Lake Nippissing, Rice, or Stoney Lake?

[sbtennant]

Ok Guys and Gals we've found a few places that Momma & my 2 and 4 year old probably can survive at for a week in the middle of June. The drive will be managable and there seem to be enough ammenities to keep non-fisherman occupied. Looking at places like West Nippissing Resort, Southview Cottagesor Whispering Pines (Rice Lake), or Pine Vista Resort or Irwinn Inn (Stoney Lake).

 

Nippissing probably has the least to offer with no Kid's club but it does have a pool. What about the fishing? Is one place going to be better than the others? Probably will target Pickerel and then pan fish with bass and pike as bonus fish. Will it be easier to learn one lake than the others?

 

Love the info the members of this site have. Have found it very useful. Thanks in advance!

[Muskieman]

ahem ... fishin' for Walleye?

 

West Nipissing Resort in Lavigne is still pretty good for walleye in June.... lotsa good sized pike right off the dock..

and probably the cheapest rates on that list of yours.

 

good luck on your quest ..

 

 

Randy

[bassman]

I had a great time at WNR last year, and I booked again for this May. Ian is a great host, and the fishing was pretty good. We caught lots of pike, and the odd bass.

The fishing from the dock also provided for hours of fun. Lot's of panfish, and we did see a 45+ musky swim right by us in the shallows.

 

Good luck!

[Raf]

how do you like crowds? rice and stoney are very popular destinations. not that nippissing isn't but, it's a big lake

[lew]

for a week in the middle of June.

 

Just be aware that bass doesn't open in the Kawarthas until near the end of June, and there are no pike in Stoney Lake........at least if your talkin about the Stoney Lake just north of Peterboro.

[sbtennant]

This is the stuff I'm looking for! Please keep it coming! I figure boat traffic will be manageable as it is likely to be the week before bass opener. Bass would be catch and release anyway even if in season. Would WNR be too rustic for kids? Personal opinions will help in this case much more than some pictures. And on a lighter note - what gives - are pickerel now walleye in Ontario? You don't want to be Americanized ever, but especially right now! LOL

[Smokey]

All lakes will produce fish. I've never stayed at any of the resorts your looking at but have passed by Southview on Rice many time from the water and it looks like a nice place. If you chose either Rice or Stoney you'll be close enough to Peterborough that if the kids are bored you can head to town and kill sometime. There's lots to do there, with the zoo(free), movies, canoe museum, and lots of park areas.

 

Like Lew said the bass fishing doesn't open in the area till last week of June and no pike in the kawarthas but there are muskies to be caught.

 

Good Luck with your choice.

[Stoty]

Bass would be catch and release anyway even if in season

 

Uh oh...I can see this ending up like the post a few weeks back!

 

Basically what people are going to say is that you better not "target" bass out of season.

 

If you are going for walleye, Nipissing is probably you're best bet.

[Bernie]

Rockets. The other end of Nipissing can be a good choice too. Sheltered fishing in high winds or nasty days among the many islands. Pickerel, bass, pike, perch, muskie .........well just about everything except trout/salmon. This is the area of the lake that I hang out.

The first place that comes to mind for a place if you are bringing the kids along is Promised Land Camp. I see he has an ad running on here too. Has a playground and a nice beach with water tubes and slides. He runs a nice place, I don't believe you would be disappointed.

There are a few other nice places as well and if you need advice on this area give me a PM.

Edited March 13, 2008 by Bernie

[Bernie]

Keep in the mind the North Shore of Lake Nipissing in early Spring. That is because the Sun is in the Southern hemisphere, thereby shining on the North shore, effectively shading the South shore. This should mean the North end will have warmer water and more baitfish which should equal Mr Pike and Walleye, er Pickerel.

 

Sorry Jed. Can't agree with that. The sun is at it's highest point that time of the year and the shade effect would be so minuscule it would not make a difference.

[Whopper]

You don't want to be Americanized ever, but especially right now! LOL

 

[Radnine]

Sorry if I have missed this somewhere in the strand, but what about the drive time? Rice and Stoney are considerably closer than Nippissing.

Also I agree with the things to do for kids factor weighing heavily in the favour of Stoney and Rice.

