Sturgeon Lake stretches across a generous patch of the Kawartha Lakes region, connected to the broader Trent-Severn Waterway system and well-known for both recreational boating and fishing — particularly walleye (pickerel) and muskie. Whether you’re after a quiet morning paddle, a day out on a pontoon, or a fishing boat to work the bays, there are three operators worth knowing about.
Thurstonia Marina is a full-service marina directly on the lake in Dunsford, offering the widest mix of human-powered and motorized rentals alongside marina services. Fish and Rest Cottage Resort & Boat Rental Marina (Newly Rebuilt & Newly Furnished Cottages) is a waterfront resort near Lindsay that rents fishing boats and pontoons to guests and visitors. Buckeye Rentals, based out of Bobcaygeon on Pigeon Lake, doesn’t have a dock on Sturgeon Lake itself — but they offer delivery across the Kawarthas, making them a viable option for cottage owners who want a rental brought to their door.
With more than 20 years of operation, Thurstonia Marina sits on Sturgeon Lake in Dunsford and functions as a genuine one-stop shop for boaters. On the rental side, they offer kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, and fishing boats — so whether you want a paddle at sunrise or a motor to reach the far end of the lake, they have you covered. Rentals are available by the hour.
Beyond rentals, the marina provides dockside fuel, oil changes, full mechanical service and repairs, seasonal slip rentals, transient docking, boat launching, storage, and detailing. They also run 24/7 emergency boat rescue — a meaningful comfort for boaters on a big lake. The on-site store carries bait, drinks, ice cream, firewood, and baked goods, so you don’t need to make a separate supply run.
Fish and Rest Cottage Resort sits on over 800 feet of Sturgeon Lake waterfront, directly opposite Goose Bay — a spot known locally for pickerel and muskie. The resort’s primary business is cottage accommodation (one to four bedrooms, plus RV sites), but fishing boat and pontoon rentals are available on site, and there’s a boat launch pad with trailer parking for guests who bring their own vessel.
Shared amenities include an outdoor fire pit area, swimming pool, and large patio. The resort is pet-friendly (with a nightly fee) and caters to fishing clubs, family reunions, and corporate groups. Because rentals are tied to the resort property, this option suits visitors who are also staying on site or nearby.
Buckeye Rentals operates out of Bobcaygeon and keeps its own docks on Pigeon Lake, but their delivery service extends across a large chunk of central Ontario — including Sturgeon Lake. If you’d rather have a boat arrive at your cottage than make a trip to a marina, this is the operator to call.
Their fleet is the most varied of the three: pontoon boats (21-foot and 23-foot options), fishing boats, jet skis, kayaks, canoes, stand-up paddleboards, tubes, wakeboards, and water skis. They can also issue temporary boater safety licenses on site, which is useful if you or a guest doesn’t hold a Pleasure Craft Operator Card.
Delivery to Sturgeon Lake comes with minimum rental requirements: pontoon boats and jet skis require a two-day minimum; fishing boats require a five-day minimum. Pickup from their Bobcaygeon location reduces those minimums to one day.
| Feature | Thurstonia Marina | Fish and Rest Resort | Buckeye Rentals |
|---|---|---|---|
| On Sturgeon Lake | Yes (Dunsford) | Yes (Lindsay area) | Delivery only |
| Kayak/canoe/SUP | Kayak, SUP | No | Kayak, canoe, SUP |
| Fishing boat rental | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pontoon rental | No | Yes | Yes |
| Jet ski rental | No | No | Yes |
| Minimum rental period | 1 hour | Not specified | 1 day (pickup); 2–5 days (delivery) |
| Fuel/marina services | Yes | No | No |
| Delivery to cottage | Not advertised | No | Yes |
| Accommodation on site | No | Yes | No |
| Emergency rescue | Yes (24/7) | No | No |
Paddlers and day-trippers who want flexibility — including the ability to rent by the hour — will find Thurstonia Marina the most practical option, and it’s the only operator on this list with full marina services if you also need fuel or repairs. Visitors staying at the resort who want to fish Goose Bay without bringing their own boat should look at Fish and Rest Cottage Resort & Boat Rental Marina (Newly Rebuilt & Newly Furnished Cottages), where rentals pair naturally with on-site accommodation. Cottage owners planning an extended stay who want a pontoon or a larger fishing boat delivered to their dock should contact Buckeye Rentals, keeping in mind the multi-day minimums that apply to delivery bookings.
Thurstonia Marina in Dunsford rents kayaks directly on Sturgeon Lake, with rentals available by the hour. Buckeye Rentals also offers kayak rentals but is based in Bobcaygeon and would need to deliver to your location.
Fish and Rest Cottage Resort & Boat Rental Marina (Newly Rebuilt & Newly Furnished Cottages) rents pontoon boats on-site at their Sturgeon Lake resort near Lindsay. Buckeye Rentals offers a wider range of pontoon sizes (21-foot and 23-foot) and can deliver to Sturgeon Lake, but requires a two-day minimum for delivery. Thurstonia Marina does not advertise pontoon rentals.
Buckeye Rentals offers boat delivery across the Kawartha Lakes region, including Sturgeon Lake. Pontoon boats and jet skis require a two-day minimum for delivery; fishing boats require a five-day minimum. The other two operators do not advertise cottage delivery.
Buckeye Rentals lists fishing boat rates starting at $175/day for a 14′ Yukon. Thurstonia Marina rents fishing boats by the hour, which may be more cost-effective for a shorter outing. Fish and Rest Cottage Resort & Boat Rental Marina (Newly Rebuilt & Newly Furnished Cottages) offers fishing boat rentals but does not publish per-day rates.
In Canada, motorized vessel operators generally need a Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC). Buckeye Rentals can issue a temporary boater safety checklist in lieu of a PCOC for pontoon and fishing boat rentals, and requires a valid G-class driver’s licence and a minimum age of 19 (21 for jet skis). Check with Thurstonia Marina and Fish and Rest Cottage Resort & Boat Rental Marina (Newly Rebuilt & Newly Furnished Cottages) directly for their specific requirements.
Details verified as of July 2026.
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