Lot So Questions

[Oarin]

Hodgey, invest in a couple of Thermacell bug repellants. They work great. My son and I used them at TBL's outpost. The skeeters were "thick", but after 10 minutes with them lit you could sit by a camp fire pretty much bug free. We go in mid July and I wouldn't be without them.

[Hodgey1]

Hodgey, invest in a couple of Thermacell bug repellants. They work great. My son and I used them at TBL's outpost. The skeeters were "thick", but after 10 minutes with them lit you could sit by a camp fire pretty much bug free. We go in mid July and I wouldn't be without them.

Good tip Oarin, thanks.

[puckster_guy]

Ice out is usually the first week of May

[Hodgey1]

Ice out is usually the first week of May

At what point after ice out does the  fishing improve?

[NortonJoe]

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.

@Hodgey1 in my opinion this is late July-early August.  As I said, I don't mind the mosquitos, they don't seem to bite me (may be the alcohol content of my blood); but I despise the black flies so that pushes the season to post die off for me!  IMHO the fish are always there...we just need to adjust fishing technique for different times of the year.  Let me suggest one other thing though not having to do with bugs.  Take an oscillating fan.  Most if not all of the cabins have ceiling fans but an end of July/first of August trip can be gawd awful hot in the sleeping department.  I personally like hot but not when I'm trying to sleep!  That extra air movement makes it perfect.

@Oarin every year I say I'm going to buy the Thermacell bug repellants, especially for the fish cleaning house (the bugs seem the worst there) and then I always forget.  This year it's happening!  Those old "mosquito coils" help to some degree, and I would probably still use them just for the ambience (you know some things are all about tradition) but its time to try new technology too.

[Hodgey1]

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.

@Hodgey1 in my opinion this is late July-early August.  As I said, I don't mind the mosquitos, they don't seem to bite me (may be the alcohol content of my blood); but I despise the black flies so that pushes the season to post die off for me!
@Oarin every year I say I'm going to buy the Thermacell

Thanks for the advice Joe. I will be ordering up a Thermacell or two myself. I am in the process of getting my group pinned down "challenging when group is spread across diff states" once I do that, I am looking forward to the more fun parts of the planning. Barring conflicts in people's schedules, I'm focusing on late July-early august.

[Jay Thomas]

Hodgey1,

Here's another opinion. Like NortonJoe, I don't like bugs. Unlike NortonJoe, I don't like hot. Of my 17 trips to Lake Kipawa, several were during July. While we could always comfortably fish early mornings and evenings, some days were so hot that we would only fish 11 AM to 1:30 PM before getting off the lake and finding a shady spot. Anyway, my preferred time of the year for walleye fishing in the Abitibi/Témiscaming region is mid Aug to mid Sep.

Jay

[Hodgey1]

Hodgey1,

Here's another opinion. Like NortonJoe, I don't like bugs. Unlike NortonJoe, I don't like hot. Of my 17 trips to Lake Kipawa, several were during July. While we could always comfortably fish early mornings and evenings, some days were so hot that we would only fish 11 AM to 1:30 PM before getting off the lake and finding a shady spot. Anyway, my preferred time of the year for walleye fishing in the Abitibi/Témiscaming region is mid Aug to mid Sep.

Jay

Jay,
How's the fishing in the beginning of September and what's the weather typically like? I live along lake Erie's southern shores and September is typically beautiful here.

Hodgey1

[Jay Thomas]

Hi again Hodgey1,

I spent the first 23 years of my life living very close to the northern shore of Lake Erie. Colchester Harbour (about 12 miles west of Point Pelee) was where my Dad kept his boat moored and our farm was only three miles away from the launch. Consequently, I'm familiar with the weather and the walleye fishing there.

While the weather in the Abitibi/Témiscaming region can be quite nice from mid August to mid Sep (shirt sleeve weather), there are times in Sep when a cold front can bring cooler temperatures and rain. However, no bugs and much lower boat traffic make up for the odd cool wet day. By mid Sep, nights can cool down to the low 50s - but I love a wood fire in the cabin by the side of the lake. Fishing during these months remains good - just need good electronics and the bathymetric maps to find them.

Jay

[Hodgey1]

Hi again Hodgey1,

I spent the first 23 years of my life living very close to the northern shore of Lake Erie. Colchester Harbour (about 12 miles west of Point Pelee) was where my Dad kept his boat moored and our farm was only three miles away from the launch. Consequently, I'm familiar with the weather and the walleye fishing there.

While the weather in the Abitibi/Témiscaming region can be quite nice from mid August to mid Sep (shirt sleeve weather), there are times in Sep when a cold front can bring cooler temperatures and rain. However, no bugs and much lower boat traffic make up for the odd cool wet day. By mid Sep, nights can cool down to the low 50s - but I love a wood fire in the cabin by the side of the lake. Fishing during these months remains good - just need good electronics and the bathymetric maps to find them.

Jay

Thanks Jay, great info. A fire lakeside in a cabin sounds very appealing!

[NortonJoe]

@Hodgey1 Where along the southern shore?  An Akron, Ohio boy here...

[Hodgey1]

@Hodgey1 Where along the southern shore?  An Akron, Ohio boy here...

Just south of Erie, Pa.

[Hodgey1]

I'm pretty excited to report that we have our trip booked. With a lot of help from the forum we have decided to go to Kipawa lake at Alwaki lodge. I also decided to try to hit the lesser bug time "so I am a bug pussy after all" and booked the last week in July that bleeds into August. Hopefully, the fishing will be decent, but honestly, my thoughts are to explore and enjoy the wonderfulness of Kipawa, that you all have described to me. Once we progress threw Christmas, I will have lot-so questions that I'm sure you will all help with.

[Canuckbass]

I'm pretty excited to report that we have our trip booked. With a lot of help from the forum we have decided to go to Kipawa lake at Alwaki lodge. I also decided to try to hit the lesser bug time "so I am a bug pussy after all" and booked the last week in July that bleeds into August. Hopefully, the fishing will be decent, but honestly, my thoughts are to explore and enjoy the wonderfulness of Kipawa, that you all have described to me. Once we progress threw Christmas, I will have lot-so questions that I'm sure you will all help with.

Congrats, you're in a good area and tons of walleye around. I'll try and plan to up for a few days and very close by. If you hear saws and hammers it's usually us. We have the giant fry pan, may need a group fish fry and pints.

[Canuckbass]

May long weekend




This is my setup, basically all I use is jig head and Berkley Power Minnow