[ozaibak1]

Never been to Nippissing, but Stoney is my favorite Lake, I believe PineVista acquired what used to be StoneyLakeResort which is on a great part of the lake, the far east side which produces good walleye bites around the islands in the evening although I have not personally had success for walleye as I dont get a chance to go nightfishing. I've also seen fisherman with a nice catch of walleye during the day by trolling, again not an option for me as I use crappy rentals.

 

Panfish are plentiful as well as bass, easy to catch by boat or shore. And as stated by another poster Peterborough is nearby with quite a few attractions for the kids, and I've heard PineVista is topnotch.

 

I've also rented from SouthView cottages, the owners seemed nice and the cottages were good too, although I have a personal grudge against Rice Lake from being skunked on my first spring outing there last year. Stoney would probably be less crowded, and more wildlife is around the area not uncommon to see deer, beavers, weasels while fishing which is cool.

 

Only thing I know about Nippissing is my friend went there last year and was dissapointed, although it was a cold front.

[steelhedrmatt]

I don't suggest Pine Vista Resort. We used to go there year after year, Then they were bought by a resort chain about 9 years ago and the place turned to crap. Never been back. As for fishing, Stoney is awesome!! lotsa walleye and BIG muskie. If you decide on the irwin Inn, across from the resort is an island. Troll the drop off on the north side of that island. never been skunked there. Also, there's a good dropoff right in front of the resort. great at night. To the west of the resort, is a government dock, great spot to jig, and finally, in Gilchrist bay, the shoals there on the east side of the bay, can be very good at dusk. Good luck wherever you decide to go, but if it was my decision, it would definately be Stoney. Better fishing IMO than the other lakes.

[lunkerbasshunter]

i have never fished stoney lake, i used to fish rice alot, now i fish nipissing more then anything. Rice is close to the gta but the boat traffic can be pretty crazy.

 

Nipissing is a couple hours further away but the scenery is far greater then rice lake. The fishing is great in june for walleye in most parts of the lake.

 

CHeers!

[love2fishhave2work]

Not sure where your family will be most comfortable. You indicate you want to target Walleye and everything else is secondary. At that time of year If Nippissing is your destination you want the east side of the lake if you want relativlely easy boat ride to where the walleye are. West bay is very shallow and the fish have already gone deep. Great area for Pike, not as good for Walleye.

[Smokey]

I have a personal grudge against Rice Lake from being skunked on my first spring outing there last year.

 

Welcome to my life I live just off the lake and consider it my home waters and can't catch any fish on it. But I do see lots and know lots of guys who have success every outing.

 

It a great fishery I just haven't figured it out yet.

[capt bruce]

The wife and kids will enjoy southview . I used to take the wife and kids there 2 or 3 times a summer when the kids were small . The drive was not too long and the place has swiming , play grouds , bike rideing , and these great fishing piers that they keep lighted all night and you and the kids can fish for crappies and pan fish nonstop from them without even takeing out a boat (had some of the best crappie fishing Ive ever had one weekend in june from off these piers at night ). And when you do go out in a boat theres great walleye and muskie fishing nearby . And for the wife theres country shopping in the peterboro area close by . Not a wilderness adventure for sure but to go away for a weekend or week with wife and kids its a great place well cared for and the owners are great people who go out of their way to ensure everything is a ok with your visit. We stayed at a lot of spots on rice when the kids were small because of the short drive and great fishing , nothing like a 5 hour trip of are we there yet to spoil a kids fun weekend, and found ourselves goig back to southview as it had all we wanted and it was at the east end of the lake so it was the closest to TO .

[Garry2Rs]

There's lots for the wife and kids to see and do in and around Peterborough. Things like the Lift Locke, Serpent Mounds, Petraglyphs Park and the Canoe Museum etc. are educational and good for a rainy or windy day. Stoney is a deeper rocky Canadian Shield type lake much like a smaller version of Nippissing. Rice is a shallower weedy lake. You can catch Walleye and Musky as well as Panfish in either one. For all around fishing I'd probablly choose Rice, but I'm closer to Stoney, so I fish it more often...grin. Unless your trophy hunting I wouldn't spend the time and fuel to go all the way to Nippissing.