Rice Lake

Lake Kawartha Lakes FMZ 17 Crown Land (Free)

About this spot

Rice Lake is a lake in the Kawartha Lakes area of Ontario, in Fisheries Management Zone 17. MNR fish surveys (2009–2015) recorded 19 species here, including yellow perch, walleye and bluegill. An MNR depth chart exists for this lake (surveyed 1970). This waterbody sits on Ontario Crown land open to anglers holding a valid Ontario fishing licence.

Location

Fish Species

Yellow Perch Walleye Bluegill Catfish Black Crappie Smallmouth Bass Sucker Largemouth Bass Rock Bass Common Carp Muskellunge Rainbow Smelt

No species reported for this spot yet.

Lake data from Ontario government surveys

Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources holds 104 fish survey records from 2009 to 2015. Survey methods: Broad-scale Monitoring.

Species recorded (19)

Yellow Perch · 102 Walleye · 82 Bluegill · 59 Pumpkinseed · 50 Brown Bullhead · 41 Black Crappie · 40 Smallmouth Bass · 38 White Sucker · 32 Spottail Shiner · 28 Largemouth Bass · 18 Logperch · 16 Trout-Perch · 14 Golden Shiner · 12 Rock Bass · 11 Round Goby · 8 Common Carp · 5 Muskellunge · 3 Tiger Muskellunge · 1 Rainbow Smelt · 1

Number of survey records that list the species.

Water clarity (Secchi depth): 1.2 m (2012)

Depth chart

MNR depth chart on file, surveyed 1970

Sources: Land Information Ontario — Aquatic Resource Area survey points, Bathymetry Index and Bathymetry Line, Fisheries Management Zones, Fishing Access Points. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.

Fisheries Management Zone 17

Rice Lake is in Fisheries Management Zone 17. Open seasons, catch limits and size limits in Ontario are set zone by zone, and some lakes carry their own exceptions, so check the FMZ 17 rules before you fish.

FMZ 17 regulations on ontario.ca

Ice fishing on Rice Lake (2026–27)

Ontario has no separate ice fishing season: the regular open seasons apply through the ice. Rice Lake is in Fisheries Management Zone 17, where 4 of 16 species groups are open for the whole ice season (December 1 to March 31) under the zone-wide rules. Of the game fish government surveys recorded in this lake, black crappie, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, muskellunge, bluegill, pumpkinseed and yellow perch are open at least part of the winter under the zone-wide rules.

Species	Through the ice	Zone-wide season	Limits
Crappie recorded here	Open	open all year	S-30 and C-10
Largemouth and smallmouth bass combined recorded here	Part of the season Dec 1 – Dec 15	third Saturday in June to December 15	S-6 and C-2
Muskellunge recorded here	Part of the season Dec 1 – Dec 15	1st Saturday in June to December 15	S-1; must be greater than 112 centimetres, and C-0
Sunfish recorded here	Open	open all year	S-300; only 30 may be greater than 18 centimetres, and C-15
Walleye and sauger combined recorded here	Closed	second Saturday in May to November 15	S-4 and C-1; must be between 35-50 centimetres
Yellow perch recorded here	Open	open all year	S-50 and C-25
Atlantic salmon	Closed	fourth Saturday in April to September 30	S-0 and C-0
Brook trout	Closed	fourth Saturday in April to September 30	S-2 and C-1
Brown trout	Closed	fourth Saturday in April to September 30	S-5 and C-2
Channel catfish	Closed	fourth Saturday in April to November 15	S-12 and C-6
Lake sturgeon	Closed	closed all year
Lake trout	Closed	fourth Saturday in April to September 30	S-3 and C-1
Lake whitefish	Closed	fourth Saturday in April to November 15	S-12 and C-6
Northern pike	Open	open all year	S-6 and C-2
Pacific salmon	Closed	fourth Saturday in April to September 30	S-5 and C-2
Rainbow trout	Closed	fourth Saturday in April to September 30	S-2 and C-1

S = sport fishing licence, C = conservation licence (daily catch and possession). Dates are worked out for 2026–27 from the wording of the 2026 summary. Ontario publishes a new summary every January 1, so check the 2027 edition for dates after December 31.

Rice Lake is not listed by name in the zone's species or waterbody exceptions or fish sanctuaries. Some exceptions cover whole townships or river systems, so read the zone page before you go.

Ice huts in Zone 17

Huts must be registered (free, once) and show the number outside; fabric shelters under 7 m² are exempt. Remove your hut by March 1, and in any case before the ice breaks up. You may fish with two lines through the ice in most waters, within 60 m and in sight of each.

Zone 17 ice fishing rules Ice fishing in Ontario guide

Source: Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary 2026, Zone 17 (ontario.ca); ice hut rules: ontario.ca/page/ice-fishing. This summary is not the law: check the regulations and local conditions, and never go on ice you have not tested.