Beavermead Park

[Homer Is King]

My oldest daughter had a soccer tournament in Peterborough this weekend so we decided to make the most of it. We booked a camping spot in Beavermead Campground. It is in Beavermead park on Little Lake right in the heart of Peterborough.

 

Beavermead Campground

 

 

The park itself is a beautiful. It is open to the public (you don't have to camp to use it). It has a beach and a playground. It has several hiking, biking trails running through it including the Trans Canada Trail. There is a medium sized boat launch and lots of shore fishing opportunity (especially for panfish with the kids). Little lake is part of the Trent Severn waterway and lock 20 is a very short walk from the park.

 

The beach.

 

The boat launch. You have to go under the bridge to get to the lake. There's about 6 ft of clearance.

 

The campground itself is average. The lots are long but narrow. Some of them would be very muddy with a little rain. Beavermead park is actually on an island and there is a small river that runs behind the park. This was one of the highlights. Our site was right on the river. There was lots of wildlife to watch and small panfish to catch (bluegil and perch).

 

We explored the park a bit and found a great spot for rock bass and pumkinseeds. It was breakwall made of large rocks that went out to a shallow sandy flat. The rocks were full of rock bass and the flat had a large school of sunfish. It was easy fishing for the kids and we nailed 'em!

 

Our lure of chose for pan fish is a 1/8 or 1/4 oz jib head with a 1" piece of worm. The jig head greatly reduces the amount of gut hooked fish compared to a plain hook. Even a small (5") sunfish can suck down a #2 aberdeen hook! This is especially true when fishing with kids. The can be slow on the hook set and the fish has lots of time to suck it down. We caught 40+ fish and all but one was hooked in the lip.

 

All of the fish were in excellent shape. No wounds or damage and no sign of "Black Spot" parasites.

 

Here is a nice rock bass my oldest caught. Notice the dark colours. Even the red eyes are black. This guy must be spawning.

 

Here's another rockie.

 

 

Here's a fat Pumkinseed. What beautiful colours. She was full of roe but still tight (none would come out when I gentle squeezed her). My 5 year old learned how to cast with a spinning reel on this trip. Excuse me as a wipe a tear of pride from my eye.... It ranks up there with taking the training wheels off!

 

Here's my youngest. She wasn't going to be left out. Caught it herself and insisted on lipping it.

 

And the release shot

[bigugli]

You are a very lucky man. Cherish every minute of it.

[Nipfisher]

That's great. I took my oldest boy down to the peir in North Bay for perch and sunfish but not even a nibble. Can catch 50 an hour there when the water warms up. The small peices of worms helps the dozen or so go a long way. Great pictures and a day of fun they will never forget.

[Live2fish85]

Hey great report. Looking at these pictures makes me miss living in Peterborough more. It's a very nive little park very open but the trails are nice and it's not far from the lift bridge.

[Homer Is King]

Thanks guys! We really enjoyed the weekend. I'd been to that park before but never realize how much it had to offer.

 

Here's a few of the visitors that we had at our campsite.

 

We had several families of ducks visit us as well as a Great Blue Heron, Bull frogs, and painted turtles.

 

I even got in on the pan fish action

 

That's as big as I could make it look. Out fished by my kids again!!!

[ehg]

That is the first place i went and caught a variety of panfish in the Kawarthas, i was the same age as your children.

My father keeps talking about going back with me and my family for a day. Your report mirrors our experience nearly 40 years later. I became hooked on fishing permanently after my families stay.

Those memories will last forever for your kids.

Nice report!

[johnnyb]

You are a rich man....beautiful kids and quality time spent with them Thanks for sharing...that's a great way to spend the weekend!

[33825]

Little Lake is a great fishery and that was a great post!

 

Keep your hooks sharp!