Fishing

Riding Mountain National Park

Take the short, confidential RMNP 2025 Creel Survey (Anglers) to help provide valuable information to park resource managers based on your fishing in Clear Lake experience.

RMNP encompasses over 1900 lakes, 650 permanent and ephemeral streams and countless wetlands. Recreational fishing opportunities exist within all bounds of the Park. Whether it is back country fishing for northern pike, landing walleye on Clear Lake, or fly fishing for brook trout inhabiting the mountain like streams along the escarpment, Riding Mountain National Park has the experience for you.

Banning of leeches as fishing baits

Due to the increased risk of spreading AIS via natural bait, the use and possession of leeches is prohibited. Parks Canada encourages fishers to confine the use of tackle to individual lakes and to ensure that all fishing gear is clean and dry before entering park waters.

 

Mandatory watercraft inspections for aquatic invasive species (AIS)

MANDATORY INSPECTIONS are required for all watercraft and/or water related equipment including, but not limited to: scuba diving gear, fishing gear, inflatables, life jackets, beach toys, etc…. before entering RMNP waters. The service is free of charge and watercrafts that pass the inspection will receive a permit from Parks Canada. Inspection schedule

Here are just a few recreational fishing opportunities that exist within Riding Mountain National Park:
Prominent Clear Lake Recreational Fishing Species Road accessible Northern Pike Fishing Backcountry Fishing Opportunities Escarpment Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) Fishing Opportunities
Northern Pike (Esox lucius) Bobhill Lake East Deep Lake McKinnon Creek
Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens) Deep Lake Edwards Lake Scott Creek
Walleye (Sander vitreus) Grayling Lake Gunn Lake  
Lake Whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) Jackfish Creek Kinasao Lake  
  Lake Audy Long Lake  
  Lake Katherine Muskrat Lake  
  Moon Lake Tilson Lake  
  Whirlpool Lake Whitewater Lake  
  Whirlpool River    

Note: There are many more remote recreational fishing opportunities throughout Riding Mountain National Park.

 

General Limits (daily catch)
   
Pike (only 1 may exceed 76 cm) 3
Walleye 2
Perch 5
Whitefish 5
Combined 5
Smallmouth Bass NO LIMIT

Anglers are asked to retain and euthanize all smallmouth bass, then report their catch and submit smallmouth bass samples to the AIS inspection staff at the Boat Cove. There, Parks Canada staff will measure the fish and collect information about where and when it was caught. Afterwards, anglers can choose to keep the fish or donate it for further research on population characteristics like age, health, and diet. Learn more about smallmouth bass.

Fish Consumption Advisory (Mercury)

Parks Canada has been advised that elevated mercury concentrations have been found in fish in some RMNP waters. Therefore, Parks Canada, in consultation with Health Canada, has established consumption guidelines for women of reproductive age and children (see Table 1). Mercury is a toxin that can affect human health. It can come from natural sources (e.g. soils and sediments) or sources outside the park (e.g. transported through the atmosphere). It can be passed up the food chain and become concentrated in top predators (e.g. Northern pike, walleye). Mercury data does not exist for all fish species in all park waters and fish mercury concentrations may change over time. To be precautionary, anglers may wish to apply the following guidelines to all sport fish caught in park waters.

Table 1: Recommended maximum weekly consumption amounts of fish from Clear Lake, Riding Mountain National Park, Manitoba
Location General Fish Advisories Fish Length (cm) Mean Mercury Concentration (ppm) General Population Specified Women2 Children under 12 years of age
Clear Lake, Riding Mountain National Park, MB Walleye < 50 0.48 465 (8) 230 (4) 80 (3)
> 50 0.99 225 (4) 110 (2) 40 (1.5)
Northern pike < 65 0.36 620 (12) 310 (6) 110 (4)
> 65 0.7 320 (6) 160 (3) 60 (2)
 
*** Recommended Maximum Intake (g/week) (meals/month in brackets)1 ***
 
1 Meal sizes are considered to be 227 grams (8 ounces) for adults and 114 grams (4 ounces) for children under the age of 12 years.
2 Specified women are women who are, or may become pregnant or are breastfeeding.

It is recommended that if consuming both walleye and Northern pike from Riding Mountain National Park in a given month, or consuming only one of these species but the fish sizes fall within both of the size categories for which consumption guidance is recommended, consumers should reduce their consumption of walleye and/or Northern pike accordingly to amounts lower that those presented in the table above.

As well, consumers of fish from Riding Mountain National Park may also wish to be aware of the federal fish consumption advisory that has been issued by Health Canada for several commercially available types of fish. [1]. Please contact provincial authorities for any consumer advisories for sport fish outside national park boundaries.

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