SF – 2023/4

Under the Ontario Fishery Regulations, 2007

Pursuant to the authority vested in me in subsection 13(1) of the Ontario Fishery Regulations, 2007, made under the Fisheries Act, R.S.C., 1985, c. F-14, I hereby authorize and declare the following:

  1. That Sport Fishing Variation Order for Fisheries Management Zone 4 (SF-2019/4) signed by Minister Yurek on October 29, 2018 is revoked and replaced by this Sport Fishing Variation Order for Fisheries Management Zone 4 (SF-2023/4).
  2. That the angling close times as set out in Schedule 2 to the Ontario Fishery Regulations, 2007 and the angling quotas and size limits as set out in Part 1 of Schedule 3 to the said Regulations for Fisheries Management Zone 4 are hereby varied as set out in Schedules A, B and C to this Sport Fishing Variation Order.
  3. That the close times for dip netting Lake Whitefish and Lake Herring as set out in Part 1 of Schedule 6 to the said Regulations for Fisheries Management Zone 4 are hereby varied to January 1 to September 30 and December 16 to December 31.
  4. That if there is a conflict between this Sport Fishing Variation Order and a close time for a fish sanctuary, the close time for the fish sanctuary prevails.
  5. That this Sport Fishing Variation Order comes into effect January 1, 2023.

Dated at Toronto this 1st day of November 2022.

Graydon Smith
Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry

Schedule A – Zone-wide close times, quotas and size limits for Fisheries Management Zone 4

Subject to Schedules B and C of this Variation Order the following Angling close times, fishing quotas and size limits (measured in total length) apply to all waters in Fisheries Management Zone 4.
Species or combination of species Close time Sport Fishing Licence quota and size limit Conservation Fishing Licence quota and size limit
Atlantic Salmon January 1 to December 31 N/A N/A
Black & White Crappie No close time 15, any size 10, any size
Brook Trout Day after Labour Day to December 31 5, not more than 1 greater than 30 cm 2, not more than 1 greater than 30 cm
Brown Trout January 1 to December 31 N/A N/A
Channel Catfish January 1 to December 31 N/A N/A
Lake Sturgeon January 1 to December 31 N/A N/A
Lake Trout October 1 to December 31 2, not more than 1 greater than 56 cm 1, any size
Lake Whitefish No close time 12, any size 6, any size
Largemouth & Smallmouth Bass No close time

2, must be less than 35 cm from January 1 to June 30 and December 1 to December 31

4, no size limit from July 1 to November 30

1, must be less than 35 cm from January 1 to June 30 and December 1 to December 31

2, no size limit from July 1 to November 30
Muskellunge January 1 to the Friday before the 3rd Saturday in June and December 16 to December 31 1, must be greater than 102 cm 0
Northern Pike No close time 4, none between 70-90 cm and not more than 1 greater than 90 cm 2, none between 70-90 cm and not more than 1 greater than 90 cm
Pacific Salmon January 1 to December 31 N/A N/A
Rainbow Trout No close time 5, any size 2, any size
Splake No close time 5, any size 2, any size
Sunfish No close time 50, any size 25, any size
Walleye & Sauger April 15 to the Friday before the 3rd Saturday in May 4, not more than 1 greater than 46 cm 2, not more than 1 greater than 46 cm
Yellow Perch No close time 50, any size 25, any size
Any other species No close time No limit No limit

Schedule B – Exceptions to the Zone-wide close times, quotas and size limits for Fisheries Management Zone 4

