Back to map
    Southern OntarioFMZ 17

    Rice Lake – Harris Boat Works / Gores Landing

    Harris Boat Works, off Northumberland Rd 9, Gores Landing, ON (Alnwick/Haldimand Township)

    Marker
    Leaflet © OpenStreetMap
    Seasonal availabilityDirections Official FMZ 17 rules

    About this water

    The main launch for southern Rice Lake — deep weed edges, walleye flats, and one of the best crappie fisheries in the Kawarthas.

    Shallow, warm south-central lake (max depth ~27 ft / 8 m) on the Trent-Severn Waterway. Weedy bays with good clarity outside spring runoff. FMZ 17.

    WalleyeMuskieSmallmouth BassLargemouth BassCrappieSunfishRock BassCarp

    FMZ 17 regulations — Kawartha Lakes & Trent watershed

    The smallest FMZ, in southern Ontario. It includes the Kawartha Lakes, the Trent and Crowe River watersheds, and the eastern rivers and streams of the Oak Ridges Moraine. It is bordered by Lake Ontario to the south (FMZ 20).

    • Walleye: 3rd Sat in May – Dec 15; S-4/C-2 with slot on many lakes.
    • Muskie: fourth Saturday in June – Dec 15; 137 cm min, S-1/C-0.
    • Largemouth / smallmouth bass: 4th Sat in June – Nov 30; S-4/C-2.

    Zone check: FMZ 17 confirmed from this water's coordinates against the official Ontario zone boundaries (reviewed 2026-08-12).

    Summary only — always confirm current seasons and limits on the Ontario MNRF FMZ 17 page before your trip.

    Seasonal availability

    Open-season windows for the species found at Rice Lake – Harris Boat Works / Gores Landing, taken from the FMZ 17 regulation summary. Green months are within a published open season — they are not a prediction of how well fish will bite.

    Best months to plan a tripany listed species open
    Walleye3rd Sat in May – Dec 15
    • S-4/C-2 with slot on many lakes.
    Muskiefourth Saturday in June – Dec 15
    Largemouth / smallmouth bass4th Sat in June – Nov 30

    No FMZ 17 season line published in our summary for: Crappie, Sunfish, Carp. Check the official page before keeping these species.

    Summary only, and seasons change annually. Confirm dates on the Ontario MNRF FMZ 17 page before your trip.

    Fishing tips

    • Kawarthas are shallow and weed-heavy — punch mats for summer largemouth.
    • Muskie love the Trent's weed edges and lock approaches.
    • Troll worm harnesses along the 12–18 ft weed edge for walleye at dusk. Crappie stack in the marina bays in early spring.
    • Access: Ample paved lot at the marina. Two-lane concrete ramp open 24/7. Daily launch fee ~$20; seasonal passes available.

    Solunar Calendar— Rice Lake – Harris Boat Works / Gores Landing

    🌔

    Waxing Gibbous

    93% illuminated · Age 12.2d

    Solunar rating93/100

    🌔 Tue, Aug 25

    93% · Rating 93
    minor8:37 PM – 9:37 PM
    major2:07 AM – 4:07 AM
    minor8:37 AM – 9:37 AM
    major2:07 PM – 4:07 PM

    🌔 Wed, Aug 26

    97% · Rating 98
    minor9:22 PM – 10:22 PM
    major2:52 AM – 4:52 AM
    minor9:22 AM – 10:22 AM
    major2:52 PM – 4:52 PM

    🌕 Thu, Aug 27

    100% · Rating 100
    minor10:05 PM – 11:05 PM
    major3:35 AM – 5:35 AM
    minor10:05 AM – 11:05 AM
    major3:35 PM – 5:35 PM

    Major windows (~2 h) cluster around moon transit and antitransit; minor windows (~1 h) around moonrise and moonset. Local approximations — verify against a printed almanac for planning.

    Gear setup

    Setup:
    Medium spinning for walleye and bass; heavy casting for muskie
    Rod:
    6'8" medium spinning rod; 8' heavy casting rod for muskie
    Reel:
    Size 2500–3000 spinning; 300-size round baitcaster for muskie
    Line:
    10 lb braid with fluorocarbon leader
    Best bait:
    Live minnows, Leeches, Nightcrawlers
    Best lures:
    1/4 oz jig and minnow, Worm harness, Ned rig, Bucktail spinner (muskie)
    Directions

    Keep Exploring Ontario

    Dive deeper into Ontario's #1 fishing resource

    Get Today's Intel