25 July - 1 August 2015, TBL Trip Report

[Dog]

2015 Family Fishing Expedition to Canada

Prelude
I decided to delay posting our 2015 Trip report for a variety of reasons… mostly personal (just too darn busy upon return) but also to let the bitter taste leave my mouth a bit so I could reflect on the expedition in a more objective light and also to give everyone something new to read on here during the coldest days of winter (which it appears have finally arrived).

Introduction
This year marked the 8th consecutive year for our family fishing trip in the modern era.
Junkateers on this years’ trip included myself (Dog), Flag, Crab, and Doc.
[Here is the link to our 2014 trip report if you want some more background before reading about this years expedition: http://kipawafishingforum.net/index.php?topic=180.0 ]

[Unc withdrew from this years’ trip so he could better attend to personal matters on the Durham homefront and Dime withdrew from this years’ trip because he had a family boating vacation planned with the wife and kids at their Deep Creek Lake, MD condo with their new boat. So, life goes on… but so must the fishing expedition.]

This year we decided to change it up a little bit and try Taggart Bay Lodge on Lake Kipawa.
Thanks to some great trip reports on the fishing forum from years past by the likes of @Oarin and @rambler, we had a good idea on what to expect and felt comfortable straying from the superb hospitality we experienced the past 4 years at Lake Ogascanan, even if temporarily to try something different…

Thursday July 23rd, 2015
With the notification signs posted at home and the office…




It was time to depart the Burgh…
We all rendezvoused at the Lakehouse in Erie.



Aunt Em (Flag’s sisters) and Uncle Pete hosted us for Thursday evening July 23rd. Nothing like some great family hospitality, food and enjoying eachother’s company. This year the FBS (Farewell Beer Swap) was cancelled due to Unc not selecting a theme or making the trip, but that didn’t stop us 4 from enjoying a beverage of choice at Nate’s landing overlooking Lake Erie.







Their lakehouse is truly a peaceful and majestic retreat... (perhaps the best part is that it can be completely off-the-grid, self-sustaining property in the event of an emergency) the views are simply breathtaking looking out on to Lake Erie, especially at sunrise and sunset.
After sunset we all gathered inside to watch the 2014 fishing video to relive some highlights from the previous 7 years of fishing trips…. The video was followed by the nightly back of the eyelid inspection.

Friday July 24th, 2015
We were up early and so having already rearranged our gear and loadout the night prior, we decided to hit the road in an effort to beat the rush hour traffic across the Peace Bridge into Canada.
Off like a herd of turtles in column formation with Thor leading Stella to the first stop in Angola…
With all our usual stops of years past, except Billy Bob’s for bait, we arrived at the Auberge Canadian for the night around 6pm.
We got checked in and settled in to our table on the patio for our evening bite and bull$iet session before hitting the hay for the evening.
The highlight of the evening was Crab downing the “Canadian” softserve special from across the street. This consisted of Vanilla softserve, covered with Canadian Maple Syrup and smothered in bacon, enough said! Ya gotta try this in 2016 for sure!



Saturday July 25th, 2015
Following breakfast at the Auberge Canadienne diner, we requisitioned our perishable provisions at the new IGA across the street and a few blocks of ice for our drink cooler at the gas station and we were off, across the 101 bridge to Laniel and to check in at TBL for a week of off the grid fishing relaxation.
After a few surprises during checkin that we had to get ironed out, we got settled in to Cabin #4, the Angler’s Retreat, and then launched Liberty Call into Lake Kipawa waters for the first time and got her snuggled up in her parking spot for the week on our dock.



Once that was accomplished it was time for Crab’s annual opening meal brisket meal, followed by the required food coma/nap session (hey, life is hard on this fishing trip!), and then it was out on the water to start the 2015 Crystal Head Competition!
[This year the Crystal Head competition went “high-tech” with automated scoring (using excel) to make life easier in determining the winner at the end of the week. During the offseason a few amendments to the rules/ scoring were also voted on and adopted by the Six Pack for the 2015 CHC.]
The first session saw Flag and Crab in Liberty Call and Dog and Doc in the TBL rental boat. By 1800 we found a decent looking coast to drift between Hidden Bay and Snake Bay and put lines in the water to start the quest for the Crystal Head. Doc was first to set the hook on a nice 19” yellow



then Dog dibbled a nibble with a nice 17.5” yellow…





after a few more drift resets of no hits we made their way down to the sandbar to drift around with Flag and Crab.



Flag landed his Crystal Head Fish, a 32”, 7.5lb Northern.





It was back to the Angler’s Retreat as a heavy storm (with lightning) rolled in hot n heavy down the lake. The skies opened up just as we finished getting tied up to the dock. It was a close call for sure… Lesson learned on Kipawa, hear Thunder = Hightail it to the cabin.



