Fishing at Rice Lake, Kenora District, Ontario

• Overview

  Rice Lake falls in Kenora District, part of Ontario. Mixed forest runs right down to the water. The water covers around 1.51 sq km, which puts most of it out of reach from the bank. There is roughly 8.3 km of bank, more than one visit can cover properly. For supplies, Sioux Lookout is 37 km out. Thunder Bay sits 309 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Rice Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. County-wide records name northern pike, longnose sucker, white sucker, johnny darter and logperch. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Fish Rice Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 18°C for July and -18°C for January. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Look for the thaw near late April; the fishing lifts straight after. In an average year the thaw lands around late April and the freeze near mid November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. That is the shape of the year on Rice Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Failing this one, try Farm Lake, 2.8 km away. Treat access at Rice Lake as something to verify.