Return to Kipawa Finally!

[Mike J]

After a 12+ year layoff I will finally be heading back to Kipawa this summer.  I will be returning to TBL July 12-19th.  I have been several times in the past, and always had fun and successful times. This year will be special because I am bringing my 9 year old son.

Mike

[Oarin]

Welcome back Mike! I'll be at the outpost from the 14th-20th. What cabin are you in?

[Greg]

and I'll be south at Alwaki lodge that week also...

[BigChief]

Welcome back! Definitely a trip to remember for your son.

[Mike J]

Thanks guys. We'll be driving a long way to get there. It's a little later in the summer than when I used to go. From what I've been reading, it looks like fish will be somewhere around the 20' range?  Also, when I used to go, the smallmouths weren't in the main lake. Has that changed things?

Question for those that buy their leeches by the pound. What do you keep them in? And, how do you keep them while you are there for the week?

Thanks again,

Mike

[Jay Thomas]

Hi Mike,

We've been using Leech Tamers (see Cabela's Item: IK-014681) for many years to keep our leeches - easy to get a leech and easy to clean the leeches. We put sufficient leeches for a day in a leech tamer bag and keep them cool on ice in a cooler (with some water) in the boat. Four of us will normally purchase two pounds of leeches for a week long trip. The leeches are normally packaged as one pound of leeches in water in a plastic bag. We keep our two plastic bags of leeches in a cooler on ice in the cabin. We use another leech tamer bag to clean and rinse the leeches every two days or so. And just as a reminder, you can not use chlorinated water to clean and rinse leeches.

Jay

[Greg]

As for your small mouth bass question... "main lake" - what area are you referring to?    I hear lots of people (on this board and others) talking about the constant 3lb and 4lb bass they are pulling in at the north end of the lake.

I have caught two bass in all my years at Kipawa, (one each year the last two years).   But I am usually fishing in the central area (around Corbeau island and Sunnyside as I stay at Alwaki lodge).

Greg

[Hodgey1]

Jay's advise on the leech care is solid. We used a similar technique last year and it worked well. My only additional tip is, we used a small igloo cooler, maybe the size of a large lunch cooler to keep the bulk of our leeches in. Then, for ice we used refilled empty water bottles and froze them.  every day i would put a froze bottle in it in the morning and refreez the removed one. Then in the evening do the same over again, it worked great. Like jay said, change water every day or two

[Oarin]

Mike, we use a Tupperware container about 12"by 8" by 3" to keep them in the fridge. Change the water a couple of times during the week. While out on the boat we have 2 small coolers, about the size of a lunch box, like Hodgey said. We bring 4 small plastic freezer packs so that while we use two in the coolers on the boat, there are 2 in the cabin freezer ready to go on the next trip in the boat. What ever system you use just make sure you keep them cool and the water changed when needed. 109 more LOOOONG days until we're back!

[Canuckbass]

I have not caught a bass in main lake area and I’m there quite a bit. I love bass!

[BigChief]

I have been catching more and  more bass every year. Although I only have fished in the TBL area and have never targeted them. I catch them on a jig/leech while fishing for eye's. This past year I caught about 30. It was to the point where I was getting pissed to catch one because they were swallowing the jig and ruining the line. I had to re-rig after catching almost every one.
I have also seen some people that are actually targeting them and doing quite well right in Deep Bay(TBL Bay). Some catching 20-30/day. Definitely something to do in the afternoons when the walleyes aren't biting.

[Mike J]

Thanks for the information guys. Glad I stumbled on this site!  I usually try to catch a laker while I'm there as well for a change of pace in the midday.
Mike