Red Lake

About this water

A far-north Shield lake at the end of Hwy 105 with lightly pressured walleye, pike and a resident lake trout population.

Remote, deep, clear Shield lake system in the far north of the region, with rocky islands and long narrows. FMZ 4.

FMZ 4 regulations — Northwest Ontario — Red Lake & Sioux Lookout

A 60,440 km² zone in northwest Ontario. Bordered to the west by Woodland Caribou Provincial Park and the Manitoba border, to the east by Brightsand River and Wabakimi provincial parks, to the north by the Berens and Cat River systems, and to the south by Highway 17 and the Canadian National Railway line.

• Walleye: open all year on most waters; limits vary (S-4/C-2) with slot protections.
• Muskie: fourth Saturday in June to Dec 15; minimum size 137 cm (54 in), S-1/C-0.
• Northern pike: open all year; check regs for pike sanctuaries.

Zone check: FMZ 4 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 4 page before your trip.

Seasonal availability

Open-season windows for the species found at Red Lake, taken from the FMZ 4 regulation summary. Green months are within a published open season — they are not a prediction of how well fish will bite.

No FMZ 4 season line published in our summary for: Smallmouth Bass, Lake Trout. Check the official page before keeping these species.

Summary only, and seasons change annually. Confirm dates on the Ontario MNRF FMZ 4 page before your trip.

Fishing tips

• Structure-heavy lakes reward map study — look for mid-lake humps and saddle areas.
• Trophy muskie is the calling card; commit to figure-8s and heavy 100 lb+ leaders.
• Clear water pushes walleye deeper during the day — work 18–28 ft breaks, then move shallow in the last hour of light.
• Access: Free public lot at the municipal launch.

Gear setup

Setup:

Medium spinning; trolling gear for lake trout

Rod:

7' medium spinning rod

Reel:

Size 2500–3000 spinning reel

Line:

10 lb braid with 10 lb fluorocarbon leader

Best bait:

Minnows, Leeches

Best lures:

Jig & minnow, Spoon, Spinnerbait, Crankbait