T-Bone's Trip 1 Report: Spectacular & Unbearable

[T-Bone]

Don't have time for a super long report with pics, but here's a quick summary of our trip May 31-June 3:

The Dynamic Duo of me and my nephew Mattie left central Ohio at 5:30AM on 5/30 and were across the border by 10AM. No cars at Customs, and we breezed right through the Peace Bridge connector.
 
We stopped in Vaughan north of Toronto and met up with Rhybak for a quick lunch at Gordo's Diner. We shared some insights and gave Rhybak some 'gifts' from the US...then off we went north. No meaningful delays all the way up and by 5PM we were done shopping and sitting on the shore of Lake Nippissing, Ontario enjoying a few beers taking in the view from our hotel beachfront dock.
 
By 7:30AM on Friday we had our leeches from Trapper Joe's, stopped for brew provisions at gas station in Temiscaming, licenses at Pronature, and by 9:15AM we were on our way to Alwaki Lodge.
 
After settling-in and setting-up on a beautifully sunny Friday morning, we decided to try our luck with walleyes at a spot we have had success before. Started jigging in 15'...nothing. Then tried jigging in 22', nothing. Then moved in shallow (9') and cutover to slip bobber presentation. BOOM! Within an hour we had caught between 15-20 walleyes...95% keepers, a few over...I believe no unders. We stopped and visited quickly with Stu (Knuckles) and Erin at their place on Sunnyside Depot, then back to Alwaki for lunch. We went back out around 1PM and scoped a few other spots, then went back to "the spot" and got another 25 or so...same ratio on keepers. That evening, we hit it again...another 30 or so...same ratio. Fishing was on fire!

Saturday mid-morning, same routine...same success. Saturday afternoon we hooked up with Ozzy and his wife Les and went down to their place on Hunter's Lake for lunch and some happy hour drinks. After sitting around and drinking our inventory, we cruised back up to the Alwaki Lodge area and trolled...got a few. I had to convince Ozzy that we need to anchor 'right here' and he obliged. Same results as before...lots of opportunity to hook 'ol Wally...and we got several each before calling it a day.

Sunday was one for the books. Mid-morning success. Mid-day success. Evening was silly super-success. We got over 110 walleyes that day, same ratios. Got into a few smallies, but only a handful of 1-2 pounders. We celebrated our success with intent that evening...and noticed (somehow) we were running low on beers inventory. HA!

Monday was our last day...and again, success. A bit slower in morning, so we hit a shallow bay to try for some pike. 10 minutes into that I had a 38" fatty on the hook and he took me all over the place. Un-hooked him boatside and back he went into the depths. Several topwater explosions and many follows from some giant fish. So exciting. That evening, "the spot" we had to ourselves for days was now a parking lot of other boats (word gets out fast!), but we knew we were on the EXACT spot and started killing them again. Other boats were catching a handful, but nothing like we were. After about an hour or so, we kept a stringer of 8 keepers and headed into camp to pack-up and prepare for our trip home. We heard a boat that was there "took" over our spot right when we left and they got a dozen keepers right away.
 
By 9AM on Tuesday we were on our way south to North Bay and by 7PM we were home...no issues with traffic, no wait at border.
 
What a trip...best fishing by far in my ~30 trips to the lake. That's the upside. On the downside, the black flies and deer flies absolutely ate us up. My face and neck were chewed raw...over 30 bites on neck and face alone...and I was wearing a hat and hooded gaiter all the time, head net when necessary. I look like I have chicken pox. Mattie got chewed pretty good too, but mostly his neck and legs. It was an absolute onslaught of bugs...and we lost, big time. Almost unbearable. Suffice it to say, I'm not likely to voluntarily go when the chance of black flies is that high ever again. Almost drove me insane. But...you never know.

So, there you have it. Looking forward to our trip at end of July for some more action and time with my Kipawa friends. Can't wait!

48 days...

[Jay Thomas]

Great report T-Bone. Thanks for sharing. Trust you'll enjoy similar success in July.

Jay

[Jow]

Great report T!! Thats a good amount of fish!!!

[BH]

Thanks for sharing.  This fishing sounded remarkable!  I have never been up to Kipawa that early in the season because of my dislike for being devoured by bugs.

August 3rd for me this year.

[smitty55]

I hear you about the bugs, good thing the fishing was so great. I made one trip up there in early June and it was the same as you, never again. It's hard to enjoy a special trip when the bugs make everything so miserable even with high strength Muskol.
So we've all heard of the "spot on the spot" idiom. In your case were you able to figure out what was the key on that particular structure you were on as even boats that weren't that far away didn't have your success rate every time you went there?
Cheers

[penner]

Todd. Sounds like you and Matty had an awesome trip aside from the bugs. Was thinking of heading up this week for a few days but now I'm having second thoughts.

[Oarin]

Wow, T-Bone! The fishing was amazing, My first trip to Quebec was in June to Martins 1990 in the Gouin Reservoir. We had a very similar experence, great fishing, but the bugs ate us alive! I swore I would never do that again and never have. Glad you guys had a great time.

[Hodgey1]

So we've all heard of the "spot on the spot" idiom. In your case were you able to figure out what was the key on that particular structure you were on as even boats that weren't that far away didn't have your success rate every time you went there?

What he said.....

[T-Bone]

So we've all heard of the "spot on the spot" idiom. In your case were you able to figure out what was the key on that particular structure you were on as even boats that weren't that far away didn't have your success rate every time you went there?

Combination of wind, current, and bottom structure all aligning in a defined collection area that was stacking the walleyes and baitfish. There is another almost identical structure not far from there were we saw a boat sitting all the time. I think current 'strenth' on our area of Lake Kipawa is the biggest factor as to where the walleyes are or not at any given time of the year.

[Hodgey1]

Great report Tbone as always. This sounded like one heck of a trip, at least from a fishing standpoint. I would love to experience fishing there when it's that good, but "and it's a big but" the bugs. They sounded awful.

[knuckles]

It was great seeing you and Matty once again.
Looking forward to seeing a few more forum members this year, and we should be seeing you again in July.

I am up in 4 days for a week. Hoping to catch up with Ozzy and Les once again if they are up.

Few days of construction, and hopefully a few days of fishing if all goes well. So far i have only been fishing off the sunnyside dock.



Cheers

Stu

[T-Bone]

I can't imagine a better place to go fishing. I've said it a 1,000 times...