Kawartha Ice Fishing

[snookey318]

Hi Everyone

 

I am moving to the Peterborough area (Pigeon Lake) in a few weeks and was wondering if there are any decent walleye or trout lakes OPEN in the winter. From what i have read on this board Pigeon and all the other lakes surrounding PTBO are closed for the season. If thats the case can anyone suggest a decent spot within 50+ KM to try ice fishing on?

 

I apologize for being a newbie in this area, I usually fish for lakers in the Bancroft area and was hoping that there would be something similar north of Peterborough in the winter.

 

Thanks

[Toronto_Angler]

Scugog is open

[GBW]

you can fish in the Kawartha Highlands are and other places like Minden. As long as you are North of Bobcaygeon and East of 49/121 you are good. Get your reg's book out and check page 68 if you have it, or zone 15 off the site.

[jediangler]

Jack's lake south of Apsley isn't too far.

[muskeybugged]

you can fish in the Kawartha Highlands are and other places like Minden. As long as you are North of Bobcaygeon and East of 49/121 you are good. Get your reg's book out and check page 68 if you have it, or zone 15 off the site.

 

Welcome to the board!

 

I to stay on Pigeon and tried for the first time Ice fishing north of there last weekend. The consensus is that anything north of Hwy 36 is good to ice fish (Along with GBW's comments). We tried Bass lake and got nudda (a local said the lake has been hammered the last couple of years and the fishing not so good, he suggested .... I can't think of the lake, but also said trout were to be had there).

Snowmobile is almost a must to get winter access to some of these lakes ( or 2 feet and a heart beat, snow shoe's, all your gear...). The closest a vehicle got us to Bass lake was about 4 KMs, loaded the snowmobile and in we went. Looking at the trail map other lakes seem to be on the same level of access.

Catchacoma Lake and Mississauga Lake and Crystal Lake are in the area, how to get to them.....let me know when you get there.

Opportunity is there, you just have to adventure out one day. Getting to the lake was a feat in itself for us last weekend and half the fun. Too bad the fish didn't .

Good luck and a report would be nice too!

[Beans]

Again the rumors are starting about opening the Kawarthas for icefishing for panfish only (from two fairly reliable sources)...sure would be nice to fish in our own backyards...hell, Big Cliff could run a long extension cord out to a hut for a heater, hotplate and TV...

 

BTW...I am on the north shore of Pigeon and can be over to Simcoe (Beaverton) in about an hour, Jack Lake in 45 minutes, Miner's Bay on Gull lake in about an hour plus, Scugog in half an hour or more and Crystal Lake in less than an hour so there is lots to choose from but still, it would be nice to fish in the backyard so to speak...

[Big Cliff]

Well, from Peterborough, there is Oak Lake but Beans is right, I have now heard it directly from a CO and a fellow doing a creel sensus for the MNR that they plan to open the Kawarthas for ice fishing 'pan fish" and that it is in the works right now and should be in place by next winter but by 2011 at the latest. If it does happen, it is 521' from my dock to where my ice hut will be Anyone got plans for building a 10' X 12' Ice hut? Oh and what size extension cord do I need to run 220, 20 amp 500'?

Edited February 11, 2009 by Big Cliff

[irishfield]

#8 would be great Cliff...# 10 would suffice! lol

[ecmilley]

depends what you want to fish for, there is speckle lakes, laker lakes and some lake with eyes in them, but crystal, pencil and salmon lakes have some laker action to be found, picard is stocked with bows, salerno has some eyes fortescue i believe is stocked with lakers either way good luck

[snookey318]

That would be great if they opened up Ice Fishing on the Tri-Lakes for Pan fish. Have you guys heard this rumour before or is there a good chance this will materialize?

 

I am looking for the closest brook trout or lake trout lake that is open for ice fishing. I am moving into a place on the south east side of Pigeon lake this weekend and anxious to explore the area. Hopefully this warm rainy streak ends soon so we can get back to winter!

 

Thank guys

[Beans]

Sugar Bush Trail ?...or further south down near Ganon's Narrows?

[Big Cliff]

This is the first time I have been told that "it will be opening" and coming from a CO and another employee of MNR on two seperate occasions makes me think there must be something to the story.

[snookey318]

Beans:

 

On the south east end of the lake on a peninsula named birch point.

 

I am looking forward to exploring the lake this summer.

[Beans]

I've never fished down at that end of Pigeon Lake...With only a 4.4 hp Mercury on the "Tin of Beans" (old 14 ft. aluminum) the furthest south I've been is the south end of Big Island...

 

I hear it is much shallower down at that end so I'm guessing good bass, crappie and musky fishing...

 

Have fun finding some "honey holes" and take some pics...

[Jer]

My uncle built a cottage at birch point when I was kid, spent many summer weeks there. It was one of the main reasons I eventually moved up here. His place was I think the 3rd maybe 4th place on the right at the bottom of the hill. Maybe you bought it (he sold it probably 25 or 30 years ago, was actually up for sale when I was looking 13 years ago, I bought only about 10 minutes away near Youngs Cove on Buckhorn). His mother-in-law had the place next door, the nicest places were further down at the point.

 

The wild rice has really taken over that part of the lake the last few years. Used to fish it alot when my buddy had a trailer at Donro, but since he moved his boat to Chemong, haven't been more than once or twice.

 

Welcome to the neighbourhood, I'm sure you'll love it.