Sterling

What we're you using? Minnows? I am heading there this Saturday. Hope to have a fun outing!

Yes we were using a mix of chubs and shiners. Still torn as to which is best. A healthy shiner will always outfish a chub, but chubs refuse to die so you're more guaranteed to have a live bait swimming around...

Managed to get out and drop lines for about 45 minutes, the fish were on fire! Pulled in 5 fish, lost 4, including a dandy that was peeling line (probably a pike).

Going back out tomorrow for sure.

Anyone been out?

I'll be out there tonight for a couple hours. Supposedly it was PACKED yesterday.

There's a reason Nosbonsing is cheaper and less busy; fewer fish to be caught. At least you might be able to get some keepers on Nos though.

Nipissing is hot hot hot if you don't mind C&R. Fish in Callander Bay or any other shallow area for good karma.

Its still in there OI.

 

When speaking about marijuana, doesnt matter if its prescription or not. Zero tolerance they refer to it as.

 

I dont know any company in NW ontario that allows medical marijuana use for its employees

Maybe I'm taking crazy pills but my understanding is that medical marijuana (as in - prescribed) is allowed in any workplace. Surely it falls within the same ruleset as chronic painkillers - don't take them while operating heavy machinery.

Like Joey said, deep is where perch usually hang out. My shack is stationed in the eastern flats and we get maybe 20% perch, 70% walleye, rest is a mix of everything else including pike.

If someone can suggest a way to "target perch" in shallow water, I'd be all over that!

Thats pretty neat those devices can do that. Which is better the raymarine or the sonarphone? You just have to keep paying for navionics + every year Id imagine.

 

Id think the cost is more than $300 though, especially if you need to buy an Ipad. It looks like that Raymarine is $300 on its own, then you gotta buy Navonics and a Ipad.

Assuming the raymarine works reliably, I'd say it's probably better considering it's a CHIRP setup. I own the sonarphone t-box and it's super reliable.

I think you do pay for the app every year, not 100% sure though. This is my first year using it. Key difference is that any lake updates are automatic and instant. Also you can select the areas to download, rather than downloading the entire country and taking up all sorts of space.

Most people already have a tablet so the cost may or may not be considered as part of the setup. I must have spent $600+ on my setup since I loved it so much (brackets, case, wiring, etc).

 

You need to remember that the screens on phones and tablets are pretty poor in direct sunlight while dedicated units are optimized for outdoor use.

Remember that you will also need a waterproof case for your phone or tablet unless you only want to use it on nice days.

Definitely some problems with using a tablet for a purpose other than what it's intended for. Some units don't perform well in direct sunlight. You want a high brightness tablet like the Tab 4.

There are other issues too, like certain cases acting as insulation and making the tablet overheat!

This Panoptics option on these Garmin units looks pretty interesting.

Especially the down view version.

Would be awesome for jigging up whitefish and lakers.

 

 

WOW. Garmin is stepping up bigtime.

That historical view looks fantastic for profiling the fish.

So basically you can hook this thing up to an iPad and connect to the app you download? You said it will have everything a high end sonar has? Sounds interesting

Any tablet or phone really. When I'm fishing at the back of the boat, whoever is in front can hook up to the unit's wifi signal and see what I see (with their smartphone). So that's another neat feature.

It won't do down imaging or side scanning, for one. But in terms of mapping etc, it's unbeatable.

 

 

My biggest need in a new unit was the map making ability. While Lowrance and Hummingbird both offerthe ability to make your own maps, this is the only manufacturer that does it real time.

Dave, I thought the Onyx units did live mapping as well?

Navionics, Onyx, and this garmin unit (which I just learned about).

And by live mapping, I mean driving into a completely uncharted lake and having contour maps (bathymetric maps) created instantly.

Lots to consider. The new HDS Gen3 units are super nice. Lots of ability to customize and tweak every setting on the unit. But you will pay for that. Close to 5k for an HDS 12 with structure scan.

 

If you don't need all of the bells and whistles you can always look at the hook series as well from Lowrance. You can get a decent deal on one with a Nav+ card if you wait for the right deal.

 

I believe all new Lowrance products are equipped with Chirp as well for their standard sonar.

 

I have owned an Elite 7 HDI, Hook 7, and really liked the units. Only real complaint was the processor had a tough time keeping the map moving smooth on the units at higher speed. But you won't have that issue if you go with the HDS units.

 

Lots of good stuff coming out with the Humminbirds as well though. I think at this point it's a Chevy Ford thing.

 

Good luck.

Not going to pretend I know the exact features of Humminbird and Lowrance, because I don't own either, but can Lowrance do bathymetric maps on the fly? I was under the impression only the onyx series was capable of that.