Sunday July 26th, 2015
Highlights of today was Doc’s Texas Spaghetti concoction (shared some with Rambler) and also Rambler came over in the afternoon to share some of his wealth of knowledge about the Lake, Crab and Doc got the official debriefing…



Dog got one:



Monday July 27th, 2015
Flag landed two walleye in the morning session.





Rambler came over and shared a few fillets with us so we could have enough fish to have our first fish fry of the week. Crab cooked up some excellent fish tacos (sesame ginger soy sauce from Trader Joes, new favorite way to eat fresh caught walleye!)



Nightly sessions we all go skunked but we had some nice relaxing drifts and Unc made his first sighting out on the water!



Tuesday July 28th, 2015
Slow, Hot, & Sweaty (no not the JJ Grey song… this was the theme pretty much for the rest of the week)
This morning Crab and Dog went out and watched @rambler Catch SM bass at his favorite spot: https://youtu.be/-pNMUqL5N-E

We picked up a few too out of the same hole including this hefty slab by Crab!…



Doc caught one in the morning session.



We tried some laker fishing and exploration down thru the narrows near Two Moons Lodge (chatted real quick with the owners there who were out eating lunch at their picnic table overlooking their bay, real nice people).
The lake seems healthy with tons of newborn fingerlings around our dock area…



Sunset has never been so welcome…



Note to Self: add battery operated fans in packout, hard to sleep when you are schweating

Wednesday July 29th, 2015
The catching was so bad that Dog and Doc took a knee from the morning session and slept in.
Crab and Flag went out and Flag picked up one walleye.



Doc and Dog drove to Ville Marie to requisition reinforcements of Mr Jack Daniels and a Mr Coke.
Got back caught and caught one deadsticking off the dock…



Thursday July 30th, 2015
Accidentally broke my sunglasses today by stepping on them inside the boat after they fell off my head..
Great glasses if you’re looking for a moderately priced pair of polarized & floating sunglasses. Replacements have been ordered by the time of this trip report.
Flag and I out in Liberty Call this morning… picked up two walleyes a nice 20” (longest of our trip).





Lots of relaxing this afternoon (just no point going out to roast in the boats on the water)… read a book on the porch and Doc found his favorite relaxation spot in the shade next to the spring/ waterfall that emptied into the lake near our cabin.







Friday July 31st, 2015
Flag and Dog decided to rally the troops at 0430 and head out in Liberty Call before sunrise. Lots of fun but no species caught worth reporting…


Crab picked up two while out with Doc in the AM…





We packed up early this afternoon and decided not to go out fishing (no point really) and named the 2015 Crystal Head (and repeat)
Champion:


Flag with 184.5 points (the best of the worst this year)!

Saturday August 1st, 2015
Rolled out at first twilight.

Closing Thoughts:
The weather was absolutely brutal for walleye fishing pretty much all week. No clouds, high sun, no wind and hot as heck. It was great for bass fishing, but alas we did not travel 2 days (3 for Crab from Texas) to catch bass. The weather combined with it being our first time to the big lake greatly impacted our catching results (23 total fish across 4 guys for 5.5 days). Nonetheless, it was one heck of a relaxing week with decent accommodations (sans the nightly mouse visits in the cabin) surrounded by some spectacular scenery.
If our 2015 expedition validated nothing else it was one should never leave fun to find fun.

We are really excited to go back to Lake O for 2016.

[puckster_guy]

 Wow, sounds like a great trip. So nice to see summer pics this time of year. I'm already dying to head up. I love that variety of beers. A long time ago I used to brew it, A lot of work but worth the results. Your on holidays so live it up.

[CaptainCrappie]

Just an awesome report Dog!  And what an incredible lake house on Erie!  Those pics are proof that you had a great time. Lots of smiles to go around.  As far as storms go, our groups experience, after learning the hard way is.... At the first sign of dark clouds....head for the hills cause by the time you hear thunder, you better get those rain suits on!  Nice to spend a January evening looking at your report and dreaming of times gone by.  Thanks for posting.

C.C.

[SgtCrabby]

Puck, I didn't know you brewed too;  I just finished bottling my last batch. 
C.C.,  Luckily we were close to the cabins when we heard the thunder.  Interesting to watch a half dozen boats all going to the same place at full throttle.

[puckster_guy]

Hey Sarge. It's been a long time since my last batch....my son on law does now. instead of bottling he puts it into a keg. Gonna get back into it come retirement time. Too busy now.

