Grist Lake
Walleye opens Sat, May 16 — it lies 27 km northeast of Poplar Hill, and the nearest road is 14 miles off — this is fly-in water.
Grist Lake is the 430th-largest of 1,629 named lakes in Ontario Far North, with 24 miles of charted shoreline and 12 islands. Its 66 ft maximum depth is greater than 67% of depth-surveyed lakes in the region.
MNRF aquatic resource surveys
Fish species
Also present: Burbot, Johnny Darter x Tesselated Darter, Spottail Shiner, White Sucker
On this water
Lodges & operators 0
No operators recorded on this lake yet. Know one? It may be listed under a nearby community — browse the map.
2026 regulations
Seasons & limitsFMZ 2
- Special limit on this water — : Refer to zone-wide seasons and limits · Refer to zone-wide seasons and limits · Live fish may not be used as bait or possessed for use as bait (All waters north of latitude of the 11th baseline (51°48’11”N.) and west of longitude 89°00’W.)
- Special limit on this water — Lake Sturgeon: Closed all year · Refer to zone-wide seasons and limits (All waters located within the portion of Zone 2 from the Ontario / Manitoba interprovincial boundary east along the line of 52°35’N. latitude, to the intersection with 93°50’W. longitude, thence south to the intersection with 52°10’N. latitude, thence east to the intersection with 92°10’W. longitude, thence south to the Zone 2 boundary, including all of the waters within Woodland Caribou Provincial Park; thence in a westerly direction to the Ontario/Manitoba interprovincial boundary, thence northerly to the intersection with 52°35’N. latitude.)
Ice-out here is typically mid May (modeled from regional ice records).
| Species | Season | Sport licence | Conservation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Whitefish | Open all year | S - 12 | C - 6 |
| Northern Pike | Open all year | S - 4, none between 70 - 90 cm (27.6 - 35.4 in.), not more than 1 greater than 90 cm (35.4 in.) | C - 2, none between 70 - 90 cm (27.6 - 35.4 in.), not more than 1 greater than 90 cm (35.4 in.) |
| Walleye and Sauger or any combination | Jan. 1 - Apr. 14 & 3rd Sat. in May - Dec. 31 | S - 4, not more than 1 greater than 46 cm (18.1 in.) | C - 2, not more than 1 greater than 46 cm (18.1 in.) |
| Yellow Perch | Open all year | S - 50 | C - 25 |
Compiled from MNRF Recreational Fishing Regulations open data (2026 season, zone-wide rules shown for this lake's species). Regulations change by variation order — confirm with the official FMZ 2 summary before you fish.
Eating what you catch
Consumption advisories
Recommended meals per month from Ontario's fish contaminant monitoring — ranges span the tested fish sizes.
| Species | General | Sensitive* |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Pike | 0–8 | Do not eat |
| Walleye | 0–4 | Do not eat |
Advisory cause across all species: Mercury.
*Women of child-bearing age and children under 15. Compiled from the MECP Guide to Eating Ontario Fish (2025 guide) — check the guide for size-specific advice before keeping fish.
Comparable trips
Similar water
Same region, overlapping species, comparable size.
- Critchell Lake8 shared species · 1,298 ac
- Shabu Lake8 shared species · 1,167 ac
- Studd Lake8 shared species · 1,140 ac
- Culverson Lake8 shared species · 1,360 ac
- Bullock Lake8 shared species · 1,751 ac
Around this water