rice lake

[salmonslayer]

was out at rice lake for 2 days and seems the pike are really getting a foot hold caught 4
bass were biting good got some really nice ones on senkos and frogs but the walleye have been tough might have to send a search party out talked to alot of guys saying the same thing for this year may be where they may have to reduce the slot size and number of fish you can take i think 2 is plenty for a feed. i hope they show some signs of life

[crappeeeman]

5.9 pounds....that's a nice fish. I hope you took a picture of it.

[salmonslayer]

just got new gopro and tried for the second time would tell it to start recording when i hooked into fish then it would shut down i think the wind was screwing it up but if i just pressed record it would be ok but at least got pic of the fish now to figure out how to get program to get pic off the video. it was nicer when i had a buddy with me to take a pic a couple of nice ones from eariler

[crappeeeman]

I thought about getting a go pro but I fish at night mostly. I have a lantern on my head and a hat so I think it would be more of a hassle. Some of my pictures turn out blurry or not enough light. Many times I just take the picture before cleaning the fish the after I get some sleep. And sometimes there is someone there to take the shot. Good luck next time you are out fishing.

[Woodfarmer]

Nice haul SS.

[dbv]

We were at Rice last week of May and it was the first time after 53 years that I caught two Pike in Rice Lake. Sure hope they don’t do any damage to the fish population. Amazing how they entered the lake and grew so quickly.

Walleye populations seems down. What is strange is that we did not catch any smaller walleye like we usually do. None under 13 inches, which does not bode well for the future. Usually you get cigar sized walleye and more walleye under 13 inches.

Majority of the walleye were above slot limit.

Does the DNR do fish surveys at Rice anymore? Have not seen them doing in one in a long time. For all the money spent on fishing licenses DNR needs to do my more.

I think it is strange that Rice walleye seems down, but yet Lake Erie walleye keep exploding. Something is off with Rice. Hopefully is just an off year, but doubting that.

[crappeeeman]

Now that's what I was waiting to see. Very nice bass and that looked like great fishing weather.

[salmonslayer]

managed to boat 3 that size and 2 about 2.5 lbs they fight really nice all were let go after weigh in and a pic . i think the walleye are being hit hard with people cormorants musky and now pike they should reduce slot limit a little more i usually keep my limit between 15 - 18 and maybe keep 2 fish which is plenty for a feed . the ministry should do a stocking in rice sturgeon and scugog instead of putting 100000 in toronto and the same in hamilton harbour havent heard of many guys going there to catch walleye such a waste.

[crappeeeman]

Agreed...I have been saying this forever, the limit on walleye in the Kawarthas should be two and a keeper size of 18 to 26. This is not a daily limit like some people treat it. Limit means you catch 4 and that's it until you eat them. There are still people out there keeping their limit two or three times a week and putting them in the freezer until it's full. So until some people stop doing this and follow the regulations changing the regulations won't help anyway.

[Flukes]

Agree with CM that most people still think it's a daily catch limit rather than possession limit. More needs to be done with "education" about this. About stocking, I also fish the Kawarthas alot (or at least I did before new events in my life) and so would also like to see more stocking but in some cases, it's not about the stocking (e.g., if you have a habitat issue and no natural reproduction or maybe like in Rice where pike has invaded and maybe putting a final nail in the coffin of the walleye (hopefully, not!)...they maybe also be affect by the crappie (which are also invasive in Rice like in Scugog, where some scientists have suggested that the crappie are also contributing to the decline in walleye in the Bog) as well. So, if pike are eating the smaller walleye, stocking even more maybe just feeding the pike better....that doesn't help to bring back the walleye in the lake. Stocking elsewhere is also needed (even if we don't fish those bodies of water....and stocking is not just for fishermen as there are programs trying to restore the natural fish population, even if no one fishes for them or wants to eat them because they came out of.. say Hamilton Harbour). MNR is quite open with the information and reasons for why they are doing what they are doing and there are ways to let them know of your concerns directly if after you hear the reasons (and often times the science behind the reasons) for their actions and disagree.

[milton1]

Was at Rice in Roseneath week of June 20th and only managed 3 walleye. All keepers 17"-19", but no throwbacks. Water level definitely up and weed growth down at staple fishing areas compared to previous years. Caught more perch than blue gill which is not typical. The fishery seemed off.