Off Topic Lake Nipissing Nortwest Bay

[Mickey Finn]

Heading to Lake Nipissing this Saturday with @crappiequeen for a week of fishing.
Staying at a place called Deluxe Camps in an area called Northwest Bay.
It's been almost 20 years since I last fished Lake Nipissing.
Does anyone have any experience fishing the area?
Will be primarily targeting Walleye & Muskie.

 

[fishlessam]

Never been there, good luck

 

[mick]

Hey Mickey your camp is in Lavigne...its been years ago.. ya we fished there many of seasons for june walleyes & pike..and a few labour day weekend trips..
at this time bottom fish the #64 bridge with minnows in a boat for pics...
do you know harwood island and further east to oak island?..fishing was good out there.. fish the south side 200 yds out from the last cabin right at that boulder..

you then can head south 3+ to 4 miles and fish inbetween gull rock and 3 islands..one of those had 2 cabins on it..about the best spot I know for big pike & occasional musky..we caught plenty of walleye there in the spring..

we stayed at Au Lys Blanc camp close to the bridge..we stopped going before the slot and limit was introduced

the locals will help you where to fish..Good Luck

 

[Derkd9]

I’m not familiar with Lake Nipissing
We rented a boat two days when we were staying near Lake Nipissing one spring years ago
We caught pike and a muskie in Hunters Bay
Not sure where that is in relation to where you will be, wish I had more info to give

 

[Mickey Finn]

Thanks @mick...That is very helpful.
The slots seem to be very restrictive for Zone 11..
For Walleye it's nothing between 40 to 60 cms & 1 over 60 if I'm reading it right...

 

[mick]

I hope its helpful..
one thing I learned from a few that have gone up fishing the Lavigne area said the ecosytem and habitat has changed with warm water habitat plant life and fish species like largemouth bass flourishing ..referring to the back bays..
chatting with the locals will help
good luck up there

 

[Wave Runner]

Sorry I have never fished that end of Nipissing but good luck fishing it @Mickey Finn and @crappiequeen. Hope you 2 have a great week.

 

[Mickey Finn]

Thanks so much....
Packed a bunch of topwater lures for Largemouth.
Always a fun way to fish them.

 

[Fish addict]

Hey Mickey , we had good luck in the southern part of lake nipissing this past summer for walleye with a green jig , green salted twister tail coupled up with a worm . Worm harnesses glow green blades produced as well trolled at 1.4 with 2 ounce weight . Talked to a veteran towards the end of the week when we were their , he was getting keepers consistently . Was using a jig with a stinger and worm along with the knowledge of spots that hold bigger fish . He did well as well , he was fishing mid lake humps . We prob caught 50 walleye in two weeks , 8 keepers out of the 50 kids had a blast tho . Tried for musky sporadically , word has it as someone mentioned above , gull islands and musky bay are go to spots for musky .

 

[jerk bait]

Heading to Lake Nipissing this Saturday with @crappiequeen for a week of fishing.
Staying at a place called Deluxe Camps in an area called Northwest Bay.
It's been almost 20 years since I last fished Lake Nipissing.
Does anyone have any experience fishing the area?
Will be primarily targeting Walleye & Muskie.

I had a trailer there for years. Good spring fishing especially on the other side of the bridge. When water warms up it really slows down as its shallow there. In the summer I headed for hay narrows, hardwood islands or a lesser known spot called duck creek. Hay narrows would be the best place for walleye. Cache bay is good for pike and largemouth. If you PM me a map I can point you in the right direction

 

[Mickey Finn]

Thanks @jerk bait...I'll dig up a map & PM you...

 

[Red Hering]

I’m not familiar with Lake Nipissing
We rented a boat two days when we were staying near Lake Nipissing one spring years ago
We caught pike and a muskie in Hunters Bay
Not sure where that is in relation to where you will be, wish I had more info to give

@Derkd9 Hunters Bay is a little further south from where @Mickey Finn & @crappiequeen are planning on going for a week of holidays. I just checked a French River chart that I have,and just saying.

 

[Mickey Finn]

Thanks to everyone for their input...
Unfortunately I could not locate a good map to send to @jerk bait for him to highlight spots.
The best ones appear to be the ones @Red Hering posted.

 

[jerk bait]

Thanks to everyone for their input...
Unfortunately I could not locate a good map to send to @jerk bait for him to highlight spots.
The best ones appear to be the ones @Red Hering posted.

I will have a look here. I know I have one somewhere

 

[Red Hering]

Thanks to everyone for their input...
Unfortunately I could not locate a good map to send to @jerk bait for him to highlight spots.
The best ones appear to be the ones @Red Hering posted.

@Mickey Finn I have the full chart of that area on the French River that I partially showed on my last post,but unfortunately it is not marked with the “Hot Spot’s” on it,but I only remember them in the back of my mind. Wishing that I could help you further & please let me know on how perhaps that I can. Tight lines to you and @crappiequeen The French River is a beautiful area,and every fishing spot looks good up there!! You could literally drop a dime on that French River chart,and it would be a good fishing spot!!

