Freshwater Fishing.
Big Rideau Lake holds lake trout in its deep north basin plus largemouth and smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye, yellow perch, and black crappie, all under Fisheries Management Zone 18. Newboro Lake, Indian Lake, and Opinicon Lake — connected to Big Rideau via the canal lockstations — add multi-species warmwater fishing across the township, and the connected canal-lake chain functions as one of the longer multi-species fisheries in southeastern Ontario.
The brief.
A current Ontario fishing licence is required and conservation-licence rules apply for daily catch and possession limits. Bass season opens the third Saturday in June and runs through December 15 (sport licence S-6, conservation C-2).
Walleye fishing has two windows — January 1 to March 1 and second Saturday in May through December 31 — with a 40–50 cm slot limit (S-4, C-2). Lake trout open season runs the fourth Saturday in May through September 8 (S-2, C-1).
Some FMZ 18 lakes carry additional or year-round lake trout opportunities; check the regulation summary for the specific water. Public boat launches and Murphys Point Provincial Park give multiple access points to Big Rideau; village-adjacent launches at Portland and Newboro give access to the connected canal lakes.
4. places.
- 01
Big Rideau Lake
~50 km² lake on the Rideau Canal system; lake trout in the deep north basin plus warmwater species (bass, pike, walleye, perch, crappie) under FMZ 18.
- 02
Newboro Lake
Connected canal lake; multi-species warmwater fishing under FMZ 18.
- 03
Indian Lake
Canal-corridor lake; multi-species warmwater fishing under FMZ 18.
- 04
Opinicon Lake
Southernmost major canal lake inside the township; multi-species warmwater fishing under FMZ 18.
Today's read.
Cool but comfortable for layered effort · light winds · clean air.