Once the open water turns to ice, Lake Simcoe brings anglers across Ontario to Innisfil. Several local ice hut operators make it easy for families with or without ice fishing experience to try this winter sport. See Tourism Simcoe County’s ice fishing page for more information.
What you need
To ice fish in Ontario, you need to:
- Have a valid fishing licence
- Follow the rules when ice fishing, including local open and closed seasons, possession limits and size restrictions indicated in the Recreational Fishing Regulations Summary
- Innisfil belongs to Fisheries Management Zone (FMZ) 16
- Register your ice hut in certain FMZs and display your registration number on the outside of your ice hut
- Remove your ice hut on a certain date before thawing happens, depending on where your hut is located
Ice fishing access in Innisfil
We support ice fishing access at the following locations:
- 9th Line (resident parking only)
- 10th Line/Leonard’s Beach (resident parking only)
- 30th Side Road Dock (resident parking only)
- Big Bay Point North (resident parking only)
- Guest Road (free parking with resident parking pass, paid visitor parking)
- Innisfil Beach Park (free parking with resident parking pass, paid visitor parking)
- Shore Acres Drive (free parking with resident parking pass, paid visitor parking)
Please keep in mind that just because the gates are open at a road end, does not mean ice conditions are safe.
Ice safety tips
We encourage everyone enjoying our lakes this winter to be extremely cautious. Before heading out, call a local ice hut operator or tackle shop, or visit a local online message board, for the latest ice conditions. Remember these safety tips from the Province of Ontario:
- Ice doesn’t freeze at a uniform thickness
- Clear blue ice is the strongest, while white or opaque ice is weaker
- Near-shore ice is often much thicker and safer than ice farther out, especially at the start of the winter season
- Check thickness regularly with a spud bar or auger as you move farther out
- Stay clear of open water, pressure cracks and areas with current
- Ice thickness:
- Those on foot need at least 10 cm (4 inches) of clear blue ice
- Snowmobiles need at least 20 cm (8 inches) of clear blue ice
- Vehicles need 30 cm (12 inches) or more
Ice hut art
In 2021/2022, a community-inspired public art project saw 11 ice fishing huts transformed by local artists into attractive, engaging and thought-provoking art displays. The 2022/2023 winter season brought 5 more ice huts transformed into an outdoor art gallery at Innisfil Beach Park. Learn more about the artists and our partners on the Innisfil ideaLAB & Library's website.
