St. Lawrence River – 1000 Islands

About this water

World-class bass fishing among the Thousand Islands. Consistently produces trophy smallmouth over 5 lbs.

Clear water with strong current in main channel. Sheltered bays between islands. Rocky substrate.

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 St. Lawrence River – 1000 Islands, 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, Muskie. 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.
• Drop-shot is king on the St. Lawrence. Use goby-imitating baits on current-swept rock piles. Smallmouth here fight harder than anywhere else in Ontario.
• Access: Municipal waterfront parking in Gananoque. Paid parking in summer ($5/day). Free boat launch at Joel Stone Park.

Gear setup

Setup:

Medium-heavy spinning or baitcaster for bass; heavy gear for muskie

Rod:

7' medium-heavy spinning rod with extra backbone for current

Reel:

Size 3000 spinning reel with strong drag

Line:

10–12 lb fluorocarbon; 15 lb braid for heavier presentations

Best bait:

Crayfish, Gobies (live or imitation), Leeches

Best lures:

Drop-shot with goby imitation, Ned rig (TRD), Football jig (brown/green), Tube jig 3/8 oz