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    Southern OntarioFMZ 17

    Balsam Lake Provincial Park

    2999 Sunny Point Rd, Kirkfield, ON K0M 2B0

    Marker
    Leaflet © OpenStreetMap
    Seasonal availabilityDirections Official FMZ 17 rules

    About this water

    The clearest and deepest of the Kawartha lakes — rocky shoals for smallmouth plus one of the few native lake trout populations in the chain.

    Deepest lake in the Kawarthas with clear water and rocky, sandy shoals. FMZ 17.

    MuskieSmallmouth BassLargemouth BassWalleyeLake TroutPanfish

    FMZ 17 regulations — Kawartha Lakes & Trent watershed

    The smallest FMZ, in southern Ontario. It includes the Kawartha Lakes, the Trent and Crowe River watersheds, and the eastern rivers and streams of the Oak Ridges Moraine. It is bordered by Lake Ontario to the south (FMZ 20).

    • Walleye: 3rd Sat in May – Dec 15; S-4/C-2 with slot on many lakes.
    • Muskie: fourth Saturday in June – Dec 15; 137 cm min, S-1/C-0.
    • Largemouth / smallmouth bass: 4th Sat in June – Nov 30; S-4/C-2.

    Zone check: FMZ 17 confirmed from this water's coordinates against the official Ontario zone boundaries (reviewed 2026-08-12).

    Summary only — always confirm current seasons and limits on the Ontario MNRF FMZ 17 page before your trip.

    Seasonal availability

    Open-season windows for the species found at Balsam Lake Provincial Park, taken from the FMZ 17 regulation summary. Green months are within a published open season — they are not a prediction of how well fish will bite.

    Best months to plan a tripany listed species open
    Walleye3rd Sat in May – Dec 15
    • S-4/C-2 with slot on many lakes.
    Muskiefourth Saturday in June – Dec 15
    Largemouth / smallmouth bass4th Sat in June – Nov 30

    No FMZ 17 season line published in our summary for: Lake Trout, Panfish. Check the official page before keeping these species.

    Summary only, and seasons change annually. Confirm dates on the Ontario MNRF FMZ 17 page before your trip.

    Fishing tips

    • Kawarthas are shallow and weed-heavy — punch mats for summer largemouth.
    • Muskie love the Trent's weed edges and lock approaches.
    • Clear water means long casts and light leaders — drop-shot the deep shoals in bright midday conditions.
    • Access: Day-use lot inside the provincial park; a vehicle permit fee applies.

    Solunar Calendar— Balsam Lake Provincial Park

    🌔

    Waxing Gibbous

    93% illuminated · Age 12.2d

    Solunar rating93/100

    🌔 Tue, Aug 25

    93% · Rating 93
    minor8:40 PM – 9:40 PM
    major2:10 AM – 4:10 AM
    minor8:40 AM – 9:40 AM
    major2:10 PM – 4:10 PM

    🌔 Wed, Aug 26

    97% · Rating 98
    minor9:25 PM – 10:25 PM
    major2:55 AM – 4:55 AM
    minor9:25 AM – 10:25 AM
    major2:55 PM – 4:55 PM

    🌕 Thu, Aug 27

    100% · Rating 100
    minor10:08 PM – 11:08 PM
    major3:38 AM – 5:38 AM
    minor10:08 AM – 11:08 AM
    major3:38 PM – 5:38 PM

    Major windows (~2 h) cluster around moon transit and antitransit; minor windows (~1 h) around moonrise and moonset. Local approximations — verify against a printed almanac for planning.

    Gear setup

    Setup:
    Medium spinning for bass; medium-heavy for muskie
    Rod:
    6'10" medium spinning rod
    Reel:
    Size 3000 spinning reel
    Line:
    10 lb braid with fluorocarbon leader
    Best bait:
    Minnows, Leeches, Nightcrawlers
    Best lures:
    Drop shot, Tube jig, Topwater walker, Bucktail
    Directions

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