Fisheries Management Zone 2

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General information

• See general fishing regulations for more information on how to use this summary.
• Non-Canadian residents camping on Crown land must follow conservation fishing licence limits.
• NewRainbow smelt may not be used as bait or possessed for use as bait, except in the tributaries of Lake Nipigon within FMZ 2.
  • Updated regulation Please note that this regulation was updated following the release of print copies of the Fishing Regulations Summary. For more information please visit ontario.ca/FishingUpdates.
• Live fish may not be used as bait or possessed for use as bait in all waters north of the 11^th baseline at latitude 51°48′11″ N. and west of longitude 89°00′ W.
• The following waterbodies, or portions of them, have different regulations that are listed in the waterbody exceptions:
  • Lake St. Joseph
  • Opapimiskan Lake
  • Sydney Lake area
• The following species are not present in this Zone and are closed to fishing all year:
  • Atlantic salmon
  • channel catfish
  • crappie
  • Pacific salmon
• The portion of FMZ 2 that is south of the 11^th baseline at latitude 51°48′11”N. and east of longitude 89°00′ W. is part of the Northwest Bait Management Zone (BMZ). Baitfish or leeches, whether live or dead, may not be transported into or out of a BMZ. See bait for more details.

Zone-wide seasons and limits

Zone-wide seasons and limits apply to all waters in the Zone except for the specific waters and species listed in the species exceptions, waterbody exceptions and fish sanctuaries.

Species exceptions

Brook trout

Additional fishing opportunities

Season: open all year

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

• Blue Lake (50°20′04″ N., 88°56′56″ W.)
• Johnny Lake (50°17′35″ N., 87°02′52″ W.) - Rupert Township
• Secret Lake (50°18′53″ N., 88°58′29″ W.)
• Unnamed Lake (Whiz Lake) (51°38′11″ N., 89°58′01″ W.)

Lake sturgeon

Season: closed all year

• All waters located within the portion of Zone 2 from the Ontario/Manitoba interprovincial boundary east along the line of 52°35′N. latitude, to the intersection with 93°50′ W. longitude, thence south to the intersection with 52°10′N. latitude, thence east to the intersection with 92°10′ W. longitude, thence south to the Zone 2 boundary, including all of the waters within Woodland Caribou Provincial Park; thence in a westerly direction to the Ontario/Manitoba interprovincial boundary, thence northerly to the intersection with 52°35′N. latitude.
• All waters in Zone 2 draining into Lake Nipigon including the Little Jackfish River beginning at the hydro control dam at Mojikit Lake.

Lake trout

Limits: S-1 and C-0

• Faircloth Lake (Greytrout Lake) (51°09′20″ N., 88°11′24″ W.)
• Merpaw Lake (51°38′53″ N., 88°58′13″ W.)

Limits: S-1 in one day and possession limit of two, not more than one greater than 65 centimetres and C-1; any size

• Echoing Lake (54°31'14" N., 92°14'24" W.)

Limits: S-2 and C-1; not more than one greater than 56 centimetres

• Gordon Reid Lake (South Lake, I-100 Lake) (51°01′14″ N., 88°02′37″ W.)
• Luella Lake (51°11′20″ N., 88°42′26″ W.)
• Opichuan Lake (51°14′46″ N., 87°46′14″ W.)
• O’Sullivan Lake (50°25′00″ N., 87°03′00″ W.)
• Superb Lake (50°30′55″ N., 86°58′21″ W.)
• Troutfly Lake (51°41′59″ N., 88°53′22″ W.)

Walleye and sauger combined

Season: January 1 to April 14 and June 10 to December 31

Limits: S-2 and C-2; not more than one greater than 46 centimetres

• Little Jackfish River - downstream from and including the first rapids upstream of the Pikitigushi Road Bridge to the centre line of the CN railway bridge

Waterbody exceptions

Lake St. Joseph (51°03'13" N., 90°49'37" W.)

• Only one barbless hook may be used
• Non-Canadian residents require a special tag which is available at no charge from the Lake St. Joseph tourist operators
• Fish sanctuary - no fishing from March 1 to June 14 in the following areas:
  • Twiname Bay east of a line beginning at the north shore at 51°09′10″N., 90°27′10″ W., southeast to 51°08′54″N., 90°25′52″ W. and south to 51°08′30″N., 90°25′35″ W.

Opapimiskan Lake (52°37′39″ N., 90°24′27″ W.)

• All species: S-0 and C-0

Sydney Lake area - North Kenora Pilot Project area - waters south and east of Kilburn Lake (50°43'05" N., 94°28'28" W.) in Zone 2, including Sydney (50°39'41" N., 94°26'10" W.), Rowdy (50°33'28" N., 94°28'33" W.) and Leano Lake (50°47'10" N., 94°26'39" W.) lakes

• Species based regulations for all non-Canadian anglers:
  • lake trout - S-1 and C-1
  • lake whitefish - S-6 and C-6
  • largemouth and smallmouth bass combined - S-1 and C-1; must be less than 35 centimetres from January 1 to June 30 and December 1 to December 31
  • muskellunge - S-0 and C-0
  • northern pike - S-2 and C-2; none between 70-90 centimetres, not more than one greater than 90 centimetres
  • walleye and sauger combined - S-2 and C-2; not more than one greater than 46 centimetres
  • yellow perch - S-25 and C-25

Fish sanctuaries

No fishing - closed all year

• Zeemel Lake - including the Paseminon River upstream to 300 metres above the Musselwhite Mine Road

No fishing - from April 1 to June 14

• Kawashkagama River - from Abamasagi Lake to 100 metres above Albert Falls
• Upper Twin Lake - Pete’s Bay, beginning at the intersection of Shamokan Creek and the Rail Line Road continuing downstream to include all of Pete’s Bay of Upper Twin Lake

No fishing - from March 1 to June 14

• Esnagami River - from the northern boundary of Esnagami Township (50°21′36″ N., 86°46′45″ W.) downstream (north) to the second set of rapids (50°25′20″ N., 86°40′45″ W.)
• Lake St. Joseph - see waterbody exceptions