Alwaki July 29 - Aug 5

[Hodgey1]

Alwaki July 29-Aug 5

Wow, where to start? What a trip, just 358 more days till our next week at Alwaki and I can't wait.This was our first trip to both Kipawa and to Alwaki, both were more than I could have hoped for. Brian, Tina and company operate one really nice facility and quality camp.  Cabins, boats, grills, porch chairs, cooking utensils, cleanliness, docks, are all top notch. The place runs like a well oiled machine.

I was pointed to Kipawa by the forum and to Alwaki by Tbone "member here", who I can't thank enough for all his help. We also booked the same week as he and his group. He recommended this particular week to avoid bugs and he said yet, still having good fishing and he couldn't have been more right. The fishing was amazing and the bugs " during the day" nonexistent. At dusk, for around 1.5-2 hrs, the Skeeter's were bad, but no worse than my own house in Pa and the deet took good care of them little creatins. We really enjoyed all the people here. Tbones group, Tennessee Tony and Co. and others made for a fun and memorable trip. Shore lunches that included fresh walleye fried to perfection with sweet potatoes fries and hush puppies. Afternoon grilling with Ny Strips, cold ones and fish stories. Cocktail hour with walleye appetizer's.  We can not wait to do it all again.

The fishing: We had a short learning curve, thanks to loads of help from Tbone, via maps, suggested techniques, times and depths. We also received help from Tennessee, willing to share their years of experience. Once we had our Kipawa legs, we were unstoppable. The fishing was almost always great and at times amazing. Our last evening, it was storming and looked like we may not get our evening fish on. After an hour delay due to lightning, the two of us set out to hit one of our favorite spots "thanks Tbone!" and in less that 1.5 hrs landed 40 fish with many keeper sized. If we hadn't seen a lightning bolt way off in the distance, I think the count would have been way higher. We tucked tail immediately and headed in even though my son-in-law wanted more, to top our one night total earlier in the week of 45.

The highs: lots of fish, camp, people, the lake, no cell service, hot showers, flush toilet, clean fish house, kick A grill, freezer space for fish, the weather, no bugs, comfy porch chairs, soap dispensers, good cutlery, good pans, gear shuttle to cabin, 4 stroke motor, depth finder, gas siphons, loons, fish fry, knowledge sharing,

The not so highs: Fish size regulations causing anxiety and learning late in the game, you also need to measure cleaned fish to 11" !!! ugh, live bait girlie men, getting up at 4:45a, no fan in bathroom with 6 guys "LOL  "

The Bad: Really nothing, but one thing that made me cranky was a plastic covered mattresses that made me sweat like no tomorrow "Bringing my own mattress cover next year :-) " that will take this trip from a A+ to A++ so no bad's to report.

That's a wrap!! Great trip, I owe a lot of that to the forum and all the people willing to share their years of experience with me!


Hodgey1

[WillageD]

Sounds like an awesome trip! Glad you enjoyed Kipawa. Just to get the juices flowing- what was the biggest Walleye the group landed (or almost landed) during the week? There's gotta be a story, there's always a story!! Haha

[fishtildark]

Great to hear that the maiden voyage was so good. Nothing better as an endorsement of the Lodge, lake and company  than to hear someone talking about next year. Glad you had a good time and safe return. FTD

[Jay Thomas]

Thanks for your report. You had a great first visit to Lake Kipawa. Now, you're hooked!

Jay

[Oarin]

Thanks Hodgey, sounds like a great time and another Kipawa lifer is born.

[Canuckbass]

Glad you enjoyed, it's a place of paradise!!

[Hodgey1]

Sounds like an awesome trip! Glad you enjoyed Kipawa. Just to get the juices flowing- what was the biggest Walleye the group landed (or almost landed) during the week? There's gotta be a story, there's always a story!! Haha

The largest walleye we landed was 18" and the largest Northern was 33". One of the Tennessee guys caught a 31" walleye that looked amazing in a photo.

[Hodgey1]

Thanks willage,  FTD, Canuck, Oarin and Jay. Really, really had a great trip!

[SgtCrabby]

Wow, that great report, it sounds like your group had a successful trip.  And for that you had the luck of good people like T-Bone helping and guiding you.
Another Kipawa lifer!

[Hodgey1]

Wow, that great report, it sounds like your group had a successful trip.  And for that you had the luck of good people like T-Bone helping and guiding you.
Another Kipawa lifer!

My grand sons are just 4 and 1 years old and I'm already looking forward to bringing them to experience it when they get older.

[Greg]

Great success Hodgey!  Way to go... as others say... now you are hooked.  Welcome to that club!  LOL

[NortonJoe]

Sounds like a great trip...Kipawa fishing, and all that goes with it, has a way of becoming a part of you! Just like the fish, you get hooked!

[Hodgey1]

No question, my son in law and I are hooked! We have already begun our list for next year of things we wish we would've had. 

[T-Bone]

Yes...it was a good week up at Alwaki Lodge. I'm putting together the pics and narrative now for my report, but suffice it to say (as Hodgey said) fishing was excellent...albeit in the face of variable weather and wildly changing wind direction. Nice little formula we had going...drop jig, reel in fish. 

Thanks Hodgey for the props, but I just pointed you in the direction...it was up to you and Chad to execute...and you did in spades. Congrats.

Stay tuned...

[Hodgey1]

Yes...it was a good week up at Alwaki Lodge.
Stay tuned...

looking forward to your report TB!