Zone 6 fishing regulations (FMZ 6)

Seasons, limits, exceptions and sanctuaries for Ontario Fisheries Management Zone 6, from the official Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary. Last checked October 18, 2026.

Non-Canadian residents camping on Crown land must follow conservation fishing licence limits.

Rainbow smelt may not be used as bait or possessed for use as bait.

The following waterbodies, or portions of them, have different regulations that are listed in the waterbody exceptions:New Arrow River

Zone-wide seasons and limits in FMZ 6

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.

Species	Season	Limits	Today
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 combined	See limits
Atlantic salmon	open all year	S-1 and C-0	Open today
Brook trout	fourth Saturday in April to Labour Day Apr 25 – Sep 7 in 2026	S-5 and C-2; not more than 1 greater than 30 centimetres	Closed today
Brown trout	open all year	S-5 and C-2	Open today
Channel catfish	open all year	S-12 and C-6	Open today
Crappie	open all year	S-15 and C-10	Open today
Lake sturgeon	closed all year		Closed today
Lake trout	January 1 to September 30 Jan 1 – Sep 30 in 2026	S-2; not more than 1 greater than 56 centimetres from September 1 to September 30, no size limit the rest of the season and C-1; no size limit	Closed today
Lake whitefish	open all year	S-12 and C-6	Open today
Largemouth and smallmouth bass combined	open all year	S-4 and C-2	Open today
Muskellunge	third Saturday in June to December 15 Jun 20 – Dec 15 in 2026	S-1; must be greater than 91 centimetres, and C-0	Open today
Northern pike	open all year	S-4 and C-2; not more than 1 greater than or equal to 70 centimetres	Open today
Pacific salmon	open all year	S-5 and C-2	Open today
Rainbow trout	open all year	S-1 and C-0	Open today
Splake	open all year	S-5 and C-2	Open today
Sunfish	open all year	S-50 and C-25	Open today
Walleye and sauger combined	January 1 to April 14 and third Saturday in May to December 31 Jan 1 – Apr 14, May 16 – Dec 31 in 2026	S-4 and C-2; not more than 1 greater than 46 centimetres	Open today
Yellow perch	open all year	S-50 and C-25	Open today

Source: Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary, Zone 6 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 6

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

Brook trout: open all year (99 waters)

Limits: S-5 and C-2; no size limit

Brook trout: see official entry (7 waters)

Limits: S-1; must be greater than 56 centimetres, and C-0

Lake trout: open all year (4 waters)

Limits: S-2 and C-1; no size limit

Lake trout: closed all year (1 water)

Shebandowan Lakes (48°38′53″N, 90°19′22″W)

Rainbow Trout: see official entry (13 waters)

Limits: S-5 and C-2

Rainbow Trout: see official entry (1 water)

Limits: S-1; must be greater than 69 centimetres, and C-0

Neebing River

Walleye: closed all year (1 water)

Black Sturgeon River – downstream from the dam (48°55′N, 88°23′W) to Lake Superior

Waterbody exceptions in Zone 6

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

Arrow River

Live fish may not be used as bait or possessed for use as bait
Only barbless hooks may be used
Brown trout – S-0 and C-0
Brown trout – open from fourth Saturday in April to September 30
New Arrow River – between the dam on Arrow Lake (Hardwick Township) and the upstream side of the bridge at Highway 593 (48°06'11″N, 89°53'08″W)
Only artificial flies may be used
New Arrow River – between the upstream side of the bridge at Highway 593 (48°06'11″N, 89°53'06″W) and its confluence with the Pigeon River in Devon Township
Only artificial lures may be used

