Duffins Creek – Rotary Park, Ajax

About this water

Durham Region's most accessible salmon and steelhead creek, with an easy walk from the parking lot to the mouth.

Small tributary meeting Lake Ontario. Clears quickly after rain; runs are concentrated in fall and spring. Sanctuary and closed-season rules apply on parts of the creek — check the regulations summary. FMZ 20.

FMZ 20 regulations — Lake Ontario & St. Lawrence River

The Canadian waters of Lake Ontario, the Bay of Quinte, the Niagara River below Niagara Falls (the Lower Niagara), Hamilton Harbour and the St. Lawrence River. Deep cold water supports a world-class salmon and trout fishery, while eastern Lake Ontario and the upper St. Lawrence hold warm- and cool-water species.

• Chinook / coho salmon: open all year in the lake; tributaries have sanctuaries.
• Rainbow trout (steelhead): Apr 1 – Sept 30 & 4th Sat Nov – Mar 31 in tributaries.
• Walleye (Bay of Quinte): 3rd Sat in May – Feb 15; S-2/C-1 – 46 cm min.
• Smallmouth bass: last Sat in June – Nov 30; S-6/C-2.

Zone check: FMZ 20 set by review — Duffins Creek mouth at Lake Ontario — river-mouth water managed with Lake Ontario (FMZ 20). Reviewed 2026-08-12.

Summary only — always confirm current seasons and limits on the Ontario MNRF FMZ 20 page before your trip.

Seasonal availability

Open-season windows for the species found at Duffins Creek – Rotary Park, Ajax, taken from the FMZ 20 regulation summary. Green months are within a published open season — they are not a prediction of how well fish will bite.

No FMZ 20 season line published in our summary for: Northern Pike, Carp. Check the official page before keeping these species.

Summary only, and seasons change annually. Confirm dates on the Ontario MNRF FMZ 20 page before your trip.

Fishing tips

• Bay of Quinte trophy walleye trolling peaks Oct–Dec on shallow flats after dark.
• Toronto Harbour offers year-round shore fishing — pike, bass, salmon all available.
• Fish it two days after a rain when the creek drops and colours up — that's when fresh fish push in from the lake.
• Access: Free lot at Rotary Park with washrooms and waterfront trail access to the creek mouth.

Gear setup

Setup:

Float fishing for salmon and steelhead

Rod:

10'6" float rod

Reel:

Centerpin or size 3000 spinning reel

Line:

10 lb main line with 8 lb fluorocarbon leader

Best bait:

Roe bags, Worms, Beads

Best lures:

Small spoons, Jigs under a float, Spinners