Freshwater Fishing.
The Rideau River and Rideau Canal corridor through Ottawa falls within Ontario Fisheries Management Zone 18 — a long-running urban warmwater fishery for smallmouth and largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye, muskellunge, yellow perch, and black crappie. The Ottawa River through the city falls within FMZ 12, carrying walleye, pike, bass, and muskellunge at larger river scale.
Mooney's Bay is the well-used urban shore-fishing access on the Rideau.
The brief.
Anglers need an Ontario fishing licence for both zones; species-specific seasons and limits apply per FMZ 18 (Rideau system) and FMZ 12 (Ottawa River corridor). On the Ottawa River, the licence requirement matches the shore the angler casts from: Ontario from the Ottawa side, Quebec from the Gatineau side.
Mooney's Bay on the Rideau River is documented by Friends of the Rideau as a working urban shore-fishing access. Ice fishing through the Rideau system is part of the regional pattern; the Rideau Canal Skateway is on a separate, drained-and-refilled section of the canal that is not used for ice fishing.
The Friends of the Rideau page is the practical reference for Rideau-system fishing context beyond the regulations summary.
3. places.
- 01
Rideau River / Rideau Canal corridor
FMZ 18 — smallmouth and largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye, muskellunge, yellow perch, black crappie.
- 02
Ottawa River within the city
FMZ 12 — warmwater and coolwater species including walleye, pike, bass, and muskellunge.
- 03
Mooney's Bay
Rideau River urban shore-fishing access.
Today's read.
Cool but comfortable for layered effort · light winds · clean air.
By the book.
- 01Rideau River and Rideau Canal fall within Ontario Fisheries Management Zone 18; an Ontario fishing licence is required, and species-specific seasons and limits apply.Source ↗
- 02Ottawa River within the National Capital Region falls within Fisheries Management Zone 12; an Ontario fishing licence is required (anglers fishing from the Quebec shore must hold a Quebec licence).Source ↗