Summary of Saskatchewan’s Fishing

REGULATIONS.
General Prohibitions
It is unlawful to:
 sport fish without possessing a
valid Saskatchewan angling licence
unless the angler is under 16 years
of age or a Saskatchewan resident
senior;

 use another person's licence to fish;
 falsify information on a licence;
 backdate or otherwise alter a
licence;
 fail to produce a licence upon
request of a conservation officer or
an RCMP officer;
 assist or fish with individuals who
are fishing for food pursuant to
their Treaty or Aboriginal rights,
unless the rights bearing person(s)
do not exceed the maximum
number or size of fish permitted by
angling under these regulations; or
the accompanying person has a
recognized Treaty or Aboriginal
right to fish for food in
Saskatchewan; or is a member of
their immediate family;
 possess fish taken for food by an
individual under their Treaty or
Aboriginal fishing rights, unless
you are a member of their
immediate family or have a Treaty
or Aboriginal right to fish for food
in Saskatchewan;
Ÿ fish in closed waters or during a
closed season;
 take more fish than the limit
specifies (limit includes fish stored
or eaten for shore lunch);
take more than the Saskatchewan
limit of fish on boundary waters
with Alberta, Manitoba, the
Northwest Territories and Prince
Albert National Park, unless
otherwise specified;
 transport fish taken by angling that
are skinless, cut or packaged so
that the species, number and length
cannot be determined;
 fish with more than one line during
open water season;
 use more than four hooks on one
line (a lure with a gang of hooks is
considered one hook);
Ÿ be more than 25 m (27.3 yds) from
your fishing line;
Ÿ be in any place where your fishing
line(s) are not visible at all times;
 possess or use any spring-loaded
gaff or spring-loaded hook;
use a dipnet except to land fish
taken by angling;
 use lights, firearms, chemicals,
electric shockers or explosives to
catch or kill fish;
 take 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;
fish within 23 m (25 yds)
downstream from any constructed
Summary of Saskatchewan’s Fishing
8
dam or obstacle except where there
is a ministry sign allowing fishing;
 angle on the Saskatchewan portion
of boundary waters without a valid
Saskatchewan angling licence,
unless otherwise specified;
sell, waste or barter fish taken by
angling;
 fail to stop a vehicle or boat when
requested or signaled by a
conservation officer or an RCMP
officer;
tamper with or take fish from a net,
trap or holding device without the
owner's permission; and
 import into Saskatchewan or
transport within Saskatchewan any
live fish or live fish eggs.
Fishing With Bait
 live fish may not be used as bait.
Only baitfish that are dead and
have been commercially frozen or
preserved may be used;
 all frozen fish to be used as bait in
Saskatchewan (including smelt),
that originate from Ontario, Quebec,
Indiana, Illinois, Michigan,
Minnesota, New York, Ohio,
Pennsylvania or Wisconsin,
jurisdictions known to harbour viral
hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS),
require proof that the fish are
certified free of VHS;
Ÿ live leeches or crayfish may not be
imported into Saskatchewan. Only
leeches and crayfish originating
within Saskatchewan may be used
as live bait. Canadian and nonresident
anglers must provide proof
to an officer (upon request) that
their live bait was purchased in
Saskatchewan;
 frogs and salamanders may not be
used as bait;
the non-edible parts of a fish legally
taken by angling, such as the eye,
belly skin or internal organs can be
used as bait and the fish from
which the parts were taken must be
dead and included in your limit;
earthworms or night crawlers 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.
Ice Fishing
 two lines may be used when ice
fishing but they must at all times
remain within 25 m (27.3 yds) and
in sight of the person who has set
or is using them;
only gaffs with a J-hook end may
be used to land fish while ice
fishing but they cannot exceed
1.5 m (1.6 yds) in length;
 ice fishing shelters south of
Highway 16 must be removed from
the ice no later than March 15 and
ice fishing shelters north of
Highway 16 must be removed no
later than March 31;
storing or leaving ice fishing
shelters on Crown land or on
private land without the
landowner's consent is not
permitted; and
 ice fishing shacks must have the