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Zone 13 consists of the main basin of Lake Huron, while Zone 14 consists of Georgian Bay and the North Channel.

Fisheries Management Zone 14

View Fisheries Management Zone 14 map using Fish ON-Line or a PDF.

  • All lakes on Manitoulin Island are a part of Zone 10 except South Bay (Zone 13) and Lake Wolsey (Zone 14). There are some regulatory exceptions in place on Manitoulin Island. Please see Manitoulin Island - inland waters under Exceptions to Zone 10 Regulations.
  • St. Mary’s River west of the compensating works gate and the canal lock in Sault Ste. Marie is in Zone 14.

General information

  • See 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:
    • brook trout
    • splake
  • The following areas of Georgian Bay have different regulations that are listed in the waterbody exceptions:
    • Big Sound of Parry Sound
    • Iroquois Bay
    • St. Marys River
  • FMZ 14 is part of the Great Lakes. Baitfish and leeches from adjacent Bait Management Zones (BMZ) are permitted, but can only be moved out of the Great Lakes to be disposed of immediately more than 30 metres from the water. 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.

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

Atlantic salmon

Season: open all year
Limits: S-1 and C-0

Brown trout

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

Channel catfish

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

Crappie

Season: open all year
Limits: S-30 and C-10

Lake herring (cisco)

Season: open all year
Limits: S-25 and C-12

Lake sturgeon

Season: closed all year

Lake trout

Season: January 1 to September 30 and December 1 to December 31
Limits: S-2 and C-1

Lake whitefish

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

Largemouth and smallmouth bass combined

Season: fourth Saturday in June to November 30
Limits: S-3 and C-1

Muskellunge

Season: third Saturday in June to December 15
Limits: S-1; must be greater than 137 centimetres, and C-0

Northern pike

Season: January 1 to March 1 and May 1 to December 31
Limits: S-2; in one day, possession limit of four, not more than one greater than 86 centimetres, and C-1; in one day, possession limit of two, not more than one greater than 86 centimetres

Pacific salmon

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

Rainbow trout

Season: open all year
Limits: S-2 and C-1

Sunfish

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

Walleye and sauger combined

Season: January 1 to March 1 and May 1 to December 31
Limits: S-2; in one day, possession limit of four, none between 41-56 centimetres, not more than one greater than 56 centimetres, and C-1; in one day, possession limit of two, none between 41-56 centimetres, not more than one greater than 56 centimetres

Yellow perch

Season: open all year
Limits: S-25; in one day, possession limit of 50, and C-12; in one day, possession limit of 25

Species exceptions

Lake trout

Limits: S-1 and C-0

  • Georgian Bay - waters west and south of the Killbear Channel in Georgian Bay, in the District of Parry Sound. Western boundary from Green Point to the most northerly point of Hertzberg Island to Colin Rock to the most westerly point of North Limestone Island to the southwestern point of Sandy Island to the most northern point of the largest of the Umbrella Islands to the most northern point of Frying Pan Island to the most southern point of Sans Souci Island to Mainland Point. Eastern boundary from Oak Point to the lighthouse on Jones Islands to the lighthouse on Gordon Rocks to the most northerly point of Snake Island to the lighthouse on Snug Island due east to the mainland and the swing bridge connecting Rose Point to Parry Island. Includes Five Mile Bay and waters around McLaren and Isabella Island.
  • For additional clarity on Lake Trout regulations in Georgian Bay please see the map located at Fisheries Management Zone 14 (FMZ 14)

Rainbow trout

Limits: S-5 and C-2

  • North Channel (Lake Huron) - waters lying west of a straight line from the most northerly point (45°48′28″N., 81°35′44″W.) on the water’s edge of Cape Smith (on Manitoulin Island) to the most southerly point (45°58′05″N., 81°29′20″W.) on the water’s edge of Red Rock Point (east of the Town of Killarney), and east of a straight line from the most southerly point (46°10′31″N., 82°53′06″W.) on the water’s edge along the shore of Mary Point (east of Blind River) to the most northerly point (45°59′52″N., 82°48′40″W.) on the water’s edge of Cape Roberts (on the west side of Bayfield Sound on Manitoulin Island)

Walleye

Season: closed all year

  • McGregor Bay (Lake Huron) - north of a line drawn from the most westerly point of McGregor Point to the most easterly point of land of Little La Cloche Island, including Iroquois Bay

