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
