Major Lake Species:  Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye, Yellow Perch, Bluegill, Black Crappie

Lake Facts:

• Big Rideau Lake is located southwest of the town of Smiths Falls Ontario in the County of Leeds and Grenville
• co-ordinates: Lat. 44° 46′ 15″ Long. 76° 12′ 45″
• Big Rideau Lake is the largest of the lakes in the Rideau Lock system. On the northeast end it connects to Lower Rideau Lake at the Rideau Ferry lock and to Upper Rideau Lake at the lock at County Rd. 14 on its southwest end
• the lake has a perimeter of 201 km (125 miles) and is lined with cottages
• the channel on the northwest side of the lake contains the deepest water with
• the maximum depth reaching 328′. This is the area on the lake where you will
• have your best opportunity to catch lake trout which are regularly stocked in the lake
• a warm water fishery (pike, bass and panfish) is found in the southeast and northeast ends of the lake
• the lake has a wide variety of structure including channels and narrows, points, shoals, underwater humps, drop offs, islands etc. Lily pad beds in the shallows and milfoil and cabbage beds (which extend into deeper water) provide excellent cover for fish within and on the deep edges of these beds
• there are 4 public boat launches: one is located 1 1/2 km. north of Portland off of Hwy. 15. Another is located in the town of Portland. A third is found at the end of Big Rideau Lake Road and a fourth is located at Murphy’s Point Provincial Park
• Big Rideau Lake is located in Fisheries Management Zone 18