[Jay Thomas]

Thanks for your report Nate - and especially for all the pics. Sorry that your first experience on Lake Kipawa wasn't up to snuff. Seems like fishing (both for walleye and for lake trout) on Lake Kipawa is in a downturn. Consequently, it's easy to understand your eagerness to return to Ogascanan. I understand that Ogascanan and a few other lakes in ZEC Kipawa instituted a maximum harvest length of 21 inches back in 2012. I would think that would auger well for catching larger walleye in Lac Ogascanan - still provides lots of enjoyment even though those walleye > 21 inches have to be returned to the water. We all understand and accept that the weather can greatly impact our fishing trips. Unfortunately, the weather can be a crap shoot - sometimes you luck in and other times you don't.  The weather during our first trip last summer (14 - 22 Aug) was great - just 11 days after you left Kipawa. Weather for our second trip (8 - 16 Sep) was even better.

Jay

[Oarin]

Thanks for the report Nate. Great pictures ! Sorry about the tough fishing. Capt. Guy always said Weather trumps everything. Several years ago we faced the same conditions with the same results as you. On one day the surface water temp was actually 89 degrees !!! After that year we switched to late August. Like you said, if you're happy with where you go, why go elsewhere? For me, at my age, being close to a hospital or doctor is important. Plus, it takes more than a year to learn most lakes and I know the Taggart area well. I can't see me chasing fun when I already have it.  Years ago I would have loved to bushwack my way to a more remote camp. Even did it twice to Martin's in the Gouin Res. Last thought, your boat is stinking GORGEOUS !!

[getthenet]

Thanks Dog,just what a guy needs to get the juices flowing in the middle of January !!!

[Greg]

Fantastic pics  - great to see on a cold January day.

To bad you hit a hot week and the weathe shut down the bite, but don't give up on Kipawa - I look at all your pics and not only see smiles, but "total peaceful smiles".

I was at Alwaki lodge from the 16th to 20th - a week earlier than you arrived and the three of us did ok - over 50 fish in total and we did not fish hard, we spent a lot of time exploring, cooking fantastic means and mostly trolling - I can usually produce bigger numbers by jigging.  My trip report... http://gregkipawa2015.weebly.com/

Cheers,
Greg

[johnny walleye]

This post was just what I needed  January pick me up, love all the pics
new lake and weather can equal low numbers of fish. but beats being at work any day of the week.
thanks I always look forward to crystal skull report.

[SgtCrabby]

Yes, we got there for a warm week that gave the walleye a case of lockjaw. Captain Guy is correct: weather trumps all.

Greg, I enjoyed your trip report.   
May I ask what goes into your night cap cup of shame?   With a suitable beverage in it, I'll be happy to take it next. When it comes to hockey, I follow the Dallas Stars, but I'm not an adamant hard core hockey fan.

[T-Bone]

Great report; we stayed in Cabin 4 one year while trying TBL. Nice cabin if I recall correctly, but we were there in September so the heat wasn't a factor...ice on the boat was though. 

Not sure I'd describe the fishing for walleye on Kipawa as being in a downturn though; we had some of the best fishing we've ever had on Kipawa last year...at that was our 16th year in a row. Go out fishing (weather and time of day seemed to matter little), catch walleyes. The only think keeping us off the lake were the swarms of skeeters flying in the nose, ears, mouth, eyes...you get the picture. Personally, I think different parts of the lake lend themselves to better conditions for some fish than others. We struggled mightily with the walleye up around TBL, but never around Corbeau or Alwaki and areas to the southeast of there. Had no problem catching pike around TBL though. The lake structure up there is different than down around where we usually go...probably some of the reason why we struggled so much as we were trying tactics that worked for us in another area instead of reading the lake and changing up for new structure conditions.

Again...great report...nice read on this Friday in January. Good luck at Lake O in 2016...

195.77...

[Greg]

Sgtcrabby... night cap cup of shame is more about whats on the outside versus what is in the cup... we all like rum and coke so all three drinks were made equal. We also had 3 different kinds of beer with us and some rye.... we are not picky!!!

I like Dallas Stars also - I can watch any hockey really, but as I live in Ottawa, I must support our local senators (even if they are not playing with much passion consistently lately).

Cheers,
   Greg

[RHYBAK]

Dog
Great post to see in January.
Just curios about your one picture showing the small fish near the dock and you said fingerlings?
I hope you meant Perch?
Those were Perch .

[SgtCrabby]

Correct;  perch fingerlings.   Finger sized young fish.
A preferred prey of walleye, so the walleye will be fat and happly = healthy population.

Greg; gotcha on outside of glass.  Can I wrap the glass in duct tape (handymans secret weapon) and commence drinking the contents without shame.  Love rum & coke.   
Always support your local team,  no matter how they're playing.   Mines the Dallas Stars.