My grandfather built cedar strip canoes and boats on Rice Lake's south shore. My dad spent his career as the mechanic, repairing and rigging Mercury outboards. I run the marina now. Three generations, same dock, same lake. In close to 80 seasons of watching people fish this...
Quick answer: For Rice Lake's shallow, weedy, troll-heavy walleye fishing, the proven setup is a Mercury 60-90 HP FourStroke main paired with a Mercury 9.9 ProKicker. The kicker runs the slow 1-2 mph trolling speed walleye demand; the FourStroke handles the afternoon wind on the ride home. Match horsepower to your hull's capacity plate, not the minimum. Build a quote at mercuryrepower.ca or see Mercury repower on Rice Lake.
My grandfather built cedar strip canoes and boats on Rice Lake's south shore. My dad spent his career as the mechanic, repairing and rigging Mercury outboards. I run the marina now. Three generations, same dock, same lake.
In close to 80 seasons of watching people fish this water, we have learned one thing above all the rest: Rice Lake makes anglers look like geniuses or like amateurs, and it comes down almost entirely to whether they showed up set up right.
It is shallow. It is weedy. It runs 32 km east to west with nothing to stop the wind. It has a sunken 19th-century railway across the middle of it, underwater, waiting for your lower unit. And it holds some of the best walleye, muskie, bass, and crappie in Southern Ontario.
This is our home water. This guide stays focused on the boat: how Rice Lake conditions change main-motor, kicker, propeller, and rigging decisions. For species, seasons, current FMZ 17 rules, and the submerged railway, use the separate Rice Lake fishing outlook for 2026.
The fishing context behind the setup
A Rice Lake fishing boat needs low-speed control for walleye trolling, enough reserve power for the afternoon west wind, and a setup that stays within the hull manufacturer's limits. Species, seasons, current FMZ 17 rules, and the season-by-season calendar live in the Rice Lake fishing outlook for 2026. Bookmark that page for planning; this page stays on the boat.
Walleye trolling is why the Mercury 9.9 ProKicker shows up on so many local rigs. Bass work often wants a bow-mount electric instead. Muskie days run heavier hulls and longer water. None of that overrides the capacity plate.
Choose equipment for the actual fishing job. Start with the hull limits, normal people and gear, desired trolling speed, steering control and charging needs. Ask HBW to review the exact main and auxiliary motor configurations rather than selecting from a universal species-to-horsepower table.
What the season changes on the boat
- January to March: You are not running a boat. This is the time to book spring commissioning before the walleye-opener lineup backs up.
- April to early May: Prime commissioning and repower window at HBW before the May rush.
- Walleye season: Check actual trolling speed with the usual load. Some main-motor setups can hold a suitable presentation, especially with compatible Troll Control; a ProKicker adds dedicated low-speed control when the main motor cannot.
- Summer afternoons: The 32 km east-west fetch has nothing to break a westerly. By 1 PM a calm morning can turn into two-foot chop. Horsepower that matches the loaded hull is a boat-control decision on this lake, not a comfort extra. Plan the ride home before the wind builds.
- November into lay-up: Cold mornings and heavier clothing do not forgive an unreliable motor. Complete the service request for fall lay-up or winterization. FourStroke and ProKicker models can use different fuel, internal-protection, and storage-position procedures. The physical marina is closed December 1 through April 1.
The Railway: Rice Lake's Most Expensive Tourist Attraction
In the 1850s, a group of optimistic engineers decided to build a railway across the middle of Rice Lake. It sank. They reinforced it and tried again. It sank again, more slowly. The Cobourg and Peterborough Railway was eventually abandoned, and today the roadbed sits roughly 4 feet below the surface, running through Tick Island across the widest part of the lake.
It has been collecting lower units, prop blades, and the dignity of confident boat operators for roughly 170 years.
Mark it on your chartplotter before you run this lake. Navionics, Garmin, and C-MAP all chart it. The good news: that same rocky roadbed is one of the best smallmouth spots on the lake. Learn to navigate it slowly, then fish it hard.
