Diary of Rex Lake

Outdoor Guide Quarterly

Rex Lake is an eleven-mile long natural lake nestled in the piney woods of northwest Ontario. Little Rex is a smaller lake that is reached via a half-hour portage.

As you will read in this diary, the fishing in both lakes was absolutely outstanding. The main fishery in Rex is smallmouth bass with a good sampling of northern pike. Little Rex, which is dominated by weedy bays, is a mecca for northern and walleye with a sprinkling of large smallmouth and yellow perch.

This is a week-long fly-in package for 4-6 fishermen. These lucky fishermen have these waters totally to themselves. A rustic two-bedroom, self-contained cabin provides adequate quarters. The 14-foot Lund boats with 4-cycle Honda outboards (15 horsepower) were very dependable and did not leak.

The numbers and sizes in the following diary are conservative. All weights and lengths were taken, not guessed at. Except for fish you eat while there, all fish must be released.

If this trip sounds interesting, call Neal or Mary Holland at D&N Plastics, 316/721-4674. This is an affordable “Trip of a Lifetime.”

Saturday, June 18 at Big Rex
Neal Mary and Andrew (10 years old)
50 smallmouth
17 northern
Bob and Don
61 smallmouth
17 northern
Total 145
Biggest smallmouth: 2-1/4 pounds

Sunday, June 19 at Little Rex
Both boats
6 smallmouth
100 northern
200+walleye
Total 306 (estimated)
In my opinion, this is a conservative estimate. Biggest northern, Bob – 16 pounds, 4 ounces and 9 pounds. Biggest walleye, Mary – 17-1/2 inches.

Monday, June 20 at Big Rex
Neal, Mary and Andrew
60 smallmouth
60 northern
Bob and Don
60 smallmouth
25 northern
Total 205
Biggest fish, Mary – 11 pound northern on 6 pound line without steel leader.

Tuesday, June 21 at Big Rex
Neal and Andrew (6:00-8:30)
32 bass and pike
Neal, Mary and Andrew
87 bass and pike
Bob and Don
171 bass and pike
Total 290, mostly small fish

Wednesday June 22 at Little Rex
Neal, Mary and Andrew
187 northern, walleye
Bob
87
Don
45 (estimated)
Total 319
Biggest fish included a 8-1/4 pound walleye and a 8-1/2 pound northern. Andrew really scored on a chartreuse pepper grub; he caught a 5-pound northern and lost a bigger one after fighting him 2-3 minutes on a six-pound line (no leader).

Thursday, June 23 at Big Rex
Neal, Mary and Andrew
112 mostly bass, few northern
Bob and Don
95
Total 207