Zone 17
Updated: January 1, 2026
Published: January 8, 2021

General Information

  • New Changes to the rules for fishing in the Ganaraska River. As of September 1, 2024, new rules for
    fishing in the Ganaraska River took effect:
    • a new fish sanctuary — no fishing from September 1 to October 14
    • an expanded area for the extended fall season.
  • There are several Great Lakes tributaries that have aligned regulations for the following:
    • Rainbow Trout
    • Brown Trout
    • Pacific Salmon
    • Atlantic Salmon
  • The following waterbodies, or portions of them, have different regulations that are listed in the waterbody exceptions:
    • Lake Scugog
    • Trent River
  • The following species are not present in this Zone and are closed to fishing all year:
    • Splake
  • FMZ 17 is part of the Southern Bait Management Zone (BMZ). Live or dead baitfish or leeches may not be transported into or out of a BMZ. These rules do not apply to baitfish and leeches which are both dead and preserved.

Zone-wide Seasons and Limits

  • Not in Season
  • Open in Limited Locations
  • Open Season
Show All

Atlantic Salmon

Atlantic Salmon
Atlantic Salmon
Season Start Date
Season End Date
Sport Limit
0
Conservation Limit
0
Atlantic Salmon
Atlantic Salmon
Additional Fishing Opportunities
Season Start Date
Season End Date
Sport Limit
0
Conservation Limit
0

Additional fishing opportunities

  • Cobourg Brook (Cobourg Creek or 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 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

Total daily catch and possession limit for all trout, salmon and splake species combined

Atlantic Salmon
Atlantic Salmon
Additional Fishing Opportunities
Season Start Date
Season End Date
Sport Limit
0
Conservation Limit
0

Additional fishing opportunities

  • Northumberland County - all waters downstream of Highway 2, except the Ganaraska River which may only be fished downstream of the south side of the C.P.R. bridge
  • Regional Municipality of Durham - all waters between Highway 2 and the southerly limit of the C.N.R. right-of-way

Total daily catch and possession limit for all trout, salmon and splake species combined

Black Crappie

Black Crappie
Black Crappie
Season Start Date
Season End Date
Sport Limit
30
Conservation Limit
10

Total daily catch and possession limit for white and black crappie combined.

Bluegill

Bluegill
Bluegill
Season Start Date
Season End Date
Sport Limit
300
Conservation Limit
15

Sport limit: only 30 may be greater than 18 cm ( 7" )

Pumpkinseed, Bluegill, Green Sunfish, Northern Sunfish, and Orange-spotted Sunfish limits combined

Brook Trout

Brook trout
Brook trout
Season Start Date
Season End Date
Sport Limit
2
Conservation Limit
1

Total daily catch and possession limit for all trout, salmon and splake species combined

Brown Trout

Brown Trout
Brown Trout
Season Start Date
Season End Date
Sport Limit
5
Conservation Limit
2

Total daily catch and possession limit for all trout, salmon and splake species combined

Brown Trout
Brown Trout
Additional Fishing Opportunities
Season Start Date
Season End Date
Sport Limit
5
Conservation Limit
2

Additional fishing opportunities

  • Cobourg Brook (Cobourg Creek or 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 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

Total daily catch and possession limit for all trout, salmon and splake species combined

Brown Trout
Brown Trout
Additional Fishing Opportunities
Season Start Date
Season End Date
Sport Limit
5
Conservation Limit
2

Additional fishing opportunities

  • Northumberland County - all waters downstream of Highway 2, except the Ganaraska River which may only be fished downstream of the south side of the C.P.R. bridge
  • Regional Municipality of Durham - all waters between Highway 2 and the southerly limit of the C.N.R. right-of-way

Total daily catch and possession limit for all trout, salmon and splake species combined

Channel Catfish

Channel Catfish
Channel Catfish
Season Start Date
Season End Date
Sport Limit
12
Conservation Limit
6

Chinook Salmon

Chinook Salmon
Chinook Salmon
Season Start Date
Season End Date
Sport Limit
5
Conservation Limit
2
Total daily catch and possession limit for all trout, salmon and splake species combined
Chinook Salmon
Chinook Salmon
Additional Fishing Opportunities
Season Start Date
Season End Date
Sport Limit
5
Conservation Limit
2

Additional fishing opportunities

  • Cobourg Brook (Cobourg Creek or 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 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