Despite Schedule A of this Variation Order the Angling close times, fishing quotas and size limits (measured in total length) set out in this Schedule apply in the following waters. For greater clarity, where this schedule indicates "no change", the Zone-wide requirement in Schedule A applies.
Waters Species or combination of species Close time Sport Fishing Licence quota and size limit Conservation Fishing Licence quota and size limit
Big Vermilion Lake (50°02'N., 92°13'W.) Lake Trout No change 2, none between 45- 60 cm, not more than 1 greater than 60 cm 1, none between 45- 60 cm
Cedar Lake (50°10'08"N., 93°07'11"W.) Muskellunge No change 1, must be greater than 137 cm 0
Cedarbough Lake (49°58'49"N., 92°11'37"W.) - Vermilion Township and all connecting streams to Little Vermilion Lake (50°00'06"N., 92°09'18"W.) - Jordan, Drayton, Vermilion and Pickerel Townships Lake Trout January 1 to December 31 N/A N/A
Cliff Lake (50°10'08"N., 93°17'60"W.) - at Highway 105 Muskellunge No change 1, must be greater than 137 cm 0
Cloudlet Lake and connecting streams Smallmouth Bass No change 0 0
Cloudlet Lake and connecting streams Northern Pike No change 0 0
Cloudlet Lake and connecting streams Muskellunge No change 0 0
Confusion Lake (50°40'00"N., 94°09'00"W.) Muskellunge No change 1, must be greater than 91 cm 0
Flat Lake (50°57'43"N., 93°57'12"W.) - Baird Township Muskellunge No change 1, must be greater than 91 cm 0
Graystone Lake (49°59'11"N., 91°02'38"W.) - from Highway 599 to a line drawn across Graystone Lake at 91°03'13"W. Walleye April 1 to June 14 No change No change
Hooch Lake and connecting waters - Echo, Lomond, Pickerel and Vermilion Townships Smallmouth Bass No change 0 0
Hooch Lake and connecting waters - Echo, Lomond, Pickerel and Vermilion Townships Northern Pike No change 0 0
Hooch Lake and connecting waters - Echo, Lomond, Pickerel and Vermilion Townships Muskellunge No change 0 0
Lac Seul, including Broad Lake, Sunlight Lake and all connecting waters Walleye and Sauger No change 4, none between 46- 53 cm, not more than 1 greater than 53 cm 2, none between 46- 53 cm, not more than 1 greater than 53 cm
Lac Seul, including Broad Lake, Sunlight Lake and all connecting waters Muskellunge No change 0 0
Little Vermilion Lake (50°00'06"N., 92°09'18"W.) and all connecting waters to Cedarbough Lake in Jordan, Drayton, Vermilion and Pickerel Townships Lake Trout January 1 to December 31 N/A N/A
Longlegged Lake (50°45'00"N., 94°05'00"W.) Muskellunge No change 1, must be greater than 137 cm 0
Maskinonge Lake and connecting waters - Echo, Lomond, Pickerel and Vermilion Townships Smallmouth Bass No change 0 0
Maskinonge Lake and connecting waters - Echo, Lomond, Pickerel and Vermilion Townships Northern Pike No change 0 0
Maskinonge Lake and connecting waters - Echo, Lomond, Pickerel and Vermilion Townships Muskellunge No change 0 0
Minnitaki Lake, including Abram, Botsford, Duck, Hidden and Pelican lakes and the English River, Red Pine Bay, and Rice River Walleye and Sauger No change 4, none between 46- 53 cm, not more than 1 greater than 53 cm 2, none between 46- 53 cm, not more than 1 greater than 53 cm
Minnitaki Lake, including Abram, Duck, Hidden, Pelican, Botsford lakes and the English River, Red Pine Bay and Rice River Northern Pike April 15 to the Friday before the 3rd Saturday in May No change No change
Minnitaki Lake, Red Pine Bay All species No change 0, from the 3rd Saturday in May to June 14 0, from the 3rd Saturday in May to June 14
Perrault Lake (50°17'N., 93°08'W.) Muskellunge No change 1, must be greater than 137 cm 0
Post Creek - from the base of the waterfall in Post Bay to latitude 49°55'36"N. on Sturgeon Lake Walleye April 1 to June 14 No change No change
Red Lake/Gullrock System - those waters upstream of Snowshoe Dam (50°54'22"N., 93°31'05"W.) on the Chukuni River, which includes Red Lake (51°03'N., 93°49'W.), Keg Lake (50°59'32"N., 93°41'01"W.), Gullrock Lake (50°58'28"N., 93°37'0"W.), Ranger Lake (51°03'54"N., 93°34'33" W.), Two Island Lake (50°55'30"N., 93°34'53"W.) and all portions of the Chukuni River in-between these lakes and any waters flowing into the Red Lake/Gullrock System Lake Trout No change 0 0
Russett Lake (50°58'31"N., 93°55'45"W.) - Baird Township Muskellunge No change 1, must be greater than 91 cm 0
Sturgeon Lake described as Trappers Point Bay from 50°11'55"N. to the intersection of Trout Creek and Second Creek with Highway 599 Walleye April 1 to June 14 No change No change
Unnamed Lake (Paul-Orr Lake) (50°59'24”N., 93°56'02W.) Muskellunge No change 1, must be greater than 91 cm 0
Unnamed Lake (Spires Lake) (50°58'46” N., 93°58' 45” W.) Muskellunge No change 1, must be greater than 91 cm 0

Schedule C – Additional fishing opportunities for Fisheries Management Zone 4

Part A

Despite Schedules A and B of this Variation Order the sport fishing licence size limit for Brook Trout "any size", the conservation fishing licence size limit for Brook Trout "any size" and the close time is "no close time" in the following waters.

Waters

  • Berglund Lake (49°35'50"N., 91°38'27"W.)
  • Bill Lake (50°04'02"N., 93°58'07"W.)
  • Butler Lake (49°29'10"N., 91°50'13"W.) - Bradshaw Township
  • Dog Lake (50°00'51"N., 94°00'49"W.)
  • Highway Lake (50°04'16"N., 92°01'30"W.) - Drayton Township
  • Krisko Lake (49°42'33"N., 91°12'60"W.)
  • Little Butler Lake (49°28'41"N., 91°50'29"W.) - Bradshaw Township
  • Little Snowstorm Lake (49°37'26"N., 91°43'06"W.)
  • McLaurin Lake (49°43'13"N., 91°12'05"W.)
  • Nyilas Lake (50°03'57"N., 92°04'20"W.) - Drayton Township
  • O'Dell Lake (49°24'01"N., 91°35'10"W.) - Skey Township
  • Reguly Lake (49°38'01"N., 91°43'40"W.)
  • Shrimp Lake (49°35'26"N., 91°38'55"W.)
  • Snowstorm Lake (49°37'17"N., 91°43'27"W.)
  • Snyder Lake (50°03'52"N., 92°04'40"W.) - Drayton Township
  • Wreck Lake (50°02'50"N., 94°08'13"W.)