Looking for recommendation on where to fish for trip in two weeks

[OttawaPhil]

Good morning,
My friend and I are going to go fishing in the kipawa area May 18-23. We want to fish for trout first two days then add walleye and pike after the 20th when the season for them opens. We want to camp. We are in a 14' aluminum with a 9.9hp in good condition.

We were considering launching from the "Public" Boat Launch at Taggart Bay.  What do you gentlemen with more experience in the area think? Or could you suggest better options? We want to know where we would have the best luck to get big trout, pike and walleye. I have only been to kipawa twice and we just fished the first bay next to the town of kipawa. Fishing was ok there, but we are hoping if we go further back, maybe the less traveled areas would be better?  Good small islands to camp at would be nice too, but they seem easy enough to find if you look. Mainly want to know where the fish are.

Any ideas, and discussion is encouraged. Thank you very much for your help!

[Canuckbass]

I wish I knew where the fish are too! Would make fishing easy.

[T-Bone]

Launch at Mungo Depot on Lac Grindstone and into Lac McLachlin; prime 'eye and pike territory early in the year. I'm sure there is laker habitat close-by. Stop by Puckster's place...he's over there somewhere...

[OttawaPhil]

Thanks for the tip T-Bone!

So you guys think Lac McLachlin will be better than Taggart Bay?  I will lookup where that is.

[limacharley]

Phil-
Launch at the public launch in Kipawa. The 18th will be slow since its a Wednesday. Drive your boat 6.5 km up the lake due North. Just before the first set of narrows called Chenail Beauvin there's a 5 acre island. Plenty of firewood and flat ground for camping. You'll be protected from the wind if there's any. Venture through the narrows and fish that body of water for lakers. Lots of small bays in that lake.  Fish around your camp for pickerel. There's smaller islands there with plenty of structure and shallows.

The island i'm talking about is located at 46°50'13" N and 78°58'46" W. On Google earth, it's shaped like an arrowhead pointing east.

[OttawaPhil]

You know what's funny, last time I was there in September that's the exact island I camped at. 

You think the fishing near the narrows is better than the seemingly more remote taggart bay and lac kipawa?

[limacharley]

There's always people fishing near those islands when I go by. They are local cottagers, I'm sure.
I can't speak of fishing the Laniel end of the lake...never fished there.

[OttawaPhil]

Ok, thanks for the info. I was thinking the same thing that there are always people fishing there at the narrows and at that shallow rock garden near the island kind of. That's why we were thinking of going to a more remote place a little farther from the town of kipawa crowds.

Anyone have any experience with the more remote areas? Is the fishing better than the more easily accessible areas?

[Jay Thomas]

While I have not fished Lake Kipawa since Sep 2013, I did spent 17 weeks fishing there over 12 years. I always fished the north eastern arm out of 3 Seasons Camp (boated in from Taggart Bay Lodge dock area). There are numerous lake trout runs in the north eastern arm of the lake and none better known than the channel that runs right past 3 Seasons Camp. Two other trout runs up there are in Loon Bay out in front of Two Moon Lodge and in the east side of the lake in Belisle Bay. If you haven't already, get a copy of the bathymetric maps for Lake Kipawa. I was going to post the web reference for them but when I visited the site this morning, there was a message that bathymetric maps are now under the purview of the Environment Department. I'm waiting for a response from Environment about how to access those bathymetric maps again. Sure hope they didn't dispose of that info.

As for walleye and northerns, they are where ever you can find them. The north eastern arm is full of structure conducive to good walleye fishing.

Lastly, just a caveat. Even though you mentioned that you have fished Lake Kipawa previously, IMHO, a 14 foot tinny with a 9.9HP outboard is a stretch, especially on the larger expanses of water. On one occasion, poor planning on my part ended up with us out in Hay Bay in four footers trying to get back to camp. Hay Bay occasionally produces rollers over 6 feet.

If you opt for fishing the north eastern arm and put in at Taggart Bay, there's a nice island called Picnic Island that you might consider camping on. Going south from Taggart Bay, Picnic Island is near the entrance to Loon Bay.

Jay   

[OttawaPhil]

Thanks for all the great info guys!  We will definitely stay safe (near shore if any windy weather).

[Oarin]

I agree with Jay. A 9.9 and 14 ft. boat could get very interesting in bad weather. If you put in at Taggarts you will have to cross Queens Bay. On a windy day that can be scary in a 16ft. with a 20 horse. Last year my son and I had 2-3 foot waves rolling down the bay. If you're heading towards the Narrows and the area Jay mentioned the waves will be hitting you on the side of your boat. There have been many times I didn't risk it in the 16ft fiberglass boat. If you do get through it Wolf Bay holds pike and walleyes. I'm not sure if Picnic Island allows camping, you might want to check that out first.

