wvmedic

I agree Rich.

Thanks for the information porkpie. I kept the two keepers for a couple meals here at home. I love eating them, though. We would be happy to catch a boat load of non keepers. Our trolling speed, dependent on the wind. Was between 1 to 1.5 couldn't get the 9.9 to idle down any lower. I was tempted to use a redneck drift sock ( 5 gallon bucket on a rope ) to slow us down. I did make several passes over the area we caught fish with no follow ups. But we had fun non the less and I'm learning, that is the important thing. Gain more knowledge for my return trips, I figure if I learn something on each trip, I'm doing well. Jeff

Rich, not sure I will go back to the French. Just didn't seem that great to us, Nipissing though. Well, I've spent some good times there in my life. It feels kind of like my home away from home, if that makes since from a foreigner. I think I would live there if I had the chance. Lew, I agree my heart was heavy hearing of the closing of Lakair. I've been fishing with the Cameron family since 1973 I believe. Back when Kevin's parents Wally and Hazel were running it. I really liked Wally, he was humorous and very soft spoken a true Gentleman for sure. I hope the new Lakair is just as good, though it will never be the same. I also agree about it being my most favorite place on this earth. My step dad and Uncle were over the road truckers, I got to ride with the during summer breaks. So I have been in every state in the United States and nothing holds a candle to my Love of the area around Nipissing. Jeff

Old Ironmaker, thanks for the post and information. I'm new to the electronics and am learning. I'm using a Lowrance Elite 4 HDI, I was able to gain a little information from it while fishing. I just need to use it more to aid in my learning, it's a steep curve though I believe. I'm also trying to learn as much about new fishing techniques as well, as I said above. That Walleye was the first fish I have ever caught using a jig, I had never used a crawler harness until last year when I fished Lake Ostubonigue with a friend who showed me how. Also on that trip I used a crank bait and caught fish for the second time in my life usin a crank bait. When I was a kid fishing Lake Nipissing with my step dad and his dad, we would drift fish with split shot and night crawlers, as I got older. I started using three way and Carolina rigs, we did troll Johnson silver minnows for Pike back then though. I think I am learning a little due to those Walleye are the biggest I have ever caught on Nipissing. Jeff

Rich, here is the address. 2597 Wolseley Bay Rd. Noelville, ON POM 1NO, it is just before Wolseley Bay Lodge. Jack and Marie are great hosts and have a very clean place, I would go back without hesitation. Yes, Lakaire is infact sold. The closing should already be wrapped as the new owners brother told me it was supposed to happen at the end of this week. He is the one who will be running the lodge and whom I got the info from on the planed opening. He didn't say anything about doing anything on a seasonal basis, so I am unsure on that. He did say that the plan was to leave the name the same as well as the same web address. From the outside which is all we could see, the cottages are going to look good. Just with modern siding and metal roofing and such. Jeff

spincast, no never have. I have fished some in the mountains, mostly streams in southern WV for Trout though and stocked lakes.

We arrived at Fish Tale Cabins and Campground on June 27th, got settled in and started fishing the French river on the 28th. This was our first trip to the French river the first day saw two fish total for the Wife. A respectable 18 inch Walleye and a small, Smallmouth. Day 2 did some exploring and the Wife hooked a nice 22.5 inch Walleye and another Smallmouth. I got skunked and caught nothing on the French. Day 3 we made a trip to Lake Nipissing, put in at Sucker Creek and went fishing. I caught two 23.5 inch Walleye and a decent Northern, the Wife caught some Perch and the biggest Drum I’ve ever seen. It was 8 pounds, she caught it within feet of where I caught one of the Walleye and just minutes after me hooking up with the Walleye. So we had a double header. Also witnessed an Eagle flying away from the bay we were in with a Northern that looked to be about 16 inches. Day 4 we were again back on Nipissing we rented a slip from Frank at Memquisit Lodge, great guy by the way. We rented the slip for 3 days and pulled out on the second day as we decided to head home. He chased us down on his ATV to give us our money for the third day we weren’t going to use. We thanked him and told him it was okay, just keep it and thanks for being so nice. He said that he just wanted to be fair and that he believes in and stands by being honest and fair. In my opinion he runs a top notch operation. When we were leaving and about ¾ of a mile before 64, I we saw our first ever Black Bear in the wild. It crossed right in front of us as we were rounding a corner. Another 100 yards or so further on and a Red Fox was walking along the road. I caught my first ever fish on a jig, it was a respectable Walleye to boot, no more eye’s were caught. The Wife did manage several small Perch and some Sunfish. We also swung by Lakair while we were there, they are doing a bunch of remodeling. They are putting up siding and metal roofing on the cabins. While not yet open, the man who will be running it told me they plan on being open next spring, maybe this fall. All in all it was a good trip. Jeff

Thanks bigugli.

He will make a good loyal partner.

Thanks snek_e_pete, and that's my plan of attack for the most part work harnesses. I'm not much of a jigger, but I am going to give it a try also.

