Bugs

[Hodgey1]

After just reading a trip report about how bad the black flies were this month, I'm wondering what people's thoughts are on the bug season at kipawa.

Do you push through and deal with them?

Or do you purposefully choose other times of the year to fish, because of the flies?

If its that you deal with them, do you have particular remedy or techniques to combat the little bugger.

[smitty55]

After just reading a trip report about how bad the black flies were this month, I'm wondering what people's thoughts are on the bug season at kipawa.

Do you push through and deal with them?

Or do you purposefully choose other times of the year to fish, because of the flies?

If its that you deal with them, do you have particular remedy or techniques to combat the little bugger.

Over my 20 years of going to Kipawa our trips over time got later and later into the summer, from early June to mid June to July long weekends to finally for the last 10 trips or so to the August long weekend which were the most pleasurable weeks of all. Even with high strength deet and mosquito coils in the cabins having to deal with bugs was a negative factor that took away from the trip. Nothing worse than trying to sleep at night and having to continually swat at skitters. By August bugs were rarely a concern,a quick getaway from the dock left the deer flies behind and fly dope wasn't needed to sit around outside the camp. Water was warm enough for swimming, weather was usually great and fishing was stable with the thermocline set up for Lakers and Walleye well setup in their summer haunts. As a single parent with three kids the overall enjoyment of my trips was paramount in the long run and the calming "Kipawa Magic" effect of that most important vacation of the year stayed with me for months, even my kids noted how much more laid back I was after returning from Kipawa.I would never go back in early season.
Cheers

[RHYBAK]

Bugs?  What Bugs?

I plan my trips when the fishing is good.
I'm there to fish, not worry if I can sit back near the fire and drink beer.

I'll sit in the cabin a in the evenings when the bugs are bad and I will be out on the lake when fishing.
Out on the lake , I only notice bugs at 9:30 at night when the wind dies down and at that time I'm usually headed back to the cabin.

There are no bugs at KIPAWA in June.
Not that I've noticed.

May as well stay home if bugs are going to ruin your fishing trip.

[Hodgey1]

I'm with you Smitty, if the bugs are as thick as I heard them described last week I'll skip the great fishing and wait for the bugs to subside for what is typically really good fishing in July. Not all of us have tons of time off or easy access to Kipawa, so my two trips a year are geared towards periods of time when the fishing is good as well as the bugs and the weather. Kipawa is not just a fishing trip for me, its also a relaxing vacation. like you Smitty, when I get home I feel I'm a different person And can't wait to get back to do it all over again.

Glad the bugs weren't an issue John, Tbone's description at his part of the lake sounded unbearable at times.

In starting this thread I was curious to see if there's any magic out there when it comes to dealing with the blackflies, besides to troll and keep moving.

As I'm typing this on my patio after work, the Noseeums are eating me alive. Hate the little buggers. 

[RickOnt]

I am up to my camp on Lake Temiscaming from late April to late October

Bugs are fine in April and May come June, is sometimes not so good LOL, since we cannot get the 90% deet Muskol anymore,

I am dating myself

I have great success with Watkins bug repellant lotion when there is no breeze and the bugs are out

[smitty55]

I'm with you Smitty, if the bugs are as thick as I heard them described last week I'll skip the great fishing and wait for the bugs to subside for what is typically really good fishing in July. Not all of us have tons of time off or easy access to Kipawa, so my two trips a year are geared towards periods of time when the fishing is good as well as the bugs and the weather. Kipawa is not just a fishing trip for me, its also a relaxing vacation. like you Smitty, when I get home I feel I'm a different person And can't wait to get back to do it all over again.

Glad the bugs weren't an issue John, Tbone's description at his part of the lake sounded unbearable at times.

In starting this thread I was curious to see if there's any magic out there when it comes to dealing with the blackflies, besides to troll and keep moving.

As I'm typing this on my patio after work, the Noseeums are eating me alive. Hate the little buggers. 

