Lake Nipissing

[Klinker24]

I am headed up to Callander Bay next week for an annual fishing trip with 10 guys. We have fished there for years with bottom bouncers and Jigs close to shore in 10 to 20 ft of water with great success. In the past few years we have had a very hard time finding anything beyond the slot size up there (18.5 inches). I was thinking about taking the Big boards and leadcore up there any maybe try trolling in some deeper water. Has anyone ever tried leadcore up there? Do you think it may work? Any tips or idea's would be great.

 

[jerk bait]

Nippising had changed greatly in the last 10 years. I used to guide out of Callender and Lavigne and seen the lake gradually change over the years. There are still plenty of walleye to be had but the vast majority or in the slot size and it's set that way for a reason. Worm harness and jigs would be best best.. Tipped with a leech if yiu can find em. Green has always been top choice. Trolling mid to deep diving cranks always took some too. Perch imitations for sure. The lake is more multi species recreation fishery now. Bass and Muskie dominate all corners . We never saw a largemouth 10 years ago now they are everywhere. If walleye are on your agenda check out wasi river inlet and gazebo point right by Glen echo for consist bites. Lots of sheepshead willing to gobble up your jigs as well.

 

[G.Mech]

We took our big gear up one year just to try it for fun. Yes it works and there are quite a few big walleye in the deeper waters. We trolled around the deep areas West of the Waltonian reef and did pretty well with leadcore and in-line weights.

 

[Porkpie]

It's a numbers game. Weed through 20-30 for one keeper. We use in line planers, can't see why core wouldn't work. Bit too much trouble if you ask me, but hey why not. I am up there July 4 for 4 days of fun with my kids. Fish the main basin outside callander as well, we pile them up out there as well.

 

[Morecowbell23]

I copy pasted some tips from Lake Nippissing outdoors forum.The guys there are very helpful.
Try using a bottom bouncer with a slow death hook tipped with a inch of worm dragging on the end. Worked well for me in north shore Callander.
Try a yellow or red and white 1/4 oz jig with a "glob" of worm. I can't stress enough the "glob" factor.....I have noticed a significant difference in the hits with this tactic. Try to shoot for 10 to 17 ft of water. If you can find any random weed beds...fish the outside of them straight down. Mid lake humps or quick drop offs are dynamite also.

Trolling either a jig bouncing off bottom or a worm harness will likely get you slightly larger fish. You only get one chance to hook some walleye on the first bite...so perhaps a stinger hook would help you out there..or use a worm harness trolling with a bottom bouncer.

 

[zxninja]

We just returned from three days of fishing on Nipissing @ Calender Bay. Totoal count was 39 Walleye, 2 of which where over 18.5". We focused on the shoals and reefs just outside the bay hoping to get the big Lake fish coming in to feed in the evenings. It seems that in order to get the "keeper" sized fish, you needed to find the solo predators that roam around and come up the shoals to feed. We limited the time to 40mins a spot and worked the area, then moved on. Plenty of 15-16" as well as a dozen SM and a beauty 3lbs Whitefish.

 

[Klinker24]

Thanks for the great replies. I am going to take up the big gear and give it a try. I will also give some of the other tips above a try. Thanks again for the great feedback.

 

[Bucketsoff]

We go to the French, the last section from the dams down to the mouth. So I can't speak for the lake. But we have essentially given up on conventional tactics for bigger walleye, because we throw jerkbaits for pike all day and usually get 2-3 overslot walleye doing this per day. Then, at night we go out for a peaceful jigging session to see some action in numbers. Dumb luck finding the difference, and it doesn't work everywhere, but sure makes the trip worthwhile to have a couple of fish frys.

 

[Bassassin]

The in-laws had a place on Bear Creek. If you didn't troll a 3 way swivel, bell sinker and worm harness they wouldn't let you on the boat 35 years ago. Then I started out fishing them with heavy stand up white or yellow jigs and stingers with meat on them drifting or still fishing when I would take the boat out so they did shift the paradigm somewhat. It was strange but they would only hit stand up jigs and not the ball jigs.

It would be a great idea to get deep, 35 feet is what we fished then , with all the stuff we use here. Great idea go for it. I didn't find much deeper water than 35 feet. Don't forget this was pre sonar for us. If I told you how we found the depths you yunggins would all howl.

 

[Bassassin]

Go to the closest tackle shop and look on the shelves to see what colour jigs are low on supply, get them.

 

[mick]

i consider myself experienced fishing the west arm on nippissing as thats where I first learned to fish growing up. Every season for years there was 3 to 4 related familys would go up for a week and rent a cabin for each family. We stayed at the white lily camp just over the bridge from the village of Lavigne. This spot was introduced from my grandfather as he fished this area years before I was born.oh yes I seen his numerous black and white pictures of numerous catches of walleye and pike with a few monsters including musky..later the famlies realized grampa brainwashed us to go up and fish lake nippissing....the largested fish out of the gang of familys was a 60 pound lake sturgeon...he cheated as he caught that sturgeon at the mouth of the french river, that was a long run to the french from the camp and my uncle and my cousin took i think 5 gas tanks...anyway .... The first half of june is one of the best times on nippissing to catch hungry walleye ...we targeted the post spawn pics trolling crank baits worked the best..my all time favorite crankbait was the hot n tot perch finish...second choice was the copper colour rapala shad rap. As it is just a memory now... I will let you know the 3 best spots to catch post spawn walleye. The number one spot has to be straight out to hardwood island on the south side and continue to the end which is oak island.There is a yellow cottage and then the rustic log cabin (the snake lady use to own , she let us go on the island to have our shore lunch but she told us don't kill the snakes and she was serious, there were lots of snakes too ) Anyway approximently 300 to 400 yards out from that cabin is a very large boulder that sticks out of the water... troll back and forth (east and west) on the south side....once you caught your fill...fish east and in closer trolling...go back and fish the boulder after you gave it a break and catch a few more. Actually my second spot is a gold mine of fish....which is 3 small islands together ( the largest island of the 3 has a small cabin on it) there is also a long rock called gull rock that you will see first when you travel almost directly south a couple miles from the rustic cabin (end of oak island) We have caught lots of walleye including pike up to 20 pounds and a few musky....stay within gull rock and the 3 islands. these 2 spots are so good throughout the summer....these areas contain crucial weedbeds to hold good numbers of fish through out the summer. We trolled and also drifted mainly worms with spinners. My favorite colour worm harness was the red beads with the silver colarado blades...we also used erie dearies with worms...The last spot (where the locals fish too) is right below the bridge. That spot is a deep channel that has good numbers of walleye through out the year. There use to be a couple signs in english saying NO FISHING FROM BRIDGE... remember the locals are french and they still fished from the quiet bridge with no traffic so I did on occasion too...it was a great way to have a friendly chat...others tied up there boat to the bridge and fished vertically for walleye usually with bait... one last thing back then..... I had to kill this water snake that threatened me...it was a summer trip where I could bring a friend up for the week. well we fished and caught a few this one morning then we stopped for a break and went on hardwood island I decided to go for a swim and then was trending water washing my hair...well this snake came face to face with me...the snake was sticking out its red forked tongue inches from face.. I went down quick and swam to shore. I looked out and spotted the snake and it was like waiting for me???...it was a big snake too and that was a scary threat...sorry but i got my buddy back in the boat and we used the oars to go out to the snake.....after several attemps I ended up taking that snake out with wacking it with the end of the oar, at the time i felt that snake was going to bite me in the face ...it was not easy for a young teenager either was pulling out a treble hook with a pair of micky mouse pliers embeded inbetween my thumb and forefinger...there was a trip to the emeregency hospital in sturgeon falls where this younger boy was screaming with a large musky/pike lure buried in his neck...the father got him good....if there is no drama on my fishing and hunting trips or world trips...then i consider it boring....it takes a lot to stimulate my adreniline.....the most snakes ever had to be honey harbour....some of the locals said there was rattlesnakes around there too?