Lake Nipissing, the French River and Lake Temagami all fall in Fisheries Management Zone 11. The Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary gives zone-wide seasons and limits and then lists waterbody exceptions, and Lake Nipissing has several. This guide summarizes the Zone 11 page on ontario.ca, which was updated August 4, 2026. Regulations change, so read the current summary before you fish.
Facts box
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Zone | Fisheries Management Zone 11 |
| Source | Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary, Zone 11 page (updated August 4 2026) |
| Waterbodies with their own rules | Cut Lake, French River Provincial Park, Green Lake, Lake Nipissing, Lake Temagami, McConnell Lake, Shanty Lake, Surecatch Lake, Trout Lake |
| Limit codes | S is the sport fishing licence limit; C is the conservation fishing licence limit |
| Bait | Zone 11 is in the Northeast Bait Management Zone |
Quick answer
Zone-wide rules apply except where the page lists a waterbody exception, and Lake Nipissing has one. On Lake Nipissing, including the French River below the Chaudière dams to the lake, all species are closed from March 16 to the Friday before the third Saturday in May and again from December 1 to December 31. Read the exceptions below, then check the summary again before every trip.
Lake Nipissing exceptions
The page lists these rules for the main body of Lake Nipissing and the named bays and rivers that drain to it:
- Walleye and yellow perch: open January 1 to March 15 and the third Saturday in May to October 15.
- Walleye limits: sport licence 2, conservation licence 1, and the fish must be between 40 and 45 centimetres.
- Muskellunge: open from the third Saturday in June to November 30; sport licence 1, conservation licence 0, and the fish must be greater than 137 centimetres.
- Northern pike: sport licence 4 and conservation licence 2, with not more than one greater than 61 centimetres and none greater than 86 centimetres.
Two Lake Nipissing fish sanctuaries also apply. No fishing is allowed within 100 metres of shore around the Iron Island vicinity from March 16 to the Friday before the third Saturday in May. The Wasi Falls area is closed March 16 to May 31 and October 1 to November 30. Nearby, Duchesney Creek from Lake Nipissing to the C.N.R. bridge is closed March 16 to the Friday before the third Saturday in May, and a stretch of the South River below Highway 654 is closed on those dates and October 1 to November 30. Read the full text for the exact boundaries.
Zone-wide seasons and limits
Zone-wide rules apply to waters not covered by an exception. The page lists, among others:
| Species | Season | Limit (sport / conservation) |
|---|---|---|
| Walleye and sauger combined | Jan 1 to third Sunday in March; third Saturday in May to Dec 31 | 4 / 2, with size rules |
| Northern pike | Jan 1 to third Sunday in March; third Saturday in May to Dec 31 | 6 / 2, with size rules |
| Largemouth and smallmouth bass | Jan 1 to third Sunday in March; third Saturday in May to Dec 31 | 6 / 2 |
| Lake trout | Feb 15 to third Sunday in March; third Saturday in May to Labour Day | 2 / 1, with size rules |
| Yellow perch | Open all year | 50 / 25 |
| Lake whitefish | Open all year | 12 / 6 |
Lake sturgeon and Atlantic salmon are closed all year. Trout and salmon share an aggregate limit of 5 for the sport licence and 2 for the conservation licence.
Lake Temagami and the French River
Lake Temagami has its own entry. It allows only baitfish less than 13 centimetres long as bait. Lake trout are open February 15 to the third Sunday in March and the third Saturday in May to September 30, and the lake has fish sanctuaries closed from the Monday after the third Sunday in March to June 15. The page also lists a French River exception for the waters south of the Five Finger Rapids to the Highway 69 bridge, with a bass limit of 4 / 2 of any size, a muskellunge limit of 1 / 0 for fish greater than 137 centimetres, and a northern pike limit of 4 / 2 with size rules. See our French River and Temagami guides.
Bait and dip netting
Zone 11 is part of the Northeast Bait Management Zone. Live or dead baitfish or leeches may not be moved into or out of the zone, unless both dead and preserved. Since January 1, 2025, all waters in Zone 11 where angling is allowed are included in the October 1 to December 15 dip netting season for lake herring and lake whitefish.
FAQ
Is Lake Nipissing open for walleye all year?
No. Walleye and yellow perch are open January 1 to March 15 and from the third Saturday in May to October 15, and the lake is closed to all species on the dates above. Checked November 4 2026.
What do S and C mean?
Sport fishing licence and conservation fishing licence limits. Checked November 4 2026.
Cottages on the water
Browse cottages in Northern Ontario.
Township Rules Check
Thinking of renting out a cottage here? Run the Township Rules Check. The municipalities around Lake Nipissing are not in our rules dataset yet, so we state no short-term rental rule here. Confirm with the municipality before you list.
Claims table
| # | Claim | Source URL | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zone 11 page updated August 4 2026; list of waterbodies with different regulations; Northeast Bait Management Zone; dip netting since January 1 2025 for lake herring and lake whitefish October 1 to December 15 | https://www.ontario.ca/document/ontario-fishing-regulations-summary/fisheries-management-zone-11 | 2026-11-04 |
| 2 | Zone-wide: walleye and sauger, northern pike, bass, lake trout, yellow perch, lake whitefish seasons and limits as tabled; lake sturgeon and Atlantic salmon closed all year; trout and salmon aggregate S-5 and C-2 | https://www.ontario.ca/document/ontario-fishing-regulations-summary/fisheries-management-zone-11 | 2026-11-04 |
| 3 | Lake Nipissing exception: closed to all species March 16 to Friday before third Saturday in May and December 1 to 31; walleye and yellow perch open Jan 1 to Mar 15 and third Saturday in May to Oct 15; walleye S-2, C-1, 40 to 45 cm; muskellunge third Saturday in June to Nov 30, S-1, C-0, greater than 137 cm; northern pike S-4, C-2 | https://www.ontario.ca/document/ontario-fishing-regulations-summary/fisheries-management-zone-11 | 2026-11-04 |
| 4 | Fish sanctuaries: Iron Island vicinity 100 m around shore, no fishing March 16 to Friday before third Saturday in May; Wasi Falls closed March 16 to May 31 and October 1 to November 30; Duchesney Creek and South River sanctuaries | https://www.ontario.ca/document/ontario-fishing-regulations-summary/fisheries-management-zone-11 | 2026-11-04 |
| 5 | Lake Temagami: baitfish under 13 cm only; lake trout seasons; sanctuaries from Monday after third Sunday in March to June 15; French River exception south of Five Finger Rapids to Hwy 69 bridge, bass S-4 C-2 any size, muskellunge S-1 C-0 over 137 cm, pike S-4 C-2 | https://www.ontario.ca/document/ontario-fishing-regulations-summary/fisheries-management-zone-11 | 2026-11-04 |
| 6 | Limits are shown as S and C; the page refers to sport and conservation fishing licence limits | https://www.ontario.ca/document/ontario-fishing-regulations-summary/fisheries-management-zone-11 | 2026-11-04 |
Photo: Kishore Uthamaraj, on Unsplash (Unsplash License).