Yea there's no doubt June is far worse than July or August for bugs but it does get better later in the month, specially if there's some good hot spells. Our target fish going to Kipawa was always Lakers, Pickerel were secondary and some guys wouldn't fish for them at all, specially the heavy drinkers who were hammered while I was heading out for the evening/night fishing. One year in July we only fished for Lakers so the last night I went down to the dock at Alwaki and caught my limit to bring home including the largest of the week so I took that weeks jackpot.My biggest Pickerel of 11.5lb was caught in late June at night, one year in July I caught a 25.5" and a 26.5" to beat out Bruce in the other cabin with a 26" and as for Lakers we always did well anytime but the average size seemed best that first week of August.Sunnyside in June was good for the evening fish but average size was small so it wasn't a big draw and you were continually dodging other boats. I don't really get a big kick catching lot's of smaller fish, what I call best fishing is when average size is better even if the numbers are down.Fishing is always good at Kipawa anyway so the other factors like bugs and weather play a big role for me when it comes to the overall enjoyment of my trips up there along with the comradery of spending the week with two or three cabins full of my good friends.Even the times spent at the bar with Carl and Mary were a memorable part of the trip, even when we were at Corbeau we always made sure to drop in for a visit. Like you said Chris, it's not just a fishing trip, it's a vacation.
Cheers

[smitty55]

Bugs?  What Bugs?

I plan my trips when the fishing is good.
I'm there to fish, not worry if I can sit back near the fire and drink beer.

I'll sit in the cabin a in the evenings when the bugs are bad and I will be out on the lake when fishing.
Out on the lake , I only notice bugs at 9:30 at night when the wind dies down and at that time I'm usually headed back to the cabin.

There are no bugs at KIPAWA in June.
Not that I've noticed.

May as well stay home if bugs are going to ruin your fishing trip.

I do stay home when the bugs are that bad and would much rather enjoy my trip when the bugs aren't an issue and the weather is better. That way nothing is ruined. As for no bugs in June you must be in dreamland,you may want to reread TBone's trip report.

[T-Bone]

Rhybak is just being a tough guy. There's no way the bugs were "not bad"...in 30mph winds somehow those black flies are all the way in the middle of the lake swarming around the boat.

Ask Ozzy what we encountered at his cottage...I'd never seen anything like it. And he admitted he had not either. Brutal.

[smitty55]

Rhybak is just being a tough guy. There's no way the bugs were "not bad"...in 30mph winds somehow those black flies are all the way in the middle of the lake swarming around the boat.

Ask Ozzy what we encountered at his cottage...I'd never seen anything like it. And he admitted he had not either. Brutal.

I get it, I remember Rhybak back in the old forums, but I must admit he has mellowed out for the most part over the last 5+ years.

[RHYBAK]

Rhybak is just being a tough guy. There's no way the bugs were "not bad"...in 30mph winds somehow those black flies are all the way in the middle of the lake swarming around the boat.

Ask Ozzy what we encountered at his cottage...I'd never seen anything like it. And he admitted he had not either. Brutal.

I get it, I remember Rhybak back in the old forums, but I must admit he has mellowed out for the most part over the last 5+ years.

LOL... Thanks smitty55.

Don't get me wrong. We do have bugs but the fishing over rides bugs.
When the fishing is good, the bugs do not exist in my mind.
Mellowness comes with old age.

[penner]

Why not just stop at Powassan and pick up a bug coat? Was sure glad I had it 2 weeks ago.

[knuckles]

At camp currently.
Still some blackflies but they have definately mellowed out.
Rained last night so the mosquitos will be thicker today for sure.
The deerflies and horseflies are also about.

Did some dockside motor work, lower end, water pump/impeller, thermostat, prop and plugs..got more bites than i thought i would and that was in a breeze.

Today we fetch some lumber and work on the guest cabin.
Gonna be a hot week for construction.

Cheers

Stu