Sounds like a nice place. Thanks for the report.

bigcreekdad, thank you for your reply. That is how I have caught them in the past. I've never targeted them, and have caught very few jumbo's. Figured I'd give it a go for some jumbo's this time if the Walleye are not cooperating. I was aware of having to trailer the boat, I'm going to put in at Sucker Creek. I have been to Lakair a number of times starting around 1973. Thanks for pointing that out though, just in case I wasn't aware. Jeff

Nah, I like the Canadian shield to much. It's as much about the scenery as it is the fishing for me.

Anyone do any Perch fishing on the French River or the west arm of Nipissing mid summer? I'm going to be in the Wolseley bay area on the 22nd of July and since we are only 16km from Nipissing. I think we are going to do a day on the west arm. Any way, our target fish are Walleye and Pike. I would like to target some Perch as well. Any suggestions as to the best approach to catching a mess of jumbo Perch? Thanks, Jeff

Oggie, no problem. 500 nightcrawlers per flat, I've so far been quoted from 60 to 100 dollars for a flat. I did just get off the phone with the lodge owner, he gets his bait in on Thursday's from Trans Can bait in Lavigne. So he is going to get me a price of a flat for me, so he can have it there when we get there. I called them direct and the nice lady on the phone quoted me 75 dollars with tax and a 2 dollar deposit on the flat it is approximately $86.50. Jeff

Thank you Whopper, I might sneak over to Nipissing for a day since we will be that close.

Thanks everyone, yes I will be crossing at Buffalo. Sorry I didn't say that when I first posted. I will call the places posted when I get home. I changed plans yesterday, was going to Kipawa but Momma doesn't want to be that far in the bush

Heading up to the Wolseley Bay on July 22nd. Need to buy a flat of nightcrawlers on the way up, I've checked E&R Tackle. They only sell by the dozen. Can someone please tell me where I can buy a flat? Thanks, Jeff

That is very sad news, I hope Leslie is doing okay and there Son. His name escapes me at the moment.

Thanks Lew. Glad to hear Kevin is doing good.

I sent an email asking if they plan to reopen this year or next. I haven't heard anything back, I had seen a post where it was said that Kevin was sick. Never heard anything further on that, I hope he has improved. He and Leslie are wonderful Folks. Has anyone heard how Kevin is, and when they plan to reopen? Jeff

Governator, the float worked well. I might use one a couple inches longer though. It's a good thing it was there, the guy in the one picture holding the big Walleye landed that Pike for me. I brought it along side of the boat and John lipped it, the Pike started head shaking and threw my hooks. So the gripper was all that was holding it, well it started another head shake and pulled the gripper right out of John's hand into the drink. John was quick on the grab, but the float kept it buoyant enough to allow him the few seconds it took to grab it. Coinsadently, I lost two fish larger than the ones in the picture. First was a Walleye bigger than the one John caught, it was what he guessed to be a 30 inch Walleye. I trust John's estimate, he has been fishing for Walleye a long time and has a few ten pounders under his belt. Any way I get it to the side of the boat, John hollers huge Walleye and says Kevin get the net. Kevin, the tall man in the pictures above, remains seated attempting to net the fish. The old Walleye makes a dive so I let the drag do it's job. After the run I again swing it to the front of the boat, it tries to go under the boat as he is trying to net it and snap. Off it goes, we gave him mild grief the rest of the trip saying he knocked it off because he didn't want me drinking out of the big fish mug the next day. Then the next one, I hook onto something nice. Had my pole bent pretty good and it felt heavy, as I'm reeling it in I couldn't feel any head shakes and it kept diving. I said guy's this is a nice Pike, finally get it to the boat and man is it a nice one. Probably had 4 pounds on the one above, it dives hard when it sees the boat. John yells to Kevin, get the grippers. I turn and give John a funny look, but go with it. I get the Pike back to the boat and Kevin tries to grip it, it starts thrashing around and he has ahold of the leader, as he has seen both John and I do. I say no, let go. To late line snaps and the big Pike heads south in a hurry, to which John looks at me and says sorry... Kevin did redeem himself though, he and I were alone when I hooked the Laker. So he was the only net man I had, I brought it along side of the boat and slowed him down and talked him thru it. He did a great job obviously as we have a picture of it and it tasted very good also. jammer, it was both successful and fun. This was my first real wilderness experience, but I really liked my first trip to the bush. Jeff

Thanks Whopper, I certainly did have a good time.

Thanks Sandy, I met a couple guy's at the bait shop. They are from southern Ontario, and was heading to Laniel to put in at the government dock. Not sure where they were staying but they were running two black Lunds a 17 and a 16, nice guys. Joeytier, I'm already planning next years trip. Might have to make it an annual trip for sure. It is in the bush for sure, not for everyone and I like that. A six hour round trip to town is discouraging for some. Jeff

Joeytier, we were in the Zec Kipawa on Lac Ostaboningue. Not as scenic as Nipissing in my opinion and the drive was farther. But the fishing was very good, I think I could get used to it. Rod Caster I think the spot might be a good one, and we had a fun time. Jeff