Rice Lake Tiger Muskie & Pike

Hi Folks,
Well after a summer of watching my boat collect dust, I finally had a day that wasn't booked with this, that and the other thing... Weather looked reasonable on Saturday, low winds, some clouds, the only issue was the stifling heat, but that wasn't going to stop me, so I geared up and headed to Rice Lake for a day of fishing.

It was dead calm and already hot when I arrived, but I was determined to make a day of it.. I actually like it calm as I can work the weed edges and pockets better, as opposed to the wavy mess I am generally used to on the Kawarthas..

Started the day, jig fishing a weedline, looking for bass and walleye. No bass to be found here, but got into a few walleye just over 14". Nice start..

I then headed to my muskie area and switched gear, chucking large spinnerbaits... Didn't take long and I had a muskie on... Netted it and ............... O NO! It's a Tiger muskie........ Nice fish to catch and pretty colours and all, but.... a Tiger all the same --- Fishing Rice Lake for over 25 years and this was my first Tiger from the lake. So the ski genetics are now muddied with pike DNA.

I kept fishing this area, and another nice hit, fish surfaces and swirls, looks like another nice muskie.. I net it..... Another O NO! First Pike from Rice Lake. This was a decent fish as well, so established and obviously now breeding with the Rice Lake muskies.

Anyway.. I fished all day and picked up a few largemouth bass here and there near weedlines and later in the day... Hit pike #2. This was a snot rocket, but a pike all the same.

So it begins, after so many years of fishing this beautiful lake, the pike are officially in the lake and already breeding with the muskie..

IMO bad news for this fishery and ecosystem.. I loved it that Rice Lake was void of pike, but over the years, I have definitely watched this lake's fishery change and I am hoping it doesn't get full of snot rockets like so many other lakes where pike have established.

I guess it was only a matter of time, since there are pike in the Trent River on the other side of the Hasting lock..

Still a fun day on the water and good to get out..

Cheers & Happy Fishing.

First Rice Lake Tiger Muskie

Here it is... First Pike from Rice lake in 25 years of fishing

Pike # 2

Walleye

Largemouth Bass

Thanks for the great and detailed report, sounds like you made the most of your day out there.

Ya, pike have moved in and it's only a matter of eventuality that they'll be all through the Kawartha Lakes. Part of me wonders how well they'll do in Sturgeon given the huge musky population we have there...

Cheers, and hope you have a great day.

Nice report.

I hope u had a pike shore lunch

Exactly... Pike are great eating so eat them up.. White flakey meat and taste as good as walleye.
Great read as well, thank for the report.

Exactly... Pike are great eating so eat them up.. White flakey meat and taste as good as walleye.
Great read as well, thank for the report.

White flaky meat and an invasive species to Rice Lake. Eat them all I say and keep that Lake healthy LOL

Yes I harvested the 2 pike.. Everything else was released.

I agree, would love to stop the pike invasion in Rice Lake.

There are so many other lakes and rivers I can fish for pike, I enjoyed fishing these pike-free waters...

Good to hear you finally got out on the water. Thought it would have been sooner than now! A successful day with some upsetting findings. I was inevitable though as you said.

I thought the recent heat would have slowed down the fishing but seems that cold spell got the fish feeding and they don't want to stop!

Hopefully we will see you out this way at Thanksgiving.

Don't want to get roasted over this but musky taste good too..I used to go with my dad to the Ottawa River by Fitzroy harbor but on the Quebec side and lots of people in that area ate musky... It seems no one eats Musky anymore..

Great Report and thanks for getting rid of the pikes

Lol

We all knew it was coming. The future should be interesting.

I am just glad you had a fun day Jerry.