SF – 2025/17

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 17 (SF-2019/17) signed by Minister Yurek on October 29, 2018 is revoked and replaced by this Sport Fishing Variation Order for Fisheries Management Zone 17 (SF-2025/17).
  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 17 are hereby varied as set out in Schedules A, B and C to this Sport Fishing Variation Order.
  3. 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.
  4. That this Sport Fishing Variation Order comes into effect January 1, 2025.

Dated at Toronto this 18 day of October, 2024.

Graydon Smith
Minister of Natural Resources 

Schedule A – Zone-wide close times, quotas and size limits for Fisheries Management Zone 17

Subject to Schedules B and C of this Variation Order the following Angling close times, quotas and size limits (measured in total length) apply to all waters in Fisheries Management Zone 17.
Species or combination of speciesClose timeSport Fishing Licence quota and size limitConservation Fishing Licence quota and size limit
Atlantic SalmonJanuary 1 to the Friday before the 4th Saturday in April and October 1 to December 3100
Black & White CrappieNo close time30, any size10, any size
Brook TroutJanuary 1 to the Friday before the 4th Saturday in April and October 1 to December 312, any size1, any size
Brown TroutJanuary 1 to the Friday before the 4th Saturday in April and October 1 to December 315, any size2, any size
Channel CatfishJanuary 1 to the Friday before the 4th Saturday in April and November 16 to December 3112, any size6, any size
Lake SturgeonJanuary 1 to December 31N/AN/A
Lake TroutJanuary 1 to the Friday before the 4th Saturday in April and October 1 to December 313, any size1, any size
Lake WhitefishJanuary 1 to the Friday before the 4th Saturday in April and November 16 to December 3112, any size6, any size
Largemouth & Smallmouth BassJanuary 1 to the Friday before the 3rd Saturday in June and December 16 to December 316, any size2, any size
MuskellungeJanuary 1 to the Friday before the 1st Saturday in June and December 16 to December 311, must be greater than 112 cm0
Northern PikeNo close time6, any size2, any size
Pacific SalmonJanuary 1 to the Friday before the 4th Saturday in April and October 1 to December 315, any size2, any size
Rainbow TroutJanuary 1 to the Friday before the 4th Saturday in April and October 1 to December 312, any size1, any size
SplakeJanuary 1 to December 31N/AN/A
SunfishNo close time300, not more 30 greater than 18 cm15, any size
Walleye & SaugerJanuary 1 to the Friday before the 2nd Saturday in May and November 16 to December 314, must be between 35 cm and 50 cm1, must be between 35 cm and 50 cm
Yellow PerchNo close time50, any size25, any size
Any other speciesNo close timeno limitno limit

Schedule B – Exceptions to the Zone-wide close times, quotas and size limits for Fisheries Management Zone 17

Despite Schedule A of this Variation Order the Angling close times, 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.
WatersSpecies or combination of speciesClose timeSport Fishing Licence quota and size limitConservation Fishing Licence quota and size limit
Balsam Lake (44°34'54"N., 78°51'10"W.) - Bexley Township - including the waters of the Gull River upstream to the dam at Coboconk, the waters of the Otonabee River (Rosedale River) between the Trent dam at Rosedale upstream to Balsam Lake, the waters of the Trent Canal between the upstream lock at Rosedale upstream to its junction with the Otonabee River (Rosedale River), and the waters of the Trent Canal between Balsam Lake and Mitchell Lake - Bexley and Fenelon TownshipsWalleyeNo change3, none between 37- 55 cm1, none between 37- 55 cm
Crowe Lake (44°29'00"N., 77°44'00"W.) - Marmora and Belmont Townships, and the waters of the Crowe River in Marmora and Rawdon TownshipsWalleyeMarch 2 to the Friday before the 2nd Saturday in MayNo changeNo change
Lake Scugog, including the waters south of the Highway 7A Causeway, Mariposa Brook in Ops and Mariposa Townships, East Cross Creek in Ops, Manvers and Cartwright Townships, the Nonquon River in Reach and Mariposa Townships, Blackstock Creek in Cartwright Township, and the Scugog River to the Trent-Severn Dam (44.357N, -78.735W) in Lindsay, Ops TownshipWalleyeClosedN/AN/A
Mitchell Lake (44°34'46"N., 78°56'54"W.) - Eldon Township - including the waters of the Trent Canal between Mitchell Lake and Balsam Lake, and the waters of the Trent Canal between Mitchell Lake and lock Number 36 at Kirkfield - Eldon TownshipWalleyeNo change3, none between 37- 55 cm1, none between 37- 55 cm
Trent River – from the first dam (Number One) above Lake Ontario upstream to Lock Number 9 (Myers Lock) at the Head of Percy ReachWalleyeMarch 2 to the Friday before the 2nd Saturday in MayNo changeNo change

Schedule C – Additional fishing opportunities for Fisheries Management Zone 17

Part A

Despite Schedules A and B of this Variation Order the close time for angling Atlantic Salmon, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout and Pacific Salmon is "no close time" in the following waters.

Waters

  • Cobourg Brook (Cobourg Creek/Factory Creek) - between the southerly limit of the C.N.R. right-of-way and Lake Ontario
  • Gages Creek - between the southerly limit of the C.N.R. right-of-way and Lake Ontario
  • Ganaraska River - between the southerly limit of the C.N.R. right-of-way (43°56'48.51" N., 78°17'31.93" W.) and Lake Ontario
  • Regional Municipality of Durham - all waters lying between the southerly limit of the C.N.R. right-of-way and Lake Ontario

Part B

Despite Schedules A and B of this Variation Order the close time for angling Atlantic Salmon, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout and Pacific Salmon is January 1 to the Friday before the 4th Saturday in April in the following waters.

Waters

  • Ganaraska River – between the south side of the Jocelyn Street Bridge (43°58'1.77" N., 78°17'43.77" W.) and the southerly limit of the C.N.R. right-of-way (43°56'48.51" N., 78° 17'31.93" W.)
  • Northumberland County - all waters downstream of Highway 2
  • Regional Municipality of Durham - all waters between Highway 2 and the southerly limit of the C.N.R. right-of-way