Saskatchewan Angling Regulations

These Regulations are enforced at Tobin Lake Resort.

Contact your local conservation officer for clarification of all regulations.

In order to maintain the high quality trophy fishery, the following regulatory changes are now in effect:

– Mandatory use of barbless hooks.

– NO walleye or sauger between 55 cm and 86 cm long may be retained.
– NO northern pike between 75 cm and 115 cm may be retained.

These protected-slot-size limits are in effect from the Francois Finley Dam to the E.B. Campbell Dam, and have been extended to include all portions of the Petaigan River, which flows into Petaigan Bay on Tobin Lake.

Angling Limits:
Anglers may catch a limit of each fish species in a single day. Daily limits include fish that are eaten or given away that day. You cannot possess more than one limit of each fish species at any time. Fish that are at your camp, being transported by you or by someone else for you or stored at your home, are counted towards your angling limit. For legal purposes, the length of a fish is determined by measuring the total length of the fish with the tail pinched. Measurements are in metric units.

Tips for Catch and Release Fishing

As angling pressure increases and fishing technology improves, catch-and-release fishing becomes an increasingly important means of conserving our fish resources. Proper catch and release fishing means large, mature fish are released to spawn and help maintain a healthy fishery. Releasing small immature fish, allows them to grow larger. This type of selective harvest can be a very effective method of maintaining or improving angling quality in many lakes and rivers.

For catch-and-release fishing to be effective, the fish must survive after being released. An angler must be respectful, careful and use common sense when handling fish.

Following these simple guidelines improves the survival rate of released fish.

  • never use rough gripping gloves or holding devices to lift fish that will be released. The slippery coating on fish protects them from fungal infections and disease. Rough gloves can easily remove this protective layer;
  • lift a fish by placing one hand under the forward area of the belly and one hand gently around the tail area. This will support the fish and help you to control the fish; and
  • lifting a fish by the gill cover is not recommended as it increases the risk of accidental injury. The gills are very delicate and can be easily damaged if the fish moves when you pick it up. Also, lifting a fish by the gill cover puts all the weight onto the gill cover and the fish’s spine which does not normally support this weight.
Removing Hooks
  • when possible, use a single instead of treble hook;
  • minimize the time a fish is out of water;
  • never tear a hook from a fish’s mouth;
  • use barbless hooks to help reduce the time needed to remove a hook;
  • have hook removing tools handy to speed the removal of hooks; or
  • if a hook is too deeply swallowed or embedded in a fish, cut your fishing line as close as possible to the hook and release the fish with the hook in place, allowing the hook to work itself out of the fish.

Releasing Fish

  • never throw a fish back into the water;
  • hold a fish upright in the water until it is fully revived and able to actively swim away. Move the fish in an S-shaped pattern allowing water to run through its gills; and
  • use common sense when releasing fish – if a fish is bleeding or cannot be revived, count that fish towards your limit.

– If you plan to take a picture of your fish, have your camera ready for a quick picture – this will minimize the time the fish is out of water.

– Measure your fish by length, rather than weight. Measuring the length of the fish is less harmful to the fish than weighing it on a fish scale.

– Quickly decide if you are going to keep a fish. If you are going to release it, do so immediately. Culling fish where a live fish is held until a bigger fish is captured, then the smaller fish is released, is not encouraged. 
Fishing With Bait

Earthworms or nightcrawlers – may be imported and used as live bait. However, they must be shipped in a soil-free medium such as peat moss or shredded paper;
Minnows – preserved or frozen only.
Live minnows are prohibited for use as bait in Saskatchewan.
Leeches – must be purchased in province.
Live – fish or fish eggs, leeches, crayfish, aquatic invertebrates, frogs and salamanders (waterdogs) may not be imported into Saskatchewan; Imports from other countries or provinces are not permitted.
Live fish – may not be used as bait. Only bait fish that have been commercially frozen or preserved may be used; crayfish and leeches originating within Saskatchewan may be used as live bait; and frogs and salamanders may not be used as bait.
Angling Licenses 2007

Saskatchewan Resident Annual License – $29.72 Available to Canadians who have their principal residence in Saskatchewan and have lived in Saskatchewan for the three months immediately preceding the date of license purchase.

Saskatchewan Seniors Annual License – FREE Available to Canadians 65 and older who have their principal residence in Saskatchewan and have lived in Saskatchewan for the three months immediately preceding the date of license purchase.

