Ontario fishing licences for non-residents, explained.

If you live in the United States and plan to fish in Ontario, you need an Ontario fishing licence for non-residents, and in most cases an Outdoors Card to go with it. Neither is hard to get, but the choices on the order screen are not obvious the first time, and the licence you pick decides how many fish you can keep.

Here is how it works for an American angler heading to Muskie Bay Resort in Nestor Falls, which sits in Ontario's Fisheries Management Zone 5. Fees and limits below come from the Ontario government's own pages at the time of writing. Check them again before you buy, because they can change.

Who needs a licence

Almost every angler who is not a Canadian resident. Ontario's rules say non-Canadian residents need an Outdoors Card and a licence, and that includes anglers 65 and older.

The one common exception is kids. A non-Canadian resident under 18 can fish without a licence of their own when they are with a licensed angler, but anything they keep counts toward that adult's limit. If you are bringing a teenager who wants to keep their own fish, buy them their own licence.

The Outdoors Card

The Outdoors Card is a plastic, wallet-sized card that Ontario uses to keep track of licence holders. It is valid for three calendar years. You need one for every licence except the 1-day licence, which can be bought without it.

If you fish Ontario every year, the card pays for itself in convenience: buy it once and add a new licence to it each season.

Sport or conservation?

This is the choice that matters most. A sport licence gives you the full catch and possession limits. A conservation licence costs less and comes with lower limits, and Ontario describes it as the one for anglers who release most of what they catch.

A simple way to decide:

• You want to bring walleye home, or keep the most fish the rules allow: buy sport.
• You might keep a trophy muskie: buy sport. The conservation limit for muskie is zero.
• You release nearly everything and only keep the odd fish for a meal: conservation will usually do, and it saves money.

1 day, 8 days, a year or three

Licences come in four lengths. The 1-day licence is sport only. For most of our guests on a 3 to 7 day fishing package, the 8-day licence is the obvious fit. If you are coming up twice in the same year, say a summer trip and a winter ice fishing trip, compare the 1-year licence: at current fees it costs less than two 8-day licences.

Current fees for non-Canadian residents

Ontario publishes these in Canadian dollars and notes that all products with a fee are subject to HST:

Source: the Ontario government's fishing licence fees for non-Canadian residents. These are licence fees paid to Ontario, separate from our package prices, which are in US dollars and listed on our rates page.

What you can keep in Zone 5

Limits are set by zone, and several are lower for non-residents than for Ontario residents. These are the Zone 5 zone-wide limits for non-residents, sport licence first, then conservation:

• Walleye and sauger combined: 2 a day on either licence, with not more than 1 over 46 cm. Possession limit 4 on sport, 2 on conservation.
• Northern pike: 4 or 2, with none over 75 cm. Pike are open all year.
• Lake trout: 1 on either licence. The Zone 5 season runs January 1 to September 30, and lake trout are closed on the main body of Lake of the Woods, so our trout fishing happens on Crow Lake.
• Smallmouth and largemouth bass: 4 or 2. On Crow Lake and Lake of the Woods, bass are catch and release only from January 1 to June 30.
• Muskie: 1 on a sport licence, none on conservation. On Crow Lake and Lake of the Woods the minimum size is 54 inches. Our muskie fishing page covers the season and the trophy water.
• Crappie: 10 or 5. Yellow perch: 50 or 25.

Lake of the Woods has its own exceptions, including a walleye slot, and some waters have their own rules. Read the full Zone 5 regulations before your trip, or ask us when you arrive.

How to buy and carry it

You can buy your licence online through Ontario's licensing site, from licence issuers, or at participating ServiceOntario locations. We recommend buying online before you leave home so it is one less thing to sort out on arrival.

When you fish, carry your Outdoors Card or your licence summary and show it to a conservation officer if asked. A digital copy counts only if it is the PDF the licensing service issues you. A photo or a screenshot of it does not. The details are on Ontario's recreational fishing licences page.

Your licence is one of three things to have ready before you drive north. The other two are your passport and anything you need to declare at the border, which our guide to crossing into Canada for a fishing trip walks through.

What we recommend for most guests

For a typical summer or fall trip: an Outdoors Card plus an 8-day sport licence. It covers a full week, lets you keep walleye for a shore lunch, and leaves the door open if someone in the boat lands a muskie worth keeping. If you fish Ontario more than once a year, price the 1-year licence instead.

Not sure which package suits your group? Compare every option on the rates page or read our guest info and FAQs, then call Paul at 807-271-3015.

Frequently asked questions

Do US residents need a fishing licence in Ontario?

Yes. Anglers who are not Canadian residents need an Ontario fishing licence and, for every licence except the 1-day licence, an Outdoors Card. This includes anglers 65 and older.

What is an Outdoors Card?

A plastic, wallet-sized card Ontario uses to keep track of licence holders. It is valid for three calendar years and is needed for every fishing licence except the 1-day licence.

Should I buy a sport or conservation licence?

Buy a sport licence if you want to keep walleye or a trophy muskie, since the conservation muskie limit is zero. A conservation licence costs less and suits anglers who release most of their fish.

Which licence do I need for a week of fishing?

The 8-day licence covers a typical 3 to 7 day package. If you fish Ontario more than once in a year, compare the price of the 1-year licence.

Can kids fish without a licence in Ontario?

A non-Canadian resident under 18 can fish without their own licence when accompanied by a licensed angler, but any fish they keep count toward that angler's limit.

Can I show my fishing licence on my phone?

Only as the PDF licence summary issued by Ontario's licensing service. A photo or screenshot is not accepted, so carry your Outdoors Card or the official PDF.