Rice Lake Fishing Guide, Kenora District, Ontario

• Overview

  Rice Lake lies within the bounds of Kenora District, Ontario. The surface lies 343 metres up. Roughly 55 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. The shoreline runs about 6.0 km, so it pays to pick a stretch and stay with it. Kenora is the closest town at 24 km. Then Moose Lake, 68 km, and Warroad, 98 km. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Rice Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Across Kenora District, recorded fish include northern pike, longnose sucker, white sucker and johnny darter. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Rice Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 19°C and January at -18°C. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late April. In an average year the thaw lands around late April and the freeze near mid November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Plan around that when you fish Rice Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Deception Lake sits 2.3 km off and takes the overflow. Nothing here settles the position at Rice Lake for certain.