No Bluegill/ Panfish in an Ontario lake? Is this possible?

[wask]

We bought a cottage on a lake just West of Kawartha Highlands. I don't know to give you the lake name because I don't want to offend anyone. lol.

 

Some guys in recent weeks told me nothing is currently in season the lakes as it only has Muskie and Bass and a few really small perch. They specifically said there was no bluegill in the lake.

 

Is it possible that there are no Crappie or Panfish in a lake in that Buckhorn/ Bobcaygeon region? I've never heard of such a thing - surely they are mistaken - right?

Edited May 9, 2016 by Wask

[Joeytier]

You can check on MNR Fish-Online, that should give you an idea.

 

Also, why don't you just go out and try to find some? The lake itself is not closed and you can't get in trouble for trying to find bluegills if you genuinely believe they're in there.

[chris.brock]

 

I know quite a few lakes in Haliburton that don't seem to have any panfish, perch or bass. They are smaller lakes though, but yeah, it's possible.

[bigugli]

I also know of a number of lakes without sunfishes or bass. Not that uncommon.

[kickingfrog]

Another thing to consider is that some lakes.waterbodies may be closed to any fishing until a certain time regardless of what is in the lake or what the fisheries unit's seasons are.

[JoshS]

The region the lake is doesn't determine what fish are in it. It's very possible there are none of those species in the lake... unless it's directly connected to the trent.

 

You can't make assumptions. Call your MNR office or try the fishonline tool.

[jimmer]

There are a couple of lakes I fish in that area and there are no sunfish/crappie, however, there are some perch.

Must have some small and skinny muskie in that lake without a good population of panfish.

[jjcanoe]

Another thing to consider is that some lakes.waterbodies may be closed to any fishing until a certain time regardless of what is in the lake or what the fisheries unit's seasons are.

Quite a few lake in the area with this type of regulation, going to open up my trailer this weekend can't fish in the lake until the next weekend

 

Must have some small and skinny muskie in that lake without a good population of panfish.

Exactly what I was thinking. Predators need prey...

[ehg]

Fished Head Lake near Norland many times over years and caught big 8lb. walleye, large smallmouth bass, and even musky(Kawartha record musky 42 lb from there) but never caught any panfish at all. Apparently some perch are listed on MNR lists but i never caught despite effort.

[Gnote]

I know a small lake east of the kawarthas that has tiny muskie big walters and little perch. I havent seen or heard of bass or other panfish anywhere in it.

[crappieperchhunter]

My folks had a cottage on a small lake on the Upper Bruce near Tobermory. It even had a creek suckers ran up in the spring from Lake Huron..so fish had access from the Big Lake. The lake had some type of minnows that got to about 4 inches in length and a healthy perch population although I never seen one over 7 inches. For gamefish it had smallies the biggest I ever caught maybe 4LBS and pike. In 30 years I never caught or saw anything but these species.

[fishindevil]

don't put too much trust in the MNR fish online ste for sure...most of their info comes from what they caught in their test nets..as well as incorrect info too,i was in this mess several years ago when I caught a pike in a lake in haliburton that DID NOT have any according to the MNR well it took 2 years before they would confirm that their was pike in there mainly because their first time neeting an area of thet lake they did not get a pike,so they still said thet they were not there and if they were it was a single fish or a very very few...well here we are years laker and lots of pike being caught in that lake and all around the area....so your best bet sometimes is to talk to locals and find out as much info as you can from them,as well as the mnr tool fish online...just don't trust it 100% do some homework about the lake and talk to locals who live there and fish it regularly they will know the info

[Garnet]

You can ask 75% of the cottage owners on Rice Lake if there are any walleye in this lake and they will say no.

[Rod Caster]

The region the lake is doesn't determine what fish are in it. It's very possible there are none of those species in the lake... unless it's directly connected to the trent.

 

You can't make assumptions. Call your MNR office or try the fishonline tool.

Absolutely you can make assumptions; fishing is trying and discovering. Try fishing for panfish with the usual panfish bait, unless the lake itself is closed. Move on immediately if you catch out of season fish, go barbless to show your being prudent if you want. I rue the day I need to call and talk to the MNR before I fish any new lake

[Dara]

You could always plant some

[AKRISONER]

You could always plant some

 

lmao, i want asian carp in my lakes

[dave524]

When dad bought the cottage in Haliburton in the mid sixties there was nothing but smallies and pickeral in the lake, ten years later undesirables like WGSF and largemouth started showing up, no doubt there is crappie, bluegill, perch and who the hell knows what else in there now , been 20 years since I've been there. The Ministry put Lakers and Musky in there, Lakers OK , but why musky? none of the cottagers we knew wanted them.

[Mister G]

Sounds like a infertile lake........overall great fishing but lousy catching.

[Acountdeleted]

Fished Head Lake near Norland many times over years and caught big 8lb. walleye, large smallmouth bass, and even musky(Kawartha record musky 42 lb from there) but never caught any panfish at all. Apparently some perch are listed on MNR lists but i never caught despite effort.

The predator fish eat perch, small sunfish and the massive population of white sucker that are in there. I think also the Muskie and Bass eat the walleye and smaller bass. Seems to be a healthy food supply. The lake just gets too much pressure now.

[ehg]

The predator fish eat perch, small sunfish and the massive population of white sucker that are in there. I think also the Muskie and Bass eat the walleye and smaller bass. Seems to be a healthy food supply. The lake just gets too much pressure now.

The question asked initially was can there be no bluegill/panfish in a Kawartha lake. Have fished Head Lake many, many times and never caught a panfish.

Used the micro tube float even worms at typical locations to no avail.

[Acountdeleted]

Parents have a cottage on head lake. I'm just a better fisherman then you.

 

I've caught lots.