I say this every time this type of question comes up; if you're somewhat tech savvy, consider a navionics + t-box setup. http://www.sonarphone.mobi/

There's also the wi-fish by Raymarine, it uses CHIRP to give improved image.

For $300 you have a setup capable of doing what only $2000+ Humminbird units can do. That is, chart bathymetric maps on the fly. Plus you don't have to pay for the "chip". Speaking of chips, those are archaic rip-offs, just like paying for GPS map updates yearly.

There are some downsides of course, but for the price, totally worth it.

If you're ok doing catch and release and don't mind fast action but smaller fish, consider Nipissing. Fishing was outstanding in 2015-2016 and should be even better this winter.

Here I am sitting in a hotel room surrounded by skyscrapers and cars.

Such good reports by Mike!

3 days 3 fish? Is that unusually slow?

Incredible fish by the way, thanks for sharing.

Rumour has it that there might be a new slot size for walleye on Nipissing for 2017. 16.9 -23.6 inches. Does anyone know if there is any truth to this?

Where did you hear this? Sounds great.

If that where true harvest would be way up next season. We where catching piles of 15-17's this season. I don't mind it the way it is, big numbers fishery and my kids have a ball, plus we usually get just enough for a fry, even if we have to add a bass or some perch to the mix. We always get some jumbo perch while trolling.

A small increase like this would be done in a calculated way. Suspect they're trying to get sportsfishing harvest to 15-20,000kg by adding 1in to the slot.

Sterling, I have to go back and re read the report, I read .25 to .50% kill rate from C@R through the ice, not 25% to 50%, point 25%. Between a quarter to half off all Walleye released die? I don't think so, I hope not.

 

Now I can't find the PFD in my file.

Thanks, I had originally misread. I swear I saw someone from the MNR or NFN claim 25%.

This summary offers pretty good insight. Mortality is high in tournaments because the fish aren't immediately released. Seems like catch & immediate release gives a 98%+ survival rate, which I think is fantastic.

Interestingly, fizzing leads to much higher mortality.

Also, cooler water = lower mortality.

http://www.fishfactor.tv/documents/Competitive%20Angling-Peche%20Competitive/walleye%20catch%20and%20release%20mortality.pdf

Yep, but the peanut gallery of people that know nothing about the lake will be out in full force yet again. I can't wait to get in a couple trips and lay an absolute smackdown on the walleye

Last trip to Nipissing in the summer we boated piles of pickerel. We kept one legal and a few bass for a fish fry.

Amen. If you're into C&R Nipissing is phenomenal right now. Best I've seen in a decade (the decade I've been here, ha). Can't wait for these little fish to grow up. I'm cautiously optimistic that there will once again be a healthy population of fish. If we were at 10% keepers I'd be happy. We're on year 2 of a 3-4 year growth cycle for the 2014 stockers, only a couple more seasons to go!

I can guarantee 2 things, there is a kill rate of released Walleye caught through the ice they say is around .25% to .50% but not all, the kill rate of Walleye in a net is 100%.

 

The thing that stuck out blaringly was their observation on incomplete data. What they basically said in English was this. None of these numbers means sweet F all because not all commercial catches are reported. Wonderful. We aren't talking about loosing a weeks worth of recreational creel studies. These are big numbers that could skew an entire study. I shall read on when I can.

Kill rate through the ice is a huge problem. Netting or not, it's something we have to address. Perhaps this needs to go beyond Nipissing too.

Noticed that about commercial netting data. Where is it? Did I miss that part? It can be interpolated though. We have enough numbers to figure it out. Someone claimed 13% sportsfishing, 87% commercial. Not sure how accurate that is. Important to note that in past years, both sports and commercial fishing exceeded the recommended yearly catch. Now sportsfishing is in the safe zone, finally. Time for the commercial fishery to play their part.

The experts warn that at this rate, a collapse of the population could occur. It's funny and sad, but I think a collapse would be the fastest way to resolve the situation and save the lake long term...

Humbug, maybe the chief should enforce his own rules better for those that scoff at them.

As far as we know the self-imposed moratorium and rules aren't working. I'd like to hear how they've adjusted in 2016, and sincerely hope they managed to rein in the uncooperative folk.

Consider that in 2015, "illegal" netting during the moratorium alone exceeding sportsfishing harvest. That's 8 days of illegal netting exceeding a full year of sportsfishing. Astounding.

So, they would rather keep it open and make the tourist money than protect the resource. Why am I not surprised. The MNRF is a joke.

 

S.

With the old slot, shutting down the lake would be the right move. With the new slot, most people don't harvest any fish at all on Nipissing, so the lake is safe over the winter. Keeping the lake open is the right move, unless they can substantiate claims of 25% mