may not be used as bait or possessed for use as bait
  • Fish sanctuary - no fishing from January 1 to Friday before fourth Saturday in April
Windigo Lake

Windigo Lake (46°07'30.88″N, 78°17'19.75″W) - Clara Township

  • Only 1 line may be used when angling through the ice
  • Brook trout - S-5 and C-2; must be greater than 28 centimetres
  • Lake trout - S-2 and C-1; none between 40-55 centimetres

Fish sanctuaries in Zone 15

No fishing is allowed in these places during the periods shown.

No fishing - closed all year (10)
  • Chipmunk Lake - Preston Township
  • Graphite Lake (45°44'03"N, 79°05'32"W) - Butt Township
  • Little Mykiss Lake - Preston Township
  • Major Lake - Murchison Township
  • Mykiss Lake - Preston Township
  • Nogies Creek - Galway and Harvey Townships, from Bass Lake Dam to Nogies Creek Dam
  • Opeongo River - Preston Township, from immediately downstream from the dam at Annie Bay of Opeongo Lake to 300 metres downstream
  • Presto Lake - Preston Township
  • Shallnot Lake - Clancy Township
  • Stringer Lake - Lawrence Township
No fishing - January 1 to Friday before Family Day (Ontario) (1)
  • Lake Joseph and Little Lake Joseph - Humphrey and Medora Townships
No fishing - January 1 to Friday before the third Saturday in May and December 1 to December 31 (18)
  • There are a number of Lake Trout waterbodies in FMZ 15 where fish sanctuaries exist with this applicable date. Refer to species exceptions
  • Anstruther Lake - Anstruther Township
  • Beaver Lake - Cavendish Township
  • Bottle Lake - Cavendish Township
  • Bow Lake (44°51′N, 78°34′W) - Snowdon Township
  • Burns Lake - Griffith Township
  • Catchacoma Lake - Cavendish Township
  • Cavendish Lake - Cavendish Township
  • Dixon Lake - Limerick Township
  • Gold Lake - Cavendish Township
  • L’Amable Lake - Faraday Township
  • Miskokway Lake (Simikoka Lake) - Burton and Harrison Townships
  • Mississauga Lake - Cavendish Township
  • Murphy’s Lake (Arabis Lake) – refer to waterbody exceptions
  • Piglet Lake - Maria Township
  • Slipper Lake - refer to waterbody exceptions
  • Stocking Lake - refer to waterbody exceptions
  • Trout Lake (45°35′N, 80°10′W) – East Burpee Township
No fishing - January 1 to Friday before the fourth Saturday in April (5)
  • Refer to waterbody exceptions for the following lakes:Carmichael Lake
  • Mud Lake
  • Royal Lake
  • Stoney Lake
  • Trout Lake
No fishing - January 1 to Friday before the fourth Saturday in April and December 1 to December 31 (2)
  • There are a number of lake trout waterbodies in FMZ 15 where fish sanctuaries exist with this applicable date. Refer to species exceptions
  • Algonquin Park - refer to waterbody exceptions
No fishing - March 1 to Friday before the third Saturday in May (6)
  • Bonnechere River - refer to waterbody exceptions
  • Calabogie Lake - refer to waterbody exceptions
  • Hansons Creek - McNab Township
  • Jack Lake - refer to waterbody exceptions
  • Madawaska River - refer to waterbody exceptions
  • York River - from Hamlet of Radcliffe/ Mayhews Landing downstream to a line between the points of land at the confluence with Negeek Lake on the Madawaska River (Lots 10 and 11, Concession 1 of Radcliffe Township)
No fishing - March 16 to Friday before the third Saturday in May (3)
  • Chartier Lake, parts of Pickerel River and Kimikong River - East Mills Township, Lots 13 to 20, Concession 1 and 2
  • Drag River - Dysart Township and Village of Haliburton, between Bailey’s Dam and Head Lake
  • Head Lake - Dysart Township, from the Drag River west to the western boundary of the Highway 121 bridge, including the waters under the bridge
No fishing - April 1 to Friday before the third Saturday in May (10)
  • Black Creek - Wilberforce Township, between the mouth of Black Creek at Lake Doré and the upstream side of the bridge on Black Creek Road
  • Blackstone Lake (45°13'54"N, 79°53'01"W) and Creek - Conger Township, Lots 12, 13, 14 in Concession 12
  • Burnt River - Dysart Township, between County Road Number 3 and Blue Hawk Lake
  • Dobbs Lake and part of the Little Pickerel River - Lots 1, 2, Concession 4 in Pringle Township and Lots 1, 2, 3, Concession 5 (East Mills Township)
  • Indian River - from Boundary Road in the City of Pembroke downstream to its confluence with the Muskrat River - Renfrew County
  • Jack Lake - refer to waterbody exceptions
  • Muskrat River - Renfrew County, from Highway 17 downstream through the City of Pembroke to its confluence with the Ottawa River
  • North Magnetawan River - Armour, Proudfoot and Strong Townships, from the bridge between Lots 30 and 31 in Strong Township to Pickerel Lake
  • Six Mile Creek (Bennett’s Creek) - Watt Township, Three Mile Lake to Muskoka Road 35
  • Sucker Creek - Wilson Township
No fishing - April 1 to May 31 (2)
  • Cashman Creek - from the first bridge upstream from Sand Lake to the Proudfoot and Bethune Township boundary
  • Joly Creek (Inlet Creek) - from Bernard Lake upstream to Strong and Joly Township boundary
No fishing - April 1 to June 15 (1)
  • Muskoka River - including the North Muskoka River (Town of Bracebridge) from Bracebridge Falls downstream to the mouth of the Muskoka River at Lake Muskoka including the main channel to the green lighted buoy (E.E.1) and the secondary channel known as the Gap to the red lighted buoy (E.C.2); and the south Muskoka River (Village of Muskoka Falls) from the South Falls downstream to the confluence of the north and south branches of the Muskoka River
No fishing - May 1 to June 15 (1)
  • Magnetawan River - Chapman Township and Village of Magnetawan
No fishing - September 15 to November 30 (1)
  • Kushog Lake - refer to waterbody exceptions
No fishing - October 1 to December 31 (5)
  • Boulter Lake - McClure Township
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Frequently asked

When does trout season open in Zone 15?

Zone-wide, brook trout season is January 1 to September 30 (Jan 1 – Sep 30 in 2026). Some rivers have species exceptions or sanctuaries listed on this page that change this.

Can I fish in Zone 15 right now?

The table above shows which species are open today under the zone-wide seasons. A specific river or lake may differ, so check its species exceptions, waterbody exceptions and sanctuaries below before you go.

Do I need a fishing licence in Ontario?

Most anglers need an Outdoors Card and a valid fishing licence (sport or conservation). Some people are exempt, such as Ontario residents under 18 or 65 and over. Check the official licensing rules for your situation.

How do I know if a river is in Zone 15?

Ontario's Fisheries Management Zones are mapped on Fish ON-Line and in the official summary. River mouths on the Great Lakes are often in a different zone from the rest of the river.

All Ontario fishing zones → · Southern Ontario river guides → · Ontario salmon run →

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