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    Eastern OntarioFMZ 12

    Constance Bay – Ottawa River

    Public launch off Bayview Dr (across from Ritchie Ave), Constance Bay, Ottawa, ON

    Marker
    Leaflet © OpenStreetMap
    Seasonal availabilityDirections Official FMZ 12 rules

    About this water

    A broad, productive section of the Ottawa River west of the city — sand flats, weed beds, and a real muskie population.

    Wide, current-influenced stretch of the Ottawa River with sandy shallows near the beach and a deeper channel offshore. FMZ 12.

    Smallmouth BassLargemouth BassNorthern PikeMuskellungeWalleyeYellow Perch

    FMZ 12 regulations — Ottawa River & Lake Temiskaming

    A long, narrow zone along the Ontario–Quebec border. It includes the Ontario portions of Lake Temiskaming and the Ottawa River, plus the Madawaska and Mississippi Rivers upstream to the first dam. It is not a Georgian Bay zone.

    • Walleye: 3rd Sat in May – March 1; S-4/C-2.
    • Northern pike: open all year; S-6/C-2 (one over 86 cm).
    • Lake trout: Jan 1 – Sept 30; S-2/C-1.

    Zone check: FMZ 12 set by review — Ottawa River water is managed as FMZ 12; the access pin sits in adjacent FMZ 18. Reviewed 2026-08-21.

    Summary only — always confirm current seasons and limits on the Ontario MNRF FMZ 12 page before your trip.

    Seasonal availability

    Open-season windows for the species found at Constance Bay – Ottawa River, taken from the FMZ 12 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 – March 1
    Northern pikeOpen all year

    No FMZ 12 season line published in our summary for: Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, Muskellunge, Yellow Perch. Check the official page before keeping these species.

    Summary only, and seasons change annually. Confirm dates on the Ontario MNRF FMZ 12 page before your trip.

    Fishing tips

    • Timiskaming's big-water walleye respond to trolled spinner rigs on wind-blown points.
    • Massive shoreline drops — use quality electronics.
    • Work the edge where the sand flat drops into the channel — walleye and pike patrol that line at dawn and dusk.
    • Access: Limited street parking near the launch — watch for posted no-parking signs.

    Solunar Calendar— Constance Bay – Ottawa River

    🌔

    Waxing Gibbous

    93% illuminated · Age 12.2d

    Solunar rating93/100

    🌔 Tue, Aug 25

    93% · Rating 93
    minor8:29 PM – 9:29 PM
    major1:59 AM – 3:59 AM
    minor8:29 AM – 9:29 AM
    major1:59 PM – 3:59 PM

    🌔 Wed, Aug 26

    97% · Rating 98
    minor9:14 PM – 10:14 PM
    major2:44 AM – 4:44 AM
    minor9:14 AM – 10:14 AM
    major2:44 PM – 4:44 PM

    🌕 Thu, Aug 27

    100% · Rating 100
    minor9:57 PM – 10:57 PM
    major3:27 AM – 5:27 AM
    minor9:57 AM – 10:57 AM
    major3:27 PM – 5:27 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; heavy casting for muskie
    Rod:
    7' medium spinning rod
    Reel:
    Size 3000 spinning reel
    Line:
    15 lb braid with 12 lb fluorocarbon leader
    Best bait:
    Minnows, Worms, Crayfish
    Best lures:
    Spinnerbaits, Tube jigs, Bucktails, Jerkbaits
    Directions

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