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Zone 18 fishing regulations (FMZ 18)

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

FMZ 18 is part of the Southern 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 18

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 open all year S-5 and C-2Open 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 fourth Saturday in May to September 8
May 23 – Sep 8 in 2026
S-2 and C-1Closed today
Lake whitefish open all year S-12 and C-6Open today
Largemouth and smallmouth bass combined third Saturday in June to December 15
Jun 20 – Dec 15 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 second Saturday in May to December 31
Jan 1 – Mar 31, May 9 – 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-300; only 30 may be greater than 18 centimetres, and C-15Open today
Walleye and sauger combined January 1 to March 1 and second Saturday in May to December 31
Jan 1 – Mar 1, May 9 – Dec 31 in 2026
S-4 and C-2; must be between 40-50 centimetresOpen today
Yellow perch open all year S-50 and C-25Open today

Source: Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary, Zone 18 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 18

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

Lake trout: open all year (19 waters)
Muskellunge: see official entry (3 waters)

Limits: S-1; must be greater than 102 centimetres, and C-0

Muskellunge: see official entry (1 water)

Limits: S-1; must be greater than 112 centimetres, and C-0

Yellow perch: January 1 to March 31 and second Saturday in May to December 31 (1 water)

Fish sanctuaries in Zone 18

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

No fishing - closed all year (9)
  • Big Rideau Lake - Bastard and Burgess Townships, The Bog and Long Island
  • Newboro Lake - North Crosby and South Crosby Townships, Old Iron Mine Bay
  • Newboro Lake - South Crosby Township, The Bog
  • Opinicon Lake - Storrington Township, Darlings Bay
  • Opinicon Lake - South Crosby Township, Murphy Bay
  • Sand Lake - South Crosby Township, Freeman’s Bay
  • Westport Pond - North Crosby Township
  • White Lake - Olden Township
  • Whitefish Lake - South Crosby Township, Jones Falls Bay
No fishing - January 1 to Friday before third Saturday in June and December 16 to December 31 (2)
  • Lingham Lake - Grimsthorpe Township
  • Sand Lake - North Crosby Township, that part lying in Lots 15 and 16 in Concession 9 and Lot 15 in Concession 8, and the waters of the river flowing between Wolfe Lake and Sand Lake
No fishing - March 1 to Friday before second Saturday in May (16)
  • Christie Lake - in Lot 3, Concession 3 (Bathurst Township) and the Tay River from Christie Lake downstream to the bridge at Lot 7, Concession 2 (Bathurst Township)
  • Crotch Lake and Mississippi River - Palmerston Township, from Sidedam Rapids to north shore of Skull Island including McLean’s Bay
  • Dalhousie Lake and Mississippi River - Dalhousie Township, within a 300 metres radius of the bridge of the Township road crossing the Mississippi River where it enters Dalhousie Lake
  • Hoople Creek - Osnabruck Township
  • Indian River and Clayton Lake - within a 300 metres radius of the Command Bridge crossing the Indian River where it enters Clayton Lake (Lanark Township)
  • Mississippi River - Drummond Township, from 240.8 metres west of Main Street in Innisville to Mississippi Lake
  • Mississippi River - Pakenham Township, between the falls in the Town of Almonte and upstream side of bridge on Lanark County Road 20
  • Raisin River - those portions of the river in the Village of Martintown and Lot 43, Concession 1, north side of Raisin River (Charlottenburgh Township)
  • South Nation River - Cambridge Township, Coupal’s dam in Casselman downstream to the westerly limit of Lot 11, Concession 5
  • South Nation River - Hamlet of Crysler in Finch Township
  • South Nation River - North Plantagenet Township, between north side of Concession 4 and a point 30.5 metres upstream of C.P.R. right-of-way located south of Station Street
  • South Nation River - Village of Chesterville in Winchester Township
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Frequently asked

When does trout season open in Zone 18?

Zone-wide, brook trout season is open all year. Some rivers have species exceptions or sanctuaries listed on this page that change this.

Can I fish in Zone 18 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 18?

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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