Jessie Lake

Jessie Lake (49°11′19″N, 88°19′52″W) – Purdom Township

Dead rainbow smelt may be used as bait or possessed for use as bait
Brook trout – S-1; must be greater than 56 centimetres, and C-0
Lake trout – open from February 15 to March 15 and fourth Saturday in May to September 30
Northern pike – S-4 and C-2; none between 70-90 centimetres, not more than 1 greater than 90 centimetres
New Lac des Mille Lacs (48°52′36″N, 90°30′46″W), including Casino Lake (48°56″02″N, 90°42″57″W), Cushing Lake (48°56″10″N, 90°30″11″W), Panache Lake (48°54″39″N, 90°26″34″W), Pike Lake (48°53″34″N, 90°30″36″W) and all connecting waters between these lakes:
Northern pike – open from January 1 to April 14 and second Saturday in May to December 31
Walleye – S-4 and C-2; must be greater than 33 centimetres, not more than 1 greater than 46 centimetres

Lake Helen

Lake Helen (49°04′20″N, 88°16′17″W)

Dead rainbow smelt may be used as bait or possessed for use as bait
Brook trout – S-1; must be greater than 56 centimetres, and C-0
Northern pike – S-4 and C-2; none between 70-90 centimetres, not more than 1 greater than 90 centimetres
Walleye and sauger – closed all year

Lake Nipigon

Lake Nipigon and its tributaries downstream from the first falls, rapids, dams or lakes or the entire stream if there are no falls, rapids, dams or lakes

Also including:waters on the islands of Lake Nipigon – including Forgan Lake, Bonner Lake, Little Bonner Lake and Jackpot Lake (Madeline Lake)
Gull River – downstream from the Highway 527 bridge
Kabitotikwia River – downstream from the Highway 527 bridge
Poshkokagan River – downstream from and including the rapids (49°25′45″N, 89°04′55″W) located 13 kilometres upstream from the Black Sturgeon Road bridge
Wabinosh River – downstream from Wabinosh Lake
Little Jackfish River – downstream from the centre line of the CN railway bridge
Dead rainbow smelt may be used as bait or possessed for use as bait
Only artificial lures may be used when angling through the ice
Only 1 barbless hook may be used
No person shall use stringers, impounding devices or live holding boxes
A person may hold fish, other than Brook Trout or Lake Trout, in a livewell
No possession of live Lake Trout or Brook Trout permitted
Brook trout – open from fourth Saturday in April to September 15
Brook trout – S-1; must be greater than 56 centimetres, and C-0
Lake trout – open from March 1 to September 30
Lake trout – S-2 and C-1; not more than 1 greater than 70 centimetres
Northern pike – open from January 1 to April 14 and third Saturday in May to December 31
Northern pike – S-4 and C-2; none between 70-90 centimetres, not more than 1 greater than 90 centimetres
Walleye and sauger – open from January 1 to April 14 and June 10 to December 31

Lake Nipigon

Lake Nipigon – Ombabika Bay (50°15′N, 88°15′W) and Wabinosh Bay (50°02′N, 88°50′W) and the tributaries of the bays up to the first barrier including the Little Jackfish River downstream from the centre line of the CN railway bridge and Wabinosh River downstream of Wabinosh Lake

Walleye and sauger combined – S-2 and C-2; not more than 1 greater than 46 centimetres

Lake Nipigon

Lake Nipigon – West Bay, the waters lying north and west of the north tip of Boles Island

Fish sanctuary – closed all year
New Little Savanne River from the upstream side of the bridge at Railbed Road (49°05′57″N, 90°18′16″W) to its confluence with the Savanne River (48°56′53″N, 90°15′26″W)
Walleye – S-4 and C-2; must be greater than 33 centimetres, not more than 1 greater than 46 centimetres
Fish sanctuary – no fishing from April 1 to May 31

McIntyre River

Rainbow trout – S-1; must be greater than 69 centimetres, and C-0

McIntyre River

McIntyre River – from the footbridge to the dam on the University property in the City of Thunder Bay

Fish sanctuary – closed all year

Nipigon River

Dead Rainbow Smelt may be used as bait or possessed for use as bait
Northern pike – S-4 and C-2; none between 70-90 centimetres, not more than 1 greater than 90 centimetres