[smitty55]

You know what's funny, last time I was there in September that's the exact island I camped at. 

You think the fishing near the narrows is better than the seemingly more remote taggart bay and lac kipawa?

All my trips have been to the hub area except once down to Red Pine Chute end. That one wasn't worth dealing with the Maniwaki road.

My suggestion would be to travel another 7km north to the shortcut just before Corbeau Island. The only two times I camped on Kipawa that's where we camped. There are at least two sites there on the right. During the week you won't have a problem. This puts you right at the hub of the whole Kipawa watershed, so you can travel in any direction from there. You are in prime Laker water for sure, with lots of islands to get out of the wind if need be. Once walleye opens areas like Kelly Bay, Sandbanks, and of course down past Alwaki  to Turtle Chute once the sanctuary opens up. My PB Walleye came from the back corner of Corbeau island one late June full moon night at 10:30. Over 11lbs, it easily won the Corbeau lodge largest Pickeral of the week contest. Paid for my gas for the trip and chunk of the booze.    And while I'm bragging lol, my buddy Jim that week also caught a Laker over 10lb that won the biggest trout of the week.  I tell you what, it sure felt good showing up all those fancy Americans with their expensive rigs. With my 14ft Yukon and an old 20hp Johnson we easily had the plainest rig at the lodge. My Lowrance 1510B paper graph excepted hehe.

You are going up there real early season Phil, which to me means targeting areas closer to Walleye spawning grounds as they disperse. Hence the areas I mentioned.  Sandbanks always has boats on it most evenings all summer long. Some of those main lake shoals that are good for evening fishing in the summer might not produce as much yet.

Don't worry too much about the 14 footer. Fish the calm times of the day. It's the 9.9 that really limits you the most. My first trip up there was camping with a 12ft smokercraft and a 1972 6hp Johnson. Haha.  The next year I bought the Yukon new. Borrowed an old 68 20hp for a few years before buying my 1980 industrial model. Still own both rigs actually.

Good luck on your trip. I can only wish these days.

Cheers

[Riverrat]

I have fished the Laniel end for the last 40 years.  The Walleye don't move in to our end of the lake until early June.  The Lake Trout fishing is good.  After the 1st week of June the Laniel end is great for Walleye but you need to know the area

[OttawaPhil]

So is this still launching from the town of kipawa? then boat through the narrows and keep going to corbeau island?
We are still trying to decide where to go. Leaving in 44 hours 8-)
I also made a mistake, I thought he had a 14' and a 9.9, turns out it is a 12' and 9.9. We will pack light ;-)

You know what's funny, last time I was there in September that's the exact island I camped at. 

You think the fishing near the narrows is better than the seemingly more remote taggart bay and lac kipawa?

All my trips have been to the hub area except once down to Red Pine Chute end. That one wasn't worth dealing with the Maniwaki road.

My suggestion would be to travel another 7km north to the shortcut just before Corbeau Island. The only two times I camped on Kipawa that's where we camped. There are at least two sites there on the right. During the week you won't have a problem. This puts you right at the hub of the whole Kipawa watershed, so you can travel in any direction from there. You are in prime Laker water for sure, with lots of islands to get out of the wind if need be. Once walleye opens areas like Kelly Bay, Sandbanks, and of course down past Alwaki  to Turtle Chute once the sanctuary opens up. My PB Walleye came from the back corner of Corbeau island one late June full moon night at 10:30. Over 11lbs, it easily won the Corbeau lodge largest Pickeral of the week contest. Paid for my gas for the trip and chunk of the booze.    And while I'm bragging lol, my buddy Jim that week also caught a Laker over 10lb that won the biggest trout of the week.  I tell you what, it sure felt good showing up all those fancy Americans with their expensive rigs. With my 14ft Yukon and an old 20hp Johnson we easily had the plainest rig at the lodge. My Lowrance 1510B paper graph excepted hehe.

You are going up there real early season Phil, which to me means targeting areas closer to Walleye spawning grounds as they disperse. Hence the areas I mentioned.  Sandbanks always has boats on it most evenings all summer long. Some of those main lake shoals that are good for evening fishing in the summer might not produce as much yet.

Don't worry too much about the 14 footer. Fish the calm times of the day. It's the 9.9 that really limits you the most. My first trip up there was camping with a 12ft smokercraft and a 1972 6hp Johnson. Haha.  The next year I bought the Yukon new. Borrowed an old 68 20hp for a few years before buying my 1980 industrial model. Still own both rigs actually.

Good luck on your trip. I can only wish these days.

Cheers

[limacharley]

12 foot aluminum........good luck with that !
You better hope there's absolutely no wind during your trip.