 

[mick]

Navionics ChartViewer

webapp.navionics.com

ya @Red Hering the french river was once famous for big musky & also sturgeon ..out of our familys only my uncle landed a lake sturgeon just over 50lbs.. out of the deep waters near the mouth..that was just a baby..believe it or not nippissing giant sturgeon were more then a myth back then..

you wouldn't think nippissing would be known for trophies...back when my grandfather and his buddy portaged back into bear lake that runs into the NW arm ..they caught 2 walleyes 17 & 18 lbs..one was mounted and hanging in the store/gas station in Lavigne..that was also a time when big nippissing walleye were caught below Wasi falls spawning in the spring time..ya before my time, but thanks to my grandfather our familys fished Nippissing's rich waters out of Lavigne and many fishing experiences and stories I am thankful for..

 

[Red Hering]

Navionics ChartViewer

webapp.navionics.com

ya @Red Hering the french river was once famous for big musky & also sturgeon ..out of our familys only my uncle landed a lake sturgeon just over 50lbs.. out of the deep waters near the mouth..that was just a baby..believe it or not nippissing giant sturgeon were more then a myth back then..

you wouldn't think nippissing would be known for trophies...back when my grandfather and his buddy portaged back into bear lake that runs into the NW arm ..they caught 2 walleyes 17 & 18 lbs..one was mounted and hanging in the store/gas station in Lavigne..that was also a time when big nippissing walleye were caught below Wasi falls spawning in the spring time..ya before my time, but thanks to my grandfather our familys fished Nippissing's rich waters out of Lavigne and many fishing experiences and stories I am thankful for..

@mick those are very nice trophy walleye’s that you mentioned that your grandfather and his buddy caught below Wasi Falls. I fished the Lavigne area back in 1980 when I did a solo fishing trip from London to there,and I stayed at what was then called,Welcome Lodge,(photo’s),now with new owners,it was changed later to Musky Island View Cottages.Some excellent fishing there,which made me fall in love with the French River. I turned my wife onto fishing,and we actually honeymooned there on the French River and stayed at Moonlight Bay Camp,back in August 1981,(we just recently celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary last August,22,2021). Over the year’s,my wife and I plus our 2 dog’s,have vacationed on the French River a few times at places such as Presquille Cottages and Worsley Bay. I wanted to surprise my wife by celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary back at Moonlight Camp,but with the Covid restrictions,especially while travelling,we ended up not going to the French River this past August,2021.Hopefully,next year and fingers crossed.

 

[mick]

Congrats with the old photo/pike @Red Hering and for you and your wife fishing out of Lavigne and the French River on lake Nippissing...
just to mention my grandfather and his friend portaged in the spring back into Bear lake that is west from lavigne, you can see Bear lake on the NW arm of Nippissing..ya Wasi falls is located in Callender Bay, I was referring to Nippissings Wasi falls big walleyes caught there in the spring...spawning
We went upto Lavigne countless times every spring after the opener for great walleye & pike fishing, At that time of the season, we trolled crankbaits bodybaits around the islands and structure, caught plenty of pickerel, the fishing was excellent, later in June was a time we used wormharnesses and jigs, and later seasons the new erie dearie thanks to a friend from Ohio that brought us plenty up to the camp..Both minnows & worms were a staple for filling up baskets of fish..many of times are familys enjoyed the classic shore lunch over the fire at our camp overlooking the outer bay Hardwood Island...great view nice spot..
I have an old photo album with old photos Of our family Lavigne trips..and trips & photos with my buddys.. I should get them out sometime..

 

[meridian]

stayed there a few years back caught a nice 4.5 bass right off the dock , didn't get any eyes in the bay itself,
had to go under the bridge to the main lake .Didn't really know where I going but did pretty good .Good luck

 

[Beanstir]

Mickey Finn, check out the regulations for Lake Nipissing. Walleye none less than 46cm. I am sure the Camp will help Mickey Finn with the regulations.

Lake Nipissing - including the waters of the French River from the Chaudière and the Little Chaudière dams to Lake Nipissing; the west bay of Lake Nipissing (Haddo Township); the northwest bay of Lake Nipissing to the falls of MacPherson Creek; the Sturgeon River from Lake Nipissing to the dam at Sturgeon Falls; the Veuve River from Lake Nipissing to the chutes located in Lot 5 in Concession 1 (Caldwell Township); the South River from Lake Nipissing to Highway 654; and the entire West Arm of Lake Nipissing including Cross Lake • Closed to all species - from March 16 to Friday before third Saturday in May and December 1 to December 31. • Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass - open from third Saturday in June to November 30 • Muskellunge - open from third Saturday in June to November 30 • Northern Pike - S-4; not more than 2 greater than 61 cm, of which not more than 1 is greater than 86 cm, and C-2; not more than 1 greater than 61 cm, none greater than 86 cm • Walleye and Yellow Perch - open from January 1 to March 15 and third Saturday in May to October 15 • Walleye - S-2 and C-1; none less than 46 cm