Kipawa boat travel

[RickOnt]

Question for the Kipawa vets

Can you boat from the town of Kipawa to the far east area around Red Pine Chutes?

I have been checking my Navionics and it sure appears doable.

However there are a few narrow areas that could have some rocks and current.

On another map I see Lac McLachlin to the far east near the Red Pine Chutes, then Lac Grindstone and Lac Hunter further west

Are these lake actually part of Kipawa?

Thanks
Rick

[T-Bone]

Yep...no problem. Went from Kipawa to Lac Grindstone once in a camp boat. Dicey trip, thought we may not make it alive...but we made it. Red Pine from there is not too far...and open water the whole way.

[crackers42]

Rick Ont. you can but once you get past Grindstone (I am located in the large yellow cabin in Mungo Bay for those who are unaware just past Grindstone), go up through the long narrows, around Joes (original owner the camp but no longer around).  Once you get to Red Pine stay to the right under the bridge but if you don't know the area past there do not go further.  There are lots of areas up to the Raged Chute that could take your prop off (and bottom end) in a hurry.

This fishing up that way is very good (Especially in June) but not for the faint of heart.  If you care to portage up past Raged Chute you can get into Pance, Coyote (some way call it something else), Mckillop etc. (but you can also go past red pine by road and access these if you know where your going)

Hope this helps.

[puckster_guy]

I'm at Red Pine and I've done that trip once. It could take a couple of hours, and it was no problem. Bring extra gas as there are no gas stations on the way. it's an amazingly scenic trip. well worth the time. The best part is you can drop a line anywhere along the way for great fishing. A great way to waste   a day. Drop by for a beer if your passing thru.
Cool, Crackers, didn't know you were right there. I'll try to stop by this summer. I've fished the narrows going north out of Grindstone many times. Never fished Grindstone tho.

[Hodgey1]

Very interesting discussion, I haven't been beyond Kipawa Lodge heading that direction. How much further by camp boat to red pine, past Kipawa Lodge? Sounds like a nice day trip. I looked at a photo of Red Pine and saw a bridge, is that where Red Pine Chutes is, at that bridge over kipawa?

[RickOnt]

Great info thanks  I am looking for a route from Kipawa to the Red Pine Chutes area where the lots are for sale.  I would like to check this out from the water.

I see Mungo Bay and Mungo Island  then north thru the narrow channel to Brownlee Bay  Then SE towards Red Pine Chutes

Crackers  is this the danger area you are referring to?

[limacharley]

Rick

Its a very easy trip if you have the boat to do it in. Yes bring gas. I only did it in my Seadoos but you can drive all day with one tank with those suckers. Long narrows - what Crackers is referring to is just that...a long narrow passage but it's plenty deep....20'.

If you go-bring a map cause all those inlets look alike. Stop once and awhile to get your bearings. If you have a tracking GPS then your golden.

I went to look at those lots last year-like Puckster mentioned; its a good bang for your buck compared to Muskoka lots. Remember those are asking prices. Everyone I know there negotiated for a lot less.

I did that trip by snowmobile last weekend.

Good luck-PM me if you need anymore info.

[Canuckbass]

Lots of good advice, I haven’t had to go further then Butney’s Narrows. I got schooled there one spring, every boat around catching except for us and we tried everything. Luckily I had another spot along the way and loaded up a stringer of good keeper size walleye (before slot size).

When I’m up for a week this summer I’m certainly going to explore that area as a sightseer and fish a little bit.
What is asking price for the lots? Sounds like a piece of heaven.

[limacharley]

Guys,

refer to this link...

There's 4 lots up past Puckster's. The peninsula on the other side just opened up a couple years ago. This time last year no one had bought any. Notice on the tip, there's a lot for $250k...that's a commercial size lot. I'm guessing they need another lodge at that end of the lake. Oh, if I won the lottery, I'd be building that lodge myself.

https://imgur.com/W3OafHi

[crackers42]

Yes the bridge is what we call Red Pine but further up is what I am referring to as the Raged Chute (something to see).

Although I recommend the tour you have to very careful as each lake and small pass has a couple areas that are not visible to eye that will take your transom with it.

Kipawa Lodge to Red Pine (say a 15 hp) would take approx. an hour or more.

Red pine to Raged is about half hour full throttle.

If you take the tour there is a really nice spot about half way that we call "Shefield" nice island out front / river / swimming hole.

Plenty of very large pike up that way if you are targeting them.

I cant stress enough if you go up past red pine go slow for your first few outings and kee your head up.

I also would not test underneather red pine until atelast mid June.  Depends on how high the water is and how much of drop there is from one level to the next going under.

you would have to ask Puckster but I think all the lots on the left side are sold.  The camp just past the bridge on the left was for sale but it floods in high water.

