St. Marys River – Sault Ste. Marie

About this water

One of North America's most unusual urban fisheries: wadeable Atlantic salmon water in the rapids below the Soo Locks, with pike, walleye and whitefish in the slower river sections.

Fast rapids running through downtown at the locks, with wide, slower Upper and Lower River sections above and below. Heavy current — wading demands caution. FMZ 10.

FMZ 10 regulations — Northeast Ontario — Sudbury, Algoma & Manitoulin (inland)

Inland northeastern Ontario north of Lake Huron and Georgian Bay, including the inland lakes of Manitoulin Island. All lakes on Manitoulin Island are FMZ 10 except South Bay, which is FMZ 13, and Lake Wolsey, which is FMZ 14. The Great Lakes waters surrounding Manitoulin Island are not in FMZ 10 — the North Channel and Georgian Bay are FMZ 14 and the main basin of Lake Huron is FMZ 13. Its eastern border extends north from the mouth of the French River to Elk Lake, and its western border follows the east shore of Lake Superior from Sault Ste. Marie north to Wawa. It has more lake trout and brook trout lakes than any other Northeast zone.

• Walleye: 3rd Sat in May – March 1; S-4/C-2 with slot (must release 40–50 cm).
• Muskie: fourth Saturday in June to Dec 15; 137 cm minimum, S-1/C-0.
• Smallmouth bass: fourth Saturday in June to Nov 30; S-4/C-2.

Zone check: FMZ 10 confirmed from this water's coordinates against the official Ontario zone boundaries (reviewed 2026-08-12). The FMZ 14 boundary is only 0.08 km away, so confirm which zone your launch falls in.

Summary only — always confirm current seasons and limits on the Ontario MNRF FMZ 10 page before your trip.

Seasonal availability

Open-season windows for the species found at St. Marys River – Sault Ste. Marie, taken from the FMZ 10 regulation summary. Green months are within a published open season — they are not a prediction of how well fish will bite.

No FMZ 10 season line published in our summary for: Atlantic Salmon, Coho Salmon, Steelhead, Whitefish, Northern Pike. Check the official page before keeping these species.

Summary only, and seasons change annually. Confirm dates on the Ontario MNRF FMZ 10 page before your trip.

Fishing tips

• French River granite channels concentrate baitfish — target current breaks.
• Walleye slot means you'll release most fish; barbless hooks speed the process.
• Studded boots and a wading staff are essential in the rapids — the current is stronger than it looks. Fish the seams behind boulders where salmon hold.
• Access: Public lots near Whitefish Island and the Locks area; short walk to the rapids.

Gear setup

Setup:

Fly or medium-heavy spinning in the rapids

Rod:

9' 8-weight fly rod or 7'6" medium-heavy spinning rod

Reel:

Large-arbor fly reel or size 3000 spinning reel

Line:

8 wt floating line with 10 lb tippet; 15 lb braid on spinning gear

Best bait:

Roe bags, Worms

Best lures:

Streamers, Egg patterns, Spoons, Jigs