Rice lake March19/2009

[diggyj]

Went by the cottage this morning and the lake in the Roseneath area is completely free of ice and the water is flowing freely. Here are some pics from today.

By diggyj, shot with DSC-W5 at 2009-03-19

By diggyj, shot with DSC-W5 at 2009-03-19

By diggyj, shot with DSC-W5 at 2009-03-19

By diggyj, shot with DSC-W5 at 2009-03-19

The last couple of shots are from a bit farther to the west and there is still some weak ice close to the shore. Won't be long and it will be completely melted.

By diggyj, shot with DSC-W5 at 2009-03-19

By diggyj, shot with DSC-W5 at 2009-03-19

Can't wait to start the fishing season up there. Was so tempted to take some casts from my lakefront deck but since I am very conscious of the regs, didn't even think twice about doing it.

Hope to see some of you on the water come sprin/summer/fall.
Dirk...

 

[frozenfire]

wow...i am very surprised how fast that ice went away.

will you be targetting panfish come the last saturday in april? :lol:

 

[ec1]

wow dirk, thanks for the nice shots! The water on rice looks so much nicer than the stuff in frenchman's /downtown. HOLY CRAP I'm dying to go fish today, but too bad I can't go anywhere tonight without a car.
And youre so lucky that you have shoreline access right lke 10metres away from your cottage.

Rice lake looks to be the first of the kawarthas to thaw out.

From the looks of Modis, anywhere west of you is still full of ice though.

And from Modis, I'm also wondering if there's anything to be caught between simcoe / couch. That spot also looks like it's going to be wide open, but I wonder if there's even access for people that don't own land in that direction.

 

[diggyj]

Of course. It's gonna be a panfish frenzy up there. Monster slabs to be had.

Dirk...

 

[ec1]

Dirk, do you have a dock on your property?

 

[balapickerel]

he has to, he's said he has a boat, and if you have a cottage and boat but no dock, it is very inconveniant

 

[toronto_angler]

he has to, he's said he has a boat, and if you have a cottage and boat but no dock, it is very inconveniant

Thanks Tips!

 

[diggyj]

Yes I have a large, long, stable dock, it's out of the water now though. Electric boat lift with canopy, 2 jet ski lifts, all out of the water now though. Will need to be put back into the water. A hand is always appreciated as it would lead to numerous fishing trips on Rice. :lol:

Dirk....

 

[frozenfire]

When you look out onto the lake from your cottage are you looking north or northwest towards sugar island?
Thats my favourite spot on Rice. Man, I am green with jealousy.

 

[diggyj]

I look north, northwest. Margaret Island is just west of my place, a 5 minute boat ride.

Sugar Island is probably close to half way between my place and the tracks.

Dirk

 

[ec1]

Yes I have a large, long, stable dock, it's out of the water now though. Electric boat lift with canopy, 2 jet ski lifts, all out of the water now though. Will need to be put back into the water. A hand is always appreciated as it would lead to numerous fishing trips on Rice.

Dirk....

Is there a signup sheet for me to offer my help? and wow you have a lot of toys hahaha

 

[frozenfire]

haha...sign up sheet!

so you're in the east end of the lake. I've never ventured as far as margaret island. Hows the fishing over there? I'm assuming it's pretty consistent throughout the lake though, but less pressure too? since it's so much further away than other main access points.

 

[balapickerel]

no offense to anyone that has them, but i HATE seadoos, especially the way people use them aroung my cottage, the people two houses over from me will start thier seadoos, they have six, and the parents will just idole infront of thier place and not do anything, and thier kids who are 9 and 10 will go up and down the river as fast as they can, and our cottage is at the narrows so we have had them run thier seadoos right into our dock, we even had to replace the dock after a guy in a huge bowrider with two 300 horsepower moters runing full speed ran into it, and i'm almost certain that the river has and or use to have a limit of 10 horsepower

so i guess i don't hate seadoos so much as some of the people that use them

 

[diggyj]

Fishing around that end of the Lake is great. Bunch of bays with weedbeds. Also deeper part of the lake. 30 Feet infront of my place, great spot for walleye and musky. Margaret Island produces lots of fish for me. So do the Foleys.

Dirk

 

[Bigfisherman]

Nice pics, can't wait to hit Rice in May

 

[diggyj]

For those of you hoping that the new regs will allow ice fishing on RICE next januaray in 2010, I highly doubt it. I actually hope it doesn't go through as there will be more, bigger fish come spring/summer/fall.

Water levels and currents fluctuate too much to allow it to be done safely.

Dirk....

 

[ec1]

I'm with you on the no ice fishing rule. These are one of the few lakes in canada where ice fishing isnt allowed, and saves more for me as a person that never ice fishes

When I saw the survey, I'm getting kinda scared though. Opening on Apr 1st and Closing on Dec 15 with a limit just means way more fish being taken out of lakes daily. Thats almost an extra 2 month season!

 

[balapickerel]

at least more and more fisherman are catch and release these days, that certainly helps out the fish