Zones 1, 2 and 3 includes the majority of northern Ontario from the Manitoba border eastwards to James Bay.

Fisheries Management Zones 3

View Fisheries Management Zone 3 map using Fish ON-line or a PDF.

  • That part of the Missinaibi River and Moose River that is between Zone 3 and Zone 8, is wholly within Zone 8.

General information

  • Refer to general fishing regulations for more information on how to use this summary.
  • The following species are not present in this Zone and are closed to fishing all year:
    • Atlantic salmon
    • brown trout
    • channel catfish
    • crappie
    • muskellunge
    • Pacific salmon
  • FMZ 3 is part of the Northeast 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

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

Aggregate limits for trout and salmon (including splake)

Limits: S-5 and C-2; total daily catch and possession limit for all trout and salmon species combined

Brook trout

Season: January 1 to September 15  
Limits: S-5 and C-2

Lake sturgeon

Season: January 1 to April 15 and July 1 to December 31  
Limits: S-0 and C-0

Lake trout

Season: January 1 to September 30  
Limits: S-3 and C-1

Lake whitefish

Season: open all year  
Limits: S-12 and C-6

Largemouth and smallmouth bass combined

Season: open all year  
Limits: S-6 and C-2

Northern pike

Season: open all year  
Limits: S-6; not more than 2 greater than 61 centimetres, of which not more than one greater than 86 centimetres, and C-2; not more than one greater than 61 centimetres, none greater than 86 centimetres

Splake

Season: open all year  
Limits: S-5 and C-2

Sunfish

Season: open all year  
Limits: S-50 and C-25

Walleye and sauger combined

Season: January 1 to April 14 and third Saturday in May to December 31  
Limits: S-4 and C-2; not more than one greater than 46 centimetres

Yellow perch

Season: open all year  
Limits: S-50 and C-25

Species exceptions

Brook trout

Additional fishing opportunities

Season: open all year

  • Pelican Lake (49°54′41″ N., 84°08′09″ W.)
  • Scaup Lake (50°01′58″ N., 84°09′01″ W.)

Lake trout

Additional fishing opportunities

Season: open all year

  • Brave Lake (49°51′15″ N., 84°20′43″ W.)

Rainbow Trout

Additional fishing opportunities

Season: open all year

Limits: S-5 and C-2

  • Swallow Lake (49°55′14″ N., 84°08′11″ W.)

Fish sanctuaries

No fishing - from April 1 to June 15

  • French Creek - Hanlan Township, from its outflow at French Lake to the area between Hanlan and Wolverine lakes from Lot 13, Concession 10 to Lot 16, Concession 11 (known locally as Hanlan Narrows) and Ryland Creek from its outflow at French Lake to its intersection with the Concession 7 road
  • Fushimi Lake, Valentine River and Hanlan Lake – The embayment of Fushimi Lake northeast of the narrows (49°49'44"N., 83°52'20"W.), the Valentine River, and the northwest embayment of Hanlan Lake at the mouth of the Valentine River (49°50'39"N., 83°49'49"W.)
  • Holland Lake and Holland Creek - Stoddart Township
  • Pivabiska River - lying between its outflow from Pivabiska Lake in Lot 28, Concession 12 (Casgrain Township) downstream to the point where it intersects 49°52′N. (Ritchie Township)
  • Sainte Therese Creek - from its mouth at Lac Sainte Therese upstream to the point where it crosses the south boundary of Lot 26, Concession 7 (Casgrain Township) and the unnamed tributary lying between Sainte Therese Creek and Highway 583 in Lots 25 and 26, Concession 8
  • Stoddart Creek - Stoddart Township, between Stoddart Lake and the Valentine River
  • Valentine River - from Wolverine Lake to Pivabiska Lake