Freshwater Fishing.
The Ottawa River through Arnprior sits in Ontario Fisheries Management Zone 12. Smallmouth bass, walleye, northern pike, muskie, and channel catfish work the Lac des Chats reach and the Madawaska River mouth at the eastern edge of town.
The brief.
FMZ 12 covers the Ottawa River through Arnprior and sets the season structure: smallmouth bass open the fourth Saturday of June, walleye open the third Saturday of May, pike are open year-round in most of the zone, muskie has a later-summer / fall opener (consult the regs summary for exact dates and stretch-specific exceptions). Anglers should consult the Ontario fishing regulations summary map for the precise FMZ boundary near the Madawaska mouth — rules can differ across zone boundaries on the Ottawa system.
Ontario fishing licences are required across all waters; bait-management-zone rules also apply to baitfish transport.
Today's read.
Cool but comfortable for layered effort.
By the book.
- 01All Ontario fishing requires an Ontario Outdoors Card and a fishing licence; FMZ 12 seasons and limits apply.Source ↗
- 02Ontario bait-management-zone rules govern baitfish transport — consult the regulations summary.Source ↗
- 03The FMZ boundary near the Madawaska mouth — consult the regulations map for the exact stretch that applies.Source ↗