Nipigon River and Nipigon Bay

Nipigon River and Nipigon Bay – the Nipigon River from the Alexander Falls Dam in Zone 6 to Nipigon Bay in Zone 9, and the waters of Nipigon Bay in Zone 9 north of a line drawn from Simpson Island (48°49'48″N, 87°40'40″W) across the bay to the mainland at 48°51'21″N, 87°38'47″W

Walleye and sauger – closed all year

Nipigon River

Fish sanctuary – no fishing from January 1 to Friday before fourth Saturday in May and Tuesday after Labour Day to December 31 in the following areas:Nipigon River – Backpool below the Alexander Dam east of a line drawn south from the Alexander Dam Log Chute to the northernmost tip of the point of land on the east shore of the Nipigon River
Nipigon River – Gapen's Pool (49°01′N, 88°15′W) that part of the Nipigon River lying east of a line drawn north from the eastern shore abutment of Highway 11/17 bridges to the western tip of a point of land on the eastern shore of the outflow from Lake Helen
Nipigon River – Parmacheene (49°05′N, 88°19′W) from the downstream edge of the Parmacheene C.N.R. bridge abutments, upstream approximately 400 metres to the first narrows

Polly Lake

Polly Lake (49°07′52″N, 88°15′58″W)

Dead rainbow smelt may be used as bait or possessed for use as bait
Brook trout – S-1; must be greater than 56 centimetres, and C-0
Northern pike – S-4 and C-2; none between 70-90 centimetres, not more than 1 greater than 90 centimetres
Walleye and sauger – closed all year

Savanne River

Savanne River (48°56′N, 90°17′W)

Walleye – S-4 and C-2; must be greater than 33 centimetres, not more than 1 greater than 46 centimetres

Savanne River

Savanne River (48°56′N, 90°17′W) - from One Mile Creek to Dexter Creek.

Fish sanctuary – no fishing from April 1 to May 31

Fish sanctuaries in Zone 6

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

No fishing – closed all year (8)

Argon Lake – Grand Trunk Pacific Block 2
Gessie Lake
Henderson Lake – Grand Trunk Pacific Block 2
Ice Lake
Lake Nipigon – refer to waterbody exceptions
McIntyre River – refer to waterbody exceptions
Savanne Lake – Grand Trunk Pacific Block 2
Squeers Lake (48°31′N, 90°33′W)

No fishing – from January 1 to Friday before fourth Saturday in May and Tuesday after Labour Day to December 31 (1)

Nipigon River – refer to waterbody exceptions

No fishing – April 1 to May 31 (18)

Granite River and Saganaga Lake – Saganaga Falls
Greenwater Creek – from the dam on Greenwater Creek to the first island in Upper Shebandowan Lake
Kashabowie River – from the dam on Kashabowie Lake to the island in Upper Shebandowan Lake
Little Gunflint Lake
Little North Lake
Little Savanne River – refer to waterbody exceptions
Maligne River and Curran Bay (Saganaga Lake)
Pine River – near Gunflint Lake
Savanne River – refer to waterbody exceptions
Sawmill Creek and Sawmill Bay – Upper Shebandowan Lake
Swamp River and Swamp Bay of Lower Shebandowan Lake – Conacher and Hagey Townships
Weikwabinonaw River – between Marks Lake and Weikwabinonaw Lake
Weikwabinonaw River – from Marks Lake upstream to the Weikwabinonaw Lake Road
Weikwabinonaw River – from Trafalgar Bay on Northern Light Lake extending upstream to its confluence with Nelson Creek, including the unnamed lake known locally as Lily Lake
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Frequently asked

When does trout season open in Zone 6?

Zone-wide, brook trout season is fourth Saturday in April to Labour Day (Apr 25 – Sep 7 in 2026). Some rivers have species exceptions or sanctuaries listed on this page that change this.

Can I fish in Zone 6 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 6?

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 →

Zone 6 fishing regulations (FMZ 6)

Zone-wide seasons and limits in FMZ 6

Know what's open before you drive

Species exceptions in Zone 6

Waterbody exceptions in Zone 6

Fish sanctuaries in Zone 6

Frequently asked

Fish the right river tomorrow morning.