rice is definitely less central, but definitely my favorite of the LM lakes... that one and green timbers. I actually drove to lafarge once to give it a try as it is close to where I now live, and turned around and went home... the environment (IE right in the city with so many people around) just didn't look like a place where i would be comfortable fishing.
Rice has a little of that "into the woods" feel and I can relax and enjoy my surroundings a bit more there. the numerous bays, nooks and crannies also make guessing where the fish are a little more enjoyable, rather than a bog oval shaped duck pond like lafarge.