Season: January 1 to March 1 and third Saturday in May to December 31

  • Whitefish River-Curtin Township from the mouth at the North Channel of Lake Huron, upstream to the Frood Lake Dam, east of Highway 6

Yellow perch

Season: January 1 to March 31 and third Saturday in May to December 31

  • Lake Wolsey (45°49′22″N., 82°31′29″W.) - Gordon and Mills Townships

Waterbody exceptions

Big Sound of Parry Sound - waters of the Big Sound in Georgian Bay, in the District of Parry Sound. Western boundary line from Cadotte Point on Parry Island to the easternmost point of Killbear Provincial Park. Southern boundary is the swing bridge connecting Rose Point to Parry Island, including Parry Sound Harbour, Hay Bay, Deep Bay and Depot Harbour.

  • Only one line may be used when angling through the ice
  • Lake trout - open from January 1 to September 30
  • Lake trout - S-0 and C-0; from January 1 to February 7 and April 1 to June 23 and September 1 to September 30
  • Lake trout - S-1 and C-1; must be less than 61 centimetres from February 8 to March 31 and June 24 to August 31

Big Sound of Parry Sound - waters west of the Killbear Channel in Georgian Bay, in the District of Parry Sound. Eastern boundary from Cyril Point to the southwestern most point of Spruce Island to the lighthouse located immediately north of the Nias Islands to Liddon Point of Parry Island. Western boundary from Oak Point to the lighthouse on Jones Islands to the lighthouse on Gordon Rocks to the most northerly point of Snake Island to the lighthouse on Snug Island due east to the mainland.

  • Lake trout - open from January 1 to September 30
  • Lake trout - S-0 and C-0; from January 1 to February 7 and April 1 to June 23 and September 1 to September 30
  • Lake trout - S-1 and C-1; must be less than 61 centimetres from February 8 to March 31 and June 24 to August 31

Big Sound of Parry Sound (Killbear Channel) - The waters of the Killbear Channel in Georgian Bay, in the District of Parry Sound. Eastern boundary line from Cadotte Point on Parry Island across the channel to the easternmost point of Killbear Provincial Park. Western boundary line from Cyril Point to the southernmost point of Spruce Island to the lighthouse located immediately north of the Nias Islands to the southernmost point of Rose Island to Liddon Point on Parry Island.

Iroquois Bay of the North Channel of Lake Huron

  • Fish sanctuary - no fishing from January 1 to April 30
  • Lake trout - S-1 and C-0; must be less than 51 centimetres and possessing a fin clip with a healed scar

St. Marys River - from the gates of the Compensating Works downstream to longitude 83°45′W., which extends from Eagle Point (Hay Bay) south to the international boundary with the United States

  • Two lines may be used when trolling from a boat in open water
  • Northern pike - any size
  • Walleye - open from January 1 to last day in February and May 15 to December 31
  • Walleye - S-4 and C-2; any size

St. Marys River (Lake George) - Laird Township, from Pumpkin Point upstream to the Laird Township boundary

  • Walleye - S-0 and C-0 from April 1 to June 15, Zone-wide seasons and limits apply for remainder of year

Fish sanctuaries

No fishing - closed all year

  • Georgian Bay - waters locally known as the Dawson Rock, Grand Bank Area in the Territorial District of Manitoulin bounded by lines starting at 45°35′N., 81°10′W., then northward to 45°45′N., 81°10′W., then westward to 45°45′N., 81°25′W., then southward to 45°35′N., 81°25′W., then eastward to the place of beginning

No fishing - January 1 to April 30

No fishing - April 1 to Friday before the third Saturday in May

  • Blackstone River and Harbour - Archipelago Township, Lot 37, Concession 5
  • Moon River - Freeman Township, Lots 33, 34, 35, 36 in Concession 8, 9 and 10
  • North River - Matchedash Township, from Laughlin Falls downstream to Coldwater River
  • Seguin River - Town of Parry Sound
  • Shawanaga River - Shawanaga Township, west of C.P.R. right-of-way
  • Sucker Creek - Harrison Township, from Highway 69 downstream to a point 250 metres west of the C.P.R.
  • Tug Channel and unnamed channel - Tay and Georgian Bay Townships, between Little Lake and Georgian Bay