Zone 17 fishing regulations (FMZ 17)

Limits: Zone-wide limits apply

• Cobourg Brook (Cobourg Creek or Factory Creek) - between the southerly limit of the CNR right-of-way and Lake Ontario
• Gages Creek - between the southerly limit of the CNR right-of-way and Lake Ontario
• Ganaraska River - between the southerly limit of the CNR right-of-way and Lake Ontario
• Regional Municipality of Durham - all waters lying between the southerly limit of the CNR right-of-way and Lake Ontario

Limits: Zone-wide limits apply

• Northumberland County - all waters downstream of Highway 2, except the Ganaraska River. Details of additional fishing opportunities for the Ganaraska River can be found below.
• Regional Municipality of Durham - all waters between Highway 2 and the southerly limit of the CNR right-of-way

Limits: Zone-wide limits apply

• Ganaraska River – from the south side of the Jocelyn Street Bridge (43°58′1.77″N, 78°17′43.77″W) to the southerly limit of the CNR right-of-way (43°56′48.51″N, 78°17′31.93″W)

Limits: Zone-wide limits apply

• Crowe Lake (44°29′00″N, 77°44′00″W) - Marmora Township, and the waters of the Crowe River (Marmora and Rawdon Townships)

Limits: S-3 and C-1; none between 37-55 centimetres

• Balsam Lake (44°34′54″N, 78°51′10″W) - Bexley Township, including the waters of the Gull River upstream to the dam at Coboconk, the waters of the Rosedale River between the Trent dam at Rosedale upstream to Balsam Lake, the waters of the Trent Canal between the upstream lock at Rosedale upstream to its junction with the Rosedale River and the waters of the Trent Canal between Balsam Lake and Mitchell Lake
• Mitchell Lake (44°34′46″N, 78°56′54″W) - Eldon Township, including the waters of the Trent Canal between Mitchell Lake and Balsam Lake, and the waters of the Trent Canal between Mitchell Lake and lock number 36 at Kirkfield

Lake Scugog and Scugog River - All waters of Lake Scugog and Scugog River - including waters south of Highway 7A, Blackstock Creek, Nonquon River, as well as the Scugog River to the Trent Severn Dam in Lindsay, Mariposa Brook and East Cross Creek

• Walleye - closed all year

Lake Scugog - Scugog Township, 100 metres on both sides of Highway 7A (causeways)

• Fish sanctuary - no fishing from January 1 to Friday before second Saturday in May and November 16 to December 31

Scugog River - Lindsay in Ops Township, from Trent-Severn Dam to Ops-Fenelon Boundary

• Fish sanctuary - no fishing from January 1 to Friday after second Saturday in May and November 16 to December 31

Trent River

• Fish sanctuary - No fishing from January 1 to Friday after second Saturday in May and November 16 to December 31 in the following areas:Healey Falls - Seymour Township, all water flowing from the north-westerly side of the bridge on County Road 50 to Crowe Bay
• Village of Hastings, 500 metres upstream of the dam and 1 kilometres downstream of the dam

Trent River - waters from the first dam (Number One) above Lake Ontario upstream to Lock Number 9 (Myers Lock) at the head of Percy Reach

• Walleye - open from January 1 to March 1 and second Saturday in May to December 31

• Cobourg Brook - Town of Cobourg, from the downstream side of the lamprey barrier downstream to the south side of the King Street Bridge
• Ganaraska River - Town of Port Hope, from Highway 401 downstream to the south side of the Jocelyn Street Bridge

• Chemong Lake - Smith and Ennismore Townships, 100 metres on both sides of causeway (Bridgenorth Causeway) on County Road 16
• Crowe River - from the Marmora Dam downstream to the north side of the Highway 7 bridge
• Gannon’s Narrows - Harvey and Ennismore Townships, within 100 metres of both sides of the causeway on County Road 16
• Lake Scugog - refer to waterbody exceptions

• Bobcaygeon River - Bobcaygeon, from Trent-Severn Dam to Pigeon Lake and Little Bob Dam to Pigeon Lake (100 metres from Little Bob Dam)
• Burleigh Falls, Perry’s Creek, Stony Lake - Smith and Harvey Townships, Trent-Severn Dam to Stony Lake
• Fenelon River - Fenelon Falls in Fenelon Township, from Trent-Severn Dam to second power line 1 kilometres downstream
• Fishog River - from the mouth of the river at Head Lake (44°45′N, 78°54′W) to the base of the waterfalls approximately 1.5 kilometres upstream
• Gull River - Coboconk in Bexley and Somerville Townships, from Trent-Severn Dam downstream to narrows approaching Balsam Lake
• Katchewanooka Lake - Young’s Point in Smith and Douro Townships, from Trent-Severn Dam to the downstream (west) side of the Highway 28 bridge
• Lovesick Dams - Smith and Harvey Townships, 100 metres downstream from each dam
• Lower Buckhorn Lake (Buckhorn Lake) - Smith and Harvey Townships, from Trent- Severn Dam to a point 400 metres below the dam
• Otonabee River - Peterborough, from Trent-Severn Dam at Lock 19 to Bensfort Bridge at County Road 2 (20 kilometres downstream)
• Pigeon River - Omemee in Emily Township, from Omemee Dam to C.N.R. bridge
• Rosedale River - Rosedale in Fenelon Township, from the Trent-Severn Dam to Cameron Lake
• Scugog River - refer to waterbody exceptions
• Talbot River - Kirkfield in Carden Township, fronting Concessions 7, 8 and 9
• Trent River - refer to waterbody exceptions

• Ganaraska River – from the south side of the Jocelyn Street Bridge (43°58′1.77″N, 78°17′43.77″W) to the southerly limit of the C.N.R. right-of-way (43°56′48.51″N, 78°17′31.93″W)
• Table of contents access the table of contents
• Previous
• Table of contents access the table of contents
• Next

Zone-wide, brook trout season is fourth Saturday in April to September 30 (Apr 25 – Sep 30 in 2026). Some rivers have species exceptions or sanctuaries listed on this page that change this.

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.

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.

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.