Lot So Questions

[Greg]

All good advice so far - I stay at Alwaki in mid-July - Next summer will be my 12th trip - I always take 1 or 2 days to explore the lake and go in a new direction where I have never been before (2015 was to Grindstone, 2016 was to Hunters point church, 2017... not sure yet???).

To give you a better feel for the lake and some nice pictures... highlights of our 2015 trip...

http://gregkipawa2015.weebly.com/

(see the narrative at the bottom describing our the pictures).

Crowded - no!! - if I end up in a bay or part of the lake with 2 or more other boats, I usually leave, simply because there is SOOO much space (and by bay I don't mean something the size of a football field - I mean a bay is something the size of 20 foot ball stadiums including the stadium parking - and there are hundreds of areas like this in any direction).

If you are in the mindset of wanting to relax, have peace and quiet, enjoy the outdoors, you will not be sorry for picking Kipawa.

I've never been to the north end of the lake yet - you have heard people say there are more bass there, I hope to getup there and see what I can find someday - but I did catch one small mouth bass near Alwaki last summer.

Enjoy...

[Hodgey1]

Hodgey, my son and I go the 3rd week of July. We usually only fish evening and have always done well. I also take a trip in late August. The bugs are gone, but the fish can be harder to find.It's a magical place, once you go you be "hooked!"

Beautiful pics! I'm hooked and haven't been! Is the third week in July better fishing than your august trip?

[Hodgey1]

If you are in the mindset of wanting to relax, have peace and quiet, enjoy the outdoors, you will not be sorry for picking Kipawa.

Greg, relaxing beside a beautiful lake is just what I want. Thanks for sharing your nice trip pics and experience.

[Jay Thomas]

Lovely pics Gary. Thanks for sharing.

Jay

[Oarin]

Thanks Jay, but the real thanks goes to Nancy who taught an old dinosaur a new trick.

[Hodgey1]

I am thinking that our group will book our trip to Kipawa for Late July/Aug. Like I mentioned previously, I'm not a great fisherman, though I really enjoy it when time allows. I gather the fishing is better in June because the fish are hungry and concentrated in the warmer shallows. Also gather the fishing in August would be somewhat the opposite, with the fish concentrated in the cooler deeper waters. My question is how deep is Kipawa in general and how deep will the fish be in general that time of the year?

Seeing that we will be using an outfitters boats, trolling won't really be an option. What is the best method to catch deep walleye in the warmer months?

[Oarin]

Hodgey, kipawa has some very deep areas, well over 100ft., but the walleyes won't be there. In mid July we usually fish in 15-20 feet of water. Look for structure or a shallower point or island with deeper water nearby as they come in to feed in the evenings. Camp boats at any of the camps are fine for trolling. Most are 15 hp. Taggart's upgraded ones are 20 horse electric start, with a depth finder/fish finder and come with a trolling motor. Some of the other camps may have them too. The lure of choice for trolling at Taggarts is a Hot-n-Tot. I've found leeches out fish worms for jigging and using a slip bobber(my favorite method), but both work fine. There are new regulations on the size and filleting a walleye. Go to the Fishing Discussion area and read Threading a walleye.

How many people are in your group?

Most every outfitter should be at the Harrisburg PA Sportsman Show , I believe it's in Feb. You could talk to the outfitters there.

If you have questions about Taggarts or that part of the lake PM me and I'll tell you what I know.

[RHYBAK]

May I suggest you buy yourself a small 18" drift sock.
I drag one of them along side the camp boat when trolling.
Slows the boat down perfectly.

[NortonJoe]

My two cents for the trip to Kipawa...I've been up at all times of the year.  Personally, it honestly boils down to bugs and weather for me.  Up through about the middle of July the bugs, at least for me, are a huge minus.  It's not so much the mosquitos because they don't bite me for some reason but the black flies are relentless unless they have died off.  My feeling is that I am on vacation and prefer to wear shorts/t-shirts around camp and out fishing.  With that point of view, we normally go either the last week of July or first week of August.  What does that do to the fishing?  We still catch very good numbers of northern pike and walleye...almost every year we limit out and have plenty to eat in camp.    I will admit the fishing is probably better in the May/June time period but, for me, not so much better that I would trade the weather and lack of bugs.

