Boating & Fishing

Welcome to Stoney Lake. There’s a good reason it’s called Stoney, and not, say, Your Boat And Motor Are Safe Lake. There are a lot of rocks, many just below the surface, and most aren’t marked. Boating on Stoney can be rocky, but we’re here to help you get out there anyway.

Boat Rentals

On-Site Rentals

In addition to our always-complimentary kayaks, canoes, and stand-up paddleboards, Viamede is launching a new program for fishing boat rentals. These 12′ tin boats come equipped with a trolling motor and battery, life jackets, and safety equipment so you can cruise with confidence. These boats come pre-dinged, so if you hit a rock, we won’t be offended. Rentals cost $50 for a half-day (8-2 or 3-9) or $75 for a full day.  Boat capacity is 4, and the driver must be over 16.

Catch and Release Discount

Using your tin boat rental for fishing? If you don’t keep anything, we’ll give you a $10 discount.

For fishing boats and Sea-Doos, please contact Kawartha Adventure Rentals, located on Stoney (10 minutes by car, 20 by boat). For pontoon boats and bowriders, please contact Buckeye Rentals.

Fishing

Stoney Lake is well known as one of the best lakes in Ontario for fishing. Throw bread off the docks to the resident sunfish, or spend a week on the water chasing 50″ muskie, paddle to the rocks, and count the bass or cast the shore at night for walleye – it’s all easy and fun.

Fishing off our docks, the pier by the beach, or almost anywhere along our 2000′ of shoreline will have great results. Sunfish and rock bass abound, and almost no tackle is needed for a fun afternoon. Casting among the rocks, into weed beds, or under docks will bring countless bass, and every year, at least one 5 lb bass (every year it’s the same guest who catches it, too. You know who you are, John.) In the evening, cast silver/blue lures along the weed beds for great walleye! Every day at 8 am, we bait for carp at our docks. If you have the right gear, these fish can be challenging but amazing to catch.

Kayak fishing is fun, easy, and makes life interesting. If you’ve never tried, be ready for an adventure. There are countless great spots to get to within a few minutes’ paddle. Bass, sunfish, perch, and even walleye can be had. Ben goes fishing for muskie in a kayak, but it’s not something we advise.

The big advantage of fishing from a boat is flexibility. Many locals stay in Viamede Bay for almost all their fishing, but there are many other great spots. Just be careful – there are hundreds of unmarked shoals around the lake. If you have a GPS, watch it closely.

Resident fisherman / General Manager Ben often heads out fishing at 6-7 am and will bring guests along. We go after bass, but sunfish, perch, and the occasional small muskie come in as well. Ben’s always happy to talk about fishing too – he can point you to the best spots, the best baits, or get you the little bits you forgot to bring – leaders, hooks, even lures and line might by lying around for you to get the most out of your experience.

Stoney Lake has many popular game fish, including:

• Small and largemouth bass – fish weed beds, rocky shores, and on hot afternoons, deep pockets of water. The best baits are wacky rigs, surface poppers, and artificial frogs.
• Sunfish – a great fish for kids, and can be had by the hundreds right off our docks. Worms work best, but hooks baited with a bit of bread (or even nothing at all) will still catch enough.
• Walleye/Pickerel – a nighttime hunter, these monsters come into the shallows near sunset, hunting minnows. Blue/silver lures work best.
• Perch – a small but common fish that spends its time all over. Small white jigs will catch them.
• Rock Bass – red eyes and a big mouth. Usually within spitting distance of shore. It a fun fight on a small rod.
• Muskellunge – the fish of 10 000 casts. Up to 50′ in Stoney Lake, and people come from across the continent to spend a week fishing to catch one. Incredible fighter, gorgeous fish, and all ’round miracle.
• Carp – this invasive monster takes skill, patience, and some heavy-duty tackle to catch. We bait them to shore, and with the right setup, you can catch one in the morning off the docks. Special care is needed – their delicate mouths can’t handle a hard fight like you’d give a bass.

Responsible Fishing

Here are some tips to make sure you have fun, and that fishing on Stoney Lake will be as good next year as last:

• Fewer hooks, and remove your barbs – many fish caught on lures with treble hooks will die from the stress, but these can be easily replaced with single hooks. Barbs can be pinched down, making fish easy to remove without really affecting your odds of landing your trophy.
• Catch and release – many fish are caught several times per season, so any fish you catch maybe because someone else threw it back. Keep a nice one here and there, but err on the side of generosity and quickly release any fish you don’t plan to keep.
• Keep the photos quick – any fish you catch will be stressed and won’t be able to breathe once out of the water. Before handling a fish, wet your hands to protect their slime coat, hold them gently, and release them quickly.

Need a Map?

We have a super handy Google map with layers indicating interesting landmarks, fishing spots, wildlife viewing hotspots, and more! Click on the brackets in the top right corner to see a larger version and turn layers on or off.