Filming new Fish TV episodes this year had us travelling all over Ontario, often scheduling around the frequent rain, but as the saying goes… “the show must go on”. We were fortunate to film at some beautiful locations, and we met some fantastic people.
One of our excursions took us to the breathtaking Elmhirst’s Resort on nearby Rice Lake, just 90 minutes east of Toronto. Elmhirst’s boasts a 240-acre cottage resort property, including a working farm, passed along from one generation to the next for many years. It also has a conference facility and spa with world-class dining and activities for the whole family in all 4 seasons right on the shoreline of the lake.
There are 30 cottages ranging in size from 1 to 5 bedrooms, and every cottage offers WiFi, a full kitchen, a fireplace, a dock, and a BBQ…you can even order fresh meat and produce delivered daily right to your cottage. There are many guest amenities available at no additional charge, so go for a swim, get in a workout, go for a hike, drop a line in the water, or try a new sport. You can even go on our floatplane for a sightseeing adventure in the Kawarthas!
Boat rentals are available for fishing enthusiasts who want to get out and enjoy one of the best fishing areas in eastern Ontario. Rice Lake is full of bass-smallmouth and large, crappie, bluegill, walleye, and musky. On this Fish TV adventure, the guys targeted largemouth bass. With the abundance of weed cover, this is an ideal lake for every fish, especially largemouth. We left the dock at Elmhirst’s and headed north to the Hastings River, where the current was pretty strong, so we looked for back bays off the river in order to find our fish. Largemouth aren’t a big fan of the current, so they tend to head for slower-moving water.
Once we located some of these areas, it was game on using flipping jigs in real heavy cover (weeds). We hooked a number of fish and some up to five pounds and for this type of fishing, you will need the right gear. We used 7-foot 9-inch med/heavy action Rapala flipping rods with 50-pound suffix 832 braid line in order to get those fish out of that cover. The next time you head to Elmhirt’s Resort, bring some of this gear and head north on Rice lake and you will have a fantastic time just like we did.
The variety of Elmhirst’s Resort vacation packages is outstanding, and we know you will find the perfect one to fit your vacation plans! Check out their website at: elmhirst.ca