[Hodgey1]

My two cents for the trip to Kipawa...I've been up at all times of the year.  Personally, it honestly boils down to bugs and weather for me.  Up through about the middle of July the bugs, at least for me, are a huge minus.  It's not so much the mosquitos because they don't bite me for some reason but the black flies are relentless unless they have died off.  My feeling is that I am on vacation and prefer to wear shorts/t-shirts around camp and out fishing.  With that point of view, we normally go either the last week of July or first week of August.  What does that do to the fishing?  We still catch very good numbers of northern pike and walleye...almost every year we limit out and have plenty to eat in camp.    I will admit the fishing is probably better in the May/June time period but, for me, not so much better that I would trade the weather and lack of bugs.

NJ,
Your thoughts ring inline with mine and the same as others here have suggested. I'm no bug pussy, but definitely don't want to be uncomfortable on vacation " It's in short supply".  Thanks for your input!

[Hodgey1]

May I suggest you buy yourself a small 18" drift sock.
I drag one of them along side the camp boat when trolling.
Slows the boat down perfectly.

Great tip, thanks Rhybak

[RHYBAK]

To be very honest with you, My main trip is the third week of June and I really never noticed the bugs.
The worst is around 9:15 in the evening. If it's a calm evening, you can hear the hum in the air.
I put on my impenetrable rain suit and good luck to them.
At that time, there  is only 5 to 10 minutes of fishing left  so I ignore them.
Then I put up with them for a short time while docking the boat.
It's not like there are millions of them on you draining every speck of blood out of your body.

I'm there to fish and enjoy and a few tiny bugs are not going to define whether I go fishing or not.

I control my destiny not the bugs.

[T-Bone]

Hodgey...one thing you need to know about Mr. Rhybak...he's a bad a$$. And don't let him fool you...there ARE a buh-zillion of them flying around (somewhere near you at least). Me...not a bad a$$. I do believe I'm a better fisherman than he is though... 

He's right though...even at "the witching hour" around 9:15PM they come out strong....even in late-July. But...they only last maybe 20 minutes. In early-June...the witching hour lasts all day, everyday...no matter what the weather is doing. Not good. Mid/later June they're thicker than they are in late-July...and the black flies are still out at that time too. I hate those little buggers worst of all. Had one fly in my ear once...I think his petrified carcass is still in there.

232...

[Hodgey1]

Hodgey...one thing you need to know about Mr. Rhybak...he's a bad a$$. And don't let him fool you...there ARE a buh-zillion of them flying around (somewhere near you at least). Me...not a bad a$$. I do believe I'm a better fisherman than he is though... 

He's right though...even at "the witching hour" around 9:15PM they come out strong....even in late-July. But...they only last maybe 20 minutes. In early-June...the witching hour lasts all day, everyday...no matter what the weather is doing. Not good. Mid/later June they're thicker than they are in late-July...and the black flies are still out at that time too. I hate those little buggers worst of all. Had one fly in my ear once...I think his petrified carcass is still in there.

232...

I turned 50 last August and my man badge is tarnishing now in dog years  .......... Like I mentioned earlier, I'm no bug pussy, but I want to be in Kipawa when the two lines on the chart cross at the intersection of still good fishing, yet not terrible bugs. Drinking a beer or two outside near a fire in the evening and not being swarmed would also be a plus.

When typically does the ice recede and the fishing begin to be good? April-May?

[RHYBAK]

O.K.
I will admit.
If you want to enjoy sitting near the evening fire, June is NOT the time.
The bugs don't go dormant until around 11:30.

By then , any dedicated fisherman should be in bed getting ready for the Morning wake up call.