Lake of the Woods (Ontario)

Lake facts

• Boating rules

  Schedule 5: 9 km/h in Portage Bay and Keewatin Bay north of the Highway 17 bridge (Kenora). Elsewhere on the lake the general rule applies: 10 km/h within 30 m of shore (Vessel Operation Restriction Regulations, s. 2(7)).

  Public record · Transport Canada, Schedules of the Vessel Operation Restriction Regulations (TP 15587), 2nd edition April 2026 · checked November 5 2026

• Fish in the lake

  Walleye, Sauger, Northern Pike, Muskellunge, Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, Lake Trout, Lake Whitefish, Cisco, Yellow Perch, Black Crappie, Pumpkinseed, Rock Bass, Burbot, Brown Bullhead, Lake Sturgeon. These game and pan fish are recorded in MNR lake data; not all are common today.

  Public record · Ontario MNR Aquatic Resource Area (ARA) Water Poly Segment, Land Information Ontario open data (data used by Fish ON-Line) · checked November 5 2026

• Fishing zone

  Zone 5

  Public record · Fisheries Management Zone 5, Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary, ontario.ca · checked November 5 2026

• Water clarity

  Lake Partner Program volunteer data: 2025 average water clarity (Secchi depth) 3.4 m from 20 readings; 2025 average total phosphorus 19.2 micrograms per litre from 17 samples. Ontario sites only.

  Public record · Ontario Lake Partner Program open data, Secchi depth and total phosphorus files (2025 release), data.ontario.ca/dataset/ontario-lake-partner · checked November 5 2026

• Boat launches

  Provincial data lists 4 boat launch or access points on or beside the lake (1 marked municipal, provincial or federal; others private or not stated). Named public sites include Morson Landing. Also listed: Nestor Falls government dock. Check ownership, fees and parking locally.

  Public record · Ontario MNR Fishing Access Point layer, Land Information Ontario open data (points within 400 m of the lake outline) · checked November 5 2026

• Parks on the lake

  Sioux Narrows Provincial Park, on the shores of Lake of the Woods (ontarioparks.ca/park/siouxnarrows). Also in provincial park boundary data: Lake of the Woods Provincial Park and Sable Islands Provincial Park (nature reserve); both are marked non-operating.

  Public record · Ontario Parks: Sioux Narrows and Lake of the Woods park pages; Ontario Provincial Park Regulated layer · checked November 5 2026

• Lake association

  Lake of the Woods District Stewardship Association

  Public record · Lake of the Woods District Stewardship Association website · checked November 5 2026

General information only. Lake rules and conditions change: check the official source before you swim, boat or fish.