Total daily catch and possession limit for all trout, salmon and splake species combined

Chinook Salmon
Chinook Salmon
Additional Fishing Opportunities
Season Start Date
Season End Date
Sport Limit
5
Conservation Limit
2

Additional fishing opportunities

  • Northumberland County - all waters downstream of Highway 2, except the Ganaraska River which may only be fished downstream of the south side of the C.P.R. bridge
  • Regional Municipality of Durham - all waters between Highway 2 and the southerly limit of the C.N.R. right-of-way

Total daily catch and possession limit for all trout, salmon and splake species combined

Coho Salmon

Coho Salmon
Coho Salmon
Season Start Date
Season End Date
Sport Limit
5
Conservation Limit
2
Total daily catch and possession limit for all trout, salmon and splake species combined
Coho Salmon
Coho Salmon
Additional Fishing Opportunities
Season Start Date
Season End Date
Sport Limit
5
Conservation Limit
2

Additional fishing opportunities

  • Cobourg Brook (Cobourg Creek or 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 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

Total daily catch and possession limit for all trout, salmon and splake species combined

Coho Salmon
Coho Salmon
Additional Fishing Opportunities
Season Start Date
Season End Date
Sport Limit
5
Conservation Limit
2

Additional fishing opportunities

  • Northumberland County - all waters downstream of Highway 2, except the Ganaraska River which may only be fished downstream of the south side of the C.P.R. bridge
  • Regional Municipality of Durham - all waters between Highway 2 and the southerly limit of the C.N.R. right-of-way

Total daily catch and possession limit for all trout, salmon and splake species combined

Green Sunfish

Green Sunfish
Green Sunfish
Season Start Date
Season End Date
Sport Limit
300
Conservation Limit
15

Sport limit: only 30 may be greater than 18 cm ( 7" )

Pumpkinseed, Bluegill, Green Sunfish, Northern Sunfish, and Orange-spotted Sunfish limits combined

Lake Sturgeon

Lake Sturgeon
Lake Sturgeon
Season Start Date
Season End Date
Closed to fishing
Closed to fishing

Closed all year

Lake Trout

Lake Trout
Lake Trout
Season Start Date
Season End Date
Sport Limit
3
Conservation Limit
1

Total daily catch and possession limit for all trout, salmon and splake species combined

Lake Whitefish

Lake Whitefish
Lake Whitefish
Season Start Date
Season End Date
Sport Limit
12
Conservation Limit
6

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth Bass
Largemouth Bass
Season Start Date
Season End Date
Sport Limit
6
Conservation Limit
2

Total daily catch and possession limit for all largemouth and smallmouth bass combined

Muskellunge

Muskellunge
Muskellunge
Season Start Date
Season End Date
Sport Limit
1
Conservation Limit
0

must be greater than 112 cm ( 44" )

Northern Pike

Northern Pike
Northern Pike
Season Start Date
Season End Date
Sport Limit
6
Conservation Limit
2

Northern Sunfish

Northern Sunfish
Northern Sunfish
Season Start Date
Season End Date
Sport Limit
300
Conservation Limit
15

Sport limit: only 30 may be greater than 18 cm ( 7" )

Pumpkinseed, Bluegill, Green Sunfish, Northern Sunfish, and Orange-spotted Sunfish limits combined

Orange-spotted Sunfish

Orange-spotted Sunfish
Orange-spotted Sunfish
Season Start Date
Season End Date
Sport Limit
300
Conservation Limit
15

Sport limit: only 30 may be greater than 18 cm ( 7" )

Pumpkinseed, Bluegill, Green Sunfish, Northern Sunfish, and Orange-spotted Sunfish limits combined

Pink Salmon

Pink Salmon
Pink Salmon
Season Start Date
Season End Date
Sport Limit
5
Conservation Limit
2
Total daily catch and possession limit for all trout, salmon and splake species combined
Pink Salmon
Pink Salmon
Additional Fishing Opportunities
Season Start Date
Season End Date
Sport Limit
5
Conservation Limit
2

Additional fishing opportunities

  • Cobourg Brook (Cobourg Creek or 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 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

Total daily catch and possession limit for all trout, salmon and splake species combined

Pink Salmon
Pink Salmon
Additional Fishing Opportunities
Season Start Date
Season End Date
Sport Limit
5
Conservation Limit
2

Additional fishing opportunities

  • Northumberland County - all waters downstream of Highway 2, except the Ganaraska River which may only be fished downstream of the south side of the C.P.R. bridge
  • Regional Municipality of Durham - all waters between Highway 2 and the southerly limit of the C.N.R. right-of-way

Total daily catch and possession limit for all trout, salmon and splake species combined

Pumpkinseed

Pumpkinseed
Pumpkinseed
Season Start Date
Season End Date
Sport Limit
300
Conservation Limit
15

Sport limit: only 30 may be greater than 18 cm ( 7" )

Pumpkinseed, Bluegill, Green Sunfish, Northern Sunfish, and Orange-spotted Sunfish limits combined

Rainbow Trout

Rainbow Trout
Rainbow Trout
Season Start Date
Season End Date
Sport Limit
2
Conservation Limit
1

Total daily catch and possession limit for all trout, salmon and splake species combined

Rainbow Trout
Rainbow Trout
Additional Fishing Opportunities
Season Start Date
Season End Date
Sport Limit
2
Conservation Limit
1

Additional fishing opportunities

  • Cobourg Brook (Cobourg Creek or 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 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

Total daily catch and possession limit for all trout, salmon and splake species combined

Rainbow Trout
Rainbow Trout
Additional Fishing Opportunities
Season Start Date
Season End Date
Sport Limit
2
Conservation Limit
1

Additional fishing opportunities

  • Northumberland County - all waters downstream of Highway 2, except the Ganaraska River which may only be fished downstream of the south side of the C.P.R. bridge
  • Regional Municipality of Durham - all waters between Highway 2 and the southerly limit of the C.N.R. right-of-way

Total daily catch and possession limit for all trout, salmon and splake species combined

Sauger

Sauger
Sauger
Season Start Date
Season End Date
Sport Limit
4
Conservation Limit
1

Must be between 35 - 50 cm ( 13 3/4" - 19 3/4" )

Walleye and Sauger limits combined

Sauger
Sauger
Additional Fishing Opportunities
Season Start Date
Season End Date
Sport Limit
3
Conservation Limit
1

Additional Fishing Opportunities

  • 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 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 Rosedale River and the waters of the Trent Canal between Balsam Lake and Mitchell Lake
  • 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

none between 37-55 cm

Walleye and Sauger limits combined

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
Season Start Date
Season End Date
Sport Limit
6
Conservation Limit
2

Total daily catch and possession limit for all largemouth and smallmouth bass combined

Splake

Splake
Splake
Season Start Date
Season End Date
Closed to fishing
Closed to fishing

Not present in this Zone and are closed to fishing all year

Walleye

Walleye
Walleye
Season Start Date
Season End Date
Sport Limit
4
Conservation Limit
1

Must be between 35 - 50 cm ( 13 3/4" - 19 3/4" )

Walleye and Sauger limits combined

Walleye
Walleye
Additional Fishing Opportunities
Season Start Date
Season End Date
Sport Limit
4
Conservation Limit
1

Additional Fishing Opportunities

  • Crowe Lake (44°29′00″N., 77°44′00″W.) - Marmora Township, and the waters of the Crowe River (Marmora and Rawdon Townships)

Must be between 35 - 50 cm ( 13 3/4" - 19 3/4" )

Walleye and Sauger limits combined

Walleye
Walleye
Additional Fishing Opportunities
Season Start Date
Season End Date
Sport Limit
3
Conservation Limit
1

Additional Fishing Opportunities

  • 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 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 Rosedale River and the waters of the Trent Canal between Balsam Lake and Mitchell Lake
  • 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

none between 37-55 cm

Walleye and Sauger limits combined

Walleye
Walleye
Additional Fishing Opportunities
Season Start Date
Season End Date
Sport Limit
4
Conservation Limit
1

Additional Fishing Opportunities

  • Crowe Lake (44°29′00″N., 77°44′00″W.) - Marmora Township, and the waters of the Crowe River (Marmora and Rawdon Townships)

Must be between 35 - 50 cm ( 13 3/4" - 19 3/4" )

Walleye and Sauger limits combined

White Crappie

White Crappie
White Crappie
Season Start Date
Season End Date
Sport Limit
30
Conservation Limit
10

Total daily catch and possession limit for white and black crappie combined.

Yellow Perch

Yellow Perch
Yellow Perch
Season Start Date
Season End Date
Sport Limit
50
Conservation Limit
25