Saskatchewan Resident 3 Day License – $14.86 The license is valid for three consecutive days only in the southern and central management zones. It is only available to Canadians who have their principal residence in Saskatchewan and have lived in Saskatchewan for the three months immediately preceding the date of license purchase.

Canadian Resident Annual License – $59.43 Available to Canadians whose principal residence is in Canada or who have lived in Canada for the 12 months immediately preceding the date of license purchase.

Canadian Resident 3 Day License – $29.72 The license is valid for three consecutive days only in the southern and central management zones. It is only available to Canadian citizens whose principal residence is in Canada or who have lived in Canada for the 12 months immediately preceding the date of license purchase.

Non-Resident Annual License – $79.26 This license may be purchased by anyone other than Canadian residents.

Non-Resident 3 Day License – $39.62 The license is valid for three consecutive days only in the southern and central management zones. This license can be purchased by anyone other than Canadian residents.

Children under the age of 16 do not require a license.

Duplicate License – (only available at SE offices) $5.30

Seniors who produce proof of age and Saskatchewan residency will be able to obtain a free angling license from any of the over 1,000 hunting and angling license vendors across the province.

Seniors will still need to meet all other fishing regulations, such as catch limits and fishing seasons.
Seniors from out of province will be required to buy angling licenses.

Regulations in Saskatchewan is regulated by The Saskatchewan Fisheries Regulations under The Fisheries Act (Saskatchewan, 1994). Below is summary of the major regulations anglers should be aware of. It is illegal to:
  • sport fish without possessing a valid Saskatchewan angling license unless the angler is under 16 years of age. Indians, as defined under Section 12 of The Natural Resource Transfer Agreement 1930, do not require a license to subsistence fish by angling;
  • sport fish without carrying an angling license on your person;
  • use another person’s license to fish;
  • obtain a license using false information;
  • backdate or otherwise alter a license;
  • fail to produce a license upon request of a conservation officer or an R.C.M.P. officer;
  • fish in closed waters or during a closed season;
  • take more fish than the limit specifies (limit includes fish eaten for shore lunch);
  • take more than the Saskatchewan limit of fish on boundary waters with Alberta, Manitoba, the Northwest Territories and the Prince Albert National Park, unless otherwise specified;
  • angle on the Saskatchewan portion of boundary waters without a Saskatchewan angling license, unless otherwise specified;
  • fish with more than one line during open water season;
  • fish with more than two lines while ice fishing;
  • fish for game fish with a bow and arrow;
  • leave any shelter on the ice after March 15 (south of Hwy 16) or March 31 (north of Hwy 16);
  • use more than four hooks on one line (a lure with a gang of hooks is considered one hook);
  • be more than 25 meters from your fishing line;
  • be unable to see your fishing line at all times;
  • possess or use a gaff longer than 1.5 meters while ice fishing;
  • use any spring-loaded gaff or spring-loaded hook;
  • use a dip net except to land fish taken by angling;
  • use lights, firearms, chemicals, electric shockers or explosives to catch or kill fish;
  • catch fish by snaring or snagging;
  • grapple or use hands alone to take or attempt to take fish;
  • use fish traps or nets to take fish, unless specifically licensed to do so;
  • tamper with or take fish from a net, trap, or holding device without the owner’s permission;
  • fish within 25 meters downstream from any man-made dam or obstacle except where there is a department sign allowing fishing;
  • sell, waste or barter fish taken by angling. If you buy fish from a commercial fisher or retailer be sure to get a sales receipt at the time of purchase. Carry this receipt with the fish as proof of purchase;
  • transport fish taken by angling that are skinned, cut or packaged so that the species, number and length cannot be determined;
  • raise fish for the purpose of commercial aquaculture without a fish farming license;
  • catch bait fish without a commercial bait fish license;
  • import any live bait, including leeches, into Saskatchewan; earthworms (night crawlers) may be imported;
  • transfer live fish or live fish eggs;
  • undertake any work or deposit any material that will destroy fish or fish habitat; or
  • fail to stop at a mandatory check station established by an enforcement officer.
Packaging Your Catch

Species limits are a vital part of fisheries management. Anglers must package their fish in such a way that fish can be readily unwrapped, separated, identified, measured and counted. It is illegal to can or block freeze fish outside of the home.

All dressed fish and fillets must have, at least, a 2.5 cm square patch of skin with scales intact from a portion of the body other than the belly. Fish packaged in this manner can be easily identified. A fish cannot be reduced to more than two fillets.

More detailed Guide can be found at https://www.saskatchewan.ca/.

Information for our Regulation summary on this page provided by https://www.saskatchewan.ca/