What Drives Motor Selection on Rice Lake
Generic outboard advice does not apply here. These are the specific conditions that determine the right motor for this water.
Shallow and weedy. Max depth is about 27 feet, but most of the fishing happens in 6-17 feet with heavy summer weed growth. FourStroke motors run cleaner through weeds, and the torque delivery handles a weeded prop better than a screaming two-stroke.
Trolling is a common technique. Whether the main motor can hold a slow walleye presentation depends on the hull, load, propeller, conditions, and available RPM control. Check the speed on your own boat. A ProKicker is worth considering when you spend long days trolling or need control your main motor cannot provide.
Wind and fetch. The 32 km east-west run is fully exposed to prevailing westerlies. Adequate horsepower for your hull is a safety matter on this lake, not a comfort preference.
The railway. Already covered. Mark it. Fish it. Respect it.
Trent-Severn access. The east end of Rice Lake connects to 386 km of the Trent-Severn Waterway. Boats that run the system need consistent mid-range cruise performance for lock-to-lock days.
The ramp. Most public launches on Rice Lake are adequate. The Harris Boat Works two-lane concrete ramp at Gores Landing is the best-equipped option on the lake: marine fuel and oversized-trailer parking in season, $20 per day or a season pass.
What We See at HBW
We have set up a lot of fishing boats over the years, and the same pattern repeats. People buy the minimum horsepower the capacity plate allows, skip the kicker to save money, and run a prop that came on the boat. Then August arrives, the west wind comes up, and they are crossing 32 km of open water on an underpowered rig with no good way to troll. We see it every season. The right setup is the one matched to how you actually fish this water, and it is rarely the most expensive thing on the wall.
The Right Mercury for Your Rice Lake Setup
| Your fishing |
Boat |
Recommended Mercury |
| Walleye trolling |
16-18 ft aluminum console |
60-90 HP FourStroke + 9.9 ProKicker |
| Smallmouth & largemouth bass |
17-19 ft fishing boat |
90-115 HP FourStroke or Pro XS + trolling motor |
| Muskie |
18-21 ft deep-V |
115-150 HP + 9.9 ProKicker |
| Tournament bass |
19-21 ft bass boat |
Pro XS V8 (200-250 HP) |
| Family / mixed use |
16-18 ft aluminum console |
90-115 HP FourStroke (HBW usually specs the standard gearcase on this planing V-hull; CT is hull/load/prop specific) |
Best fit: Walleye Trolling
A 16-18 ft aluminum console with a Mercury 60-90 HP FourStroke main and a Mercury 9.9 ProKicker. The main handles travel and fights the afternoon chop on the ride home. The ProKicker handles the fishing: slow, quiet, dialled in at 1-2 mph while your worm harnesses tick along the weed edges.
Without the kicker, here is what actually happens. You put the main in gear at idle, you are doing 3.5 mph, walleye will not touch it, you spend the day frustrated, and you come back next spring asking about a kicker. We watch this cycle every season. Save yourself a year and put the kicker on now.
Best fit: Smallmouth and Largemouth Bass
A 17-19 ft fishing boat with a Mercury 90-115 HP FourStroke or Pro XS and a bow-mount electric trolling motor. You are running and gunning between the railway structure, weed flats, and island edges. A bow-mount electric handles precise weed-edge positioning better than a kicker for bass. The main motor choice depends on hull weight and how often you run the full length of the lake.
Best fit: Muskie Fishing
An 18-21 ft deep-V or modified-V with a Mercury 115-150 HP and a 9.9 ProKicker. Bigger hull, bigger lures, longer days, often Trent-Severn range. The step from 115 to 150 HP earns its price on a heavier muskie rig carrying two anglers and a full day of gear. Do not cheap out on horsepower for this one.
Best fit: Tournament Bass
A 19-21 ft bass boat with a Mercury Pro XS V8 (200-250 HP). Maximum acceleration, maximum top speed, tournament-ready. The Pro XS is built for exactly this. For anything outside competitive tournament fishing, the FourStroke at the same horsepower is quieter, more fuel-efficient, and more than capable.
Best fit: Family and Mixed Use
A 16-18 ft aluminum console with a Mercury 90-115 HP FourStroke on the standard gearcase. Full crew, full gear, a slower pace, some bluegill and crappie casting mixed in with walleye trolling. The FourStroke is quiet and efficient. HBW usually specs the standard gearcase on this planing V-hull and uses a 9.9 ProKicker when you want more low-speed trolling control. Command Thrust is a hull, load, and propeller choice; it can help a consistently fully loaded boat, but it is not a V-hull ban or a guaranteed speed penalty. If we prefer standard on your hull, we will say so from the actual boat, prop, and water test.
Common Mistakes
The "I'll add the kicker later" plan. Nobody adds the kicker later cleanly. They do add it, but it costs more, takes longer, and means undoing half the wiring we already ran. Put it on at repower time. Your future self, and your walleye numbers, will thank you.
The wrong prop. A mismatched prop is like running in the wrong size boots. You can do it, but you are never quite right. Prop verification matters more than most people think, and the scope depends on the specific motor, hull, rigging, work order, and safe seasonal testing conditions.
Underbuying horsepower for real-world use. There is a specific conversation we have every August with someone who bought a 60 HP in May, then discovered they are running a loaded 19-footer into afternoon west winds across 32 km of open lake. Match the motor to how you actually fish, not the minimum on the capacity plate.
No chartplotter for the railway. See above. See everything above. Mark it before you run.
Leaving electronics for "later." There is no later. Later is a pile of wires behind the dash, a fish finder mounted at an angle that makes no sense, and a chartplotter taped to the windshield. Sort the electronics at rigging time. It takes an hour now versus a full day later.
What We Ask Before Recommending a Motor
Before we put a motor number in front of anyone, we want to know:
- Hull length, type, and weight
- Manufacturer's maximum recommended safe power for the exact hull
- Primary fishery and fishing style (walleye troller, bass run-and-gun, muskie angler)
- Solo use or family use with full loads
- Trolling-heavy, or mostly running between spots
- Where you launch most often
- Whether you want a kicker
- Electronics setup and battery requirements
- Budget
The capacity plate sets the ceiling. Real-world use sets the target. Three generations on Rice Lake's south shore, from cedar strip boats to Mercury mechanics to full repower and service today, gives us a hard-earned sense of what actually works on this specific water, and what looks fine on paper but lets you down in August chop.
Launching on Rice Lake
| Launch |
Location |
Notes |
| Harris Boat Works |
Gores Landing, south shore |
24/7, two-lane concrete ramp, marine fuel, $20/day or season pass, full marina |
| Bewdley |
West end |
Public launch, good west-end weed-flat access |
| Hastings |
East end |
Trent River outlet, good east-end fishing and Trent-Severn access |
| Roseneath |
North shore |
Public, north-shore structure access |
| Hiawatha (Paudash St.) |
North shore |
Popular ice-fishing shore access |
The HBW ramp at Gores Landing is the only 24/7 full-service launch on the lake. Daily parking, overflow space for large trailers, marine gas, and a dock. Whether you are launching at 5 AM for the walleye bite or coming off the water after dark, the lights are on.
Ready to Build Your Rice Lake Setup?
If you fish Rice Lake, the right motor comes down to a match between your hull, your fishing style, and this specific water. We have been making that match here for three generations.
Head to mercuryrepower.ca for live Mercury pricing in CAD, configured for your hull and your fishing.
Phone: 905-342-2153
Address: 5369 Harris Boat Works Rd, Gores Landing, ON
Configurator: mercuryrepower.ca
Sources
Fishing regulations are current as of May 2026, based on Ontario FMZ 17 (SF-2025/17). Always verify season dates, size limits, and possession limits at ontario.ca/fishing before your trip.
