TackleDexOntario hard water
Ice fishing in Ontario — what's open in winter (2026)
When the lakes lock up, the season depends on your zone. Here's what's open to fish through the ice in mid-January 2026, zone by zone — pike, perch, lake trout, and more.
| Zone | Open through the ice (mid-January) |
|---|---|
| Zone 1 | Walleye, Sauger, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Lake Trout, Brook Trout |
| Zone 2 | Walleye, Sauger, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Lake Trout, Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout / Steelhead |
| Zone 3 | Walleye, Sauger, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Lake Trout, Brook Trout |
| Zone 4 | Walleye, Sauger, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Black Crappie, Lake Trout, Brook Trout, Rainbow Trout / Steelhead |
| Zone 5 | Walleye, Sauger, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Black Crappie, Lake Trout, Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout / Steelhead |
| Zone 6 | Walleye, Sauger, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Black Crappie, Lake Trout, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout / Steelhead |
| Zone 7 | Walleye, Sauger, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Lake Trout, Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout / Steelhead |
| Zone 8 | Walleye, Sauger, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Brook Trout, Rainbow Trout / Steelhead |
| Zone 9 | Walleye, Sauger, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Black Crappie, Lake Trout, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout / Steelhead |
| Zone 10 | Walleye, Sauger, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Black Crappie, Lake Trout, Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout / Steelhead |
| Zone 11 | Walleye, Sauger, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Black Crappie, Rainbow Trout / Steelhead |
| Zone 12 | Walleye, Sauger, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Black Crappie |
| Zone 13 | Walleye, Sauger, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Black Crappie, Lake Trout, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout / Steelhead, Atlantic Salmon |
| Zone 14 | Walleye, Sauger, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Black Crappie, Lake Trout, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout / Steelhead |
| Zone 15 | Walleye, Sauger, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Black Crappie, Lake Trout, Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout / Steelhead |
| Zone 16 | Walleye, Sauger, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Black Crappie, Lake Trout |
| Zone 17 | Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Black Crappie |
| Zone 18 | Walleye, Sauger, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Black Crappie, Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout / Steelhead |
| Zone 19 | Walleye, Sauger, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Black Crappie, Lake Trout, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout / Steelhead |
| Zone 20 | Walleye, Sauger, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Black Crappie, Lake Trout, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout / Steelhead, Atlantic Salmon, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon |
Computed from the official 2026 regulations for mid-January.
Lake trout and some species have winter closures that vary by zone and waterbody — always confirm
on Ontario.ca,
and never go on ice you haven't confirmed is safe.
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