Frenchman's Bay – Pickering

About this water

One of Durham Region's most productive urban bays. Great shore and kayak access, with consistent bass, pike, and panfish action from May through October.

Sheltered warm-water bay off Lake Ontario. Shallow with heavy weed growth by mid-summer — classic largemouth and pike water.

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 — Great Lakes water body: shore, harbour, river-mouth or connecting-channel access on Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence River or the Niagara River below the falls. Coordinate falls on the land side of the mapped boundary, so the zone is set from the water actually fished. 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 Frenchman's Bay – Pickering, 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, Yellow Perch, Panfish, 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.
• Work the outside weed edges with a chatterbait early and late. Panfish stack around the pier pilings all summer for kids and beginners.
• Access: Free lot at Millennium Square and Beachfront Park. Accessible washrooms and pier.

Gear setup

Setup:

Medium spinning for bass and pike

Rod:

6'6"–7' medium spinning rod

Reel:

Size 2500 spinning reel

Line:

10 lb braid, 12 lb fluoro leader

Best bait:

Worms, Minnows

Best lures:

Chatterbait, Wacky Senko, Spinnerbait, Small crankbait