If you really want an adventure up past red pine you can hang a right and then down a ways you can go under a bridge and into Mckillop.  Back in the day we have seen pike longer the boat oar in this lake and plenty of walleye over 10 lbs.  Unfortunaltey you can back a boat into it now from either end (Pance of or the road) and the public has over fished it in my mind.

[puckster_guy]

https://www.royallepage.ca/en/qc/kipawa/properties/

This is the site for the real estate agt working those lots. A ton of great lots available, On the south shore you can still pick and choose the best ones. With Red Pine road being upgraded it's gonna be an easy drive in. Still 2 lots on my side for sale. The northern most lot is sold as is the lot right by the bridge.

I gotta take you fishing Crackers, you know that area better then I do. I spent about 6 yrs exploring the surrounding waters and feel like there is still much I don't know. Only been to Shefield and Ragged Chutes once. I got several nice walleye and pike trolling in. It was more of a sightseeing trip. My neighbour Len fishes there all the time. I gotta follow him in one day lol.
It's well worth a day trip boating out to Red Pine. Stop by for a beer if you have time I have sattelite internet and (God forbid) wifi there now so you can drop me a PM here now too.

[Hodgey1]

Yes the bridge is what we call Red Pine but further up is what I am referring to as the Raged Chute (something to see).

Although I recommend the tour you have to very careful as each lake and small pass has a couple areas that are not visible to eye that will take your transom with it.

I cant stress enough if you go up past red pine go slow for your first few outings and kee your head up.

I’m more than intrigued. Great information, thanks for all the details. I may have to pack lunch one day and do some exploring. Of course, with an extra can of gas. 

[crackers42]

it looks like a lot of you are down past butney narrows, hunters, kipawa lodge etc.

Right before you enter into Butneys narrows hang a left up and go up through the dam (very narrow) and keep on going north if you want scenery and some nice fish.  Then you could wrap back around turtle island/camp etc.

You will find more lake trout on the west end of the lake and more pickerel on the east end.  East has more 30 feet and under spots whereas west end has major holes 250+ and colder water.  West end is better later in the year and east end is good from May long weekend until labor day.

Back in the day there was no travel by road so some of us would fly in by float plane and/or jump on the what we call the "barge" in Kipawa and float up down butneys, through grindstone, etc. and up the narrows to Joes (last stop before you hand a right to puckster)

If you travel up and down the Maniwaki highway enough with a map and explore back roads you will find quite a few unspoiled lakes with a lot of different species.

[smitty55]

I’m more than intrigued. Great information, thanks for all the details. I may have to pack lunch one day and do some exploring. Of course, with an extra can of gas.   

Starting in the early 80's I camped twice and then we stayed at Corbeau at first for a few years and then Alwaki always after that, as it was a better atmosphere for 8 to 12 guys not really looking for that family atmosphere so much. Plus Corbeau lost it's liquor license when it got sold to the Americans, and Carl still had his.   I'm sure I'm not alone in having plenty of very fond memories of bad weather afternoons spent with the boys running a tab at Mary's bar and store for the week. One year four guys from the tavern next door came up for a week. Ricks bar tab was over 3 bills lol, that's on top of booze he brought. He didn't do lots of fishing but he still loved his week there.
The hub section of Kipawa is prime Laker territory for me so I had never ventured further East than Kipawa Lodge. Then one year Steve pipes up and says "I kinda know this guy who owns a Camp down at the Red Pine Chute end of Kipawa, it's close to shutting down and we can get a cabin dirt cheap. So six of us went. Big mistake! The owner wasn't even there, the fridge wasn't hooked up and was actually lying on it's side, like wtf. We had to level the fridge with a 2x4, screens were ripped, skitters were rampant, specially at nite. I think we overpaid!! I forget what the camp was called now, Puckster would know, I think it started with an M.

So back on topic, the trout fishing was not good for us in that end of the watershed, so we decided one day later in the week to go for a good tour and find some familiar Laker waters in Hunters. Turns out it's a 21km tour to the mouth of Edwards passage, and we can't go any further because the lake is major blowing up right down the chute and there were literally no boats going out. Fortunately the Greys were stacked up in the narrows, so in 45 minutes we had our keepers and headed back. We barely made it back to camp, it was a much rougher slower ride and I had like a quart left in the tank when I hit the dock. That's cutting it too close. So yea, take extra gas... It's another 4km to Red Pine so make it 25 to Kipawa Lodge.
Here's a map of the tour we did Hodgey. Even in the narrows there was never any worry, always plenty of water.


Cheers

[puckster_guy]

That's the old MacKenzie camps.