Island Lake Conservation Park

[sharper]

Has anyone fished at Island Lake Conservation Park formerly known as orangeville reservior. They have boat rentals there and on the site the lake is listed as having pike, perch, LM bass and crappie. I called the park as well and they said water levels are a bit low this year so it's really weedy and hard to find good spots. Any feedback on this lake would help thanks a lot.

[FishFinder]

have had luck there with white spinnerbaits for both bass and pike

[Jeff R]

Was there a few weeks ago. Water level is really low. You will really have to keep the motor clean. Lots of nice bluegill, and some smallies....no luck with pike or perch.....if you head straight out from the dock towards Hwy 10, and drift around, that was where we had luck with the crappie. We used live worms and white grubs with a float about 2' up. The northeast arm we had to tip up and row most of the way, but once in there, mini tubes and small spinners got us some 1- 1.5# bass. The crappie come out draped in weeds, gives them a little extra weight for fighting... ...good luck and enjoy

 

Jeff

[jediangler]

Went there once this year and caught some perch. In the past we have had good luck with crappie and largemouth bass. The pike are usually pretty co-operative but small. Water was low when I went over a month ago and it looked like an algae bloom was starting.Here are a few pics of fish from Orangeville.

13.5" crappie.

Pops with a sunfish.

Double fisted perch.

It is a much more productive lake before the end of June IMHO.

[Golfisher]

I fished the lake a couple of weeks ago. Weeds have died down a bit, but water level is also way down, enough to expose tons of tree stumps as you move to the deeper end in the east, and so expect lots of dings to the boat--not that this should be an issue, since you'd be crawling on a 30 lb trolling motor. I'd say that the lake is down by almost two feet, and that's a lot for this lake.

 

Fishing was tough: only 3 largies and 1 pike for the whole morning. Not going back there until next spring for snot rocket festival.

[Golfisher]

Are there smallies in Island Lake? I've never seen one.

[wolfville]

Are there smallies in Island Lake? I've never seen one.

 

 

I have done my fair share of fishing there too and have never seen one nor heard one caught there. Probably mistaken a LMB or a rock bass as a SMB?

[charlesn]

Was there a while back, not sure exactly when, sometime in July I believe.

 

Back then the water level was pretty average for that time of year, I dropped my boat in and didn't have any problems getting around on the troller (20' bass boat). I caught 5 and missed a few in about 75-90 minutes of fishing. All largemouth. All decent size. All on the toad.

 

There are deeper parts at the south part of the lake, as well as near the west dam. Maybe those deeper areas would be a place to check out.

 

Good luck if you go,

 

Charles

[jedimaster]

I wish they would stock that lake with pickeral instead of pike. I mean heck if they can live in scugog they could thrive in Island Lake.

[jediangler]

The pike in Orangeville were accidentally/illegally stocked. For a while they had a derby to remove as many as possible for the benefit of the largemouth bass as well limiting the number of pike that go downstream and eat trout. They would release all the caught pike in Belwood lake. They decided that fishing for pike still pulled too many bass off their beds and left them vulnerable to the many panfish that love a good meal of bass fry. Now you know why the pike in Belwood are hard to come by. They used to put as mant as 200 every year in Belwood from Orangeville. Personally I'd like to see them go back to putting bounties on the pike for cash prizes like they used to years ago.

[jedimaster]

I won a nice trolling rod there one year in those derbies.

[sharper]

Thanks for all the tips! Sounds like the water level really is a problem this year. The lake is recommeneded as a catch & release.

[joonmoon]

They encourage you to take your limit of pike but catch and release only for largies. I usually fish there in the spring and really early summer and don't return until freeze up. Here's a few pics from this year and few from years past.

[Jon]

There are no smallmouth bass or bluegill at Island Lake. In no particular order, the fish you are most likely to catch are pumpkinseed (sunfish), largemouth bass, northern pike, rock bass, black crappie, yellow perch and brown bullhead. I'm not too familiar with where the walleye in Scugog spawn, but they do have access to a number of rivers. The are no good streams for walleye to spawn in at Island Lake.

 

Jon

[joonmoon]

Stock it with Skis and maybe get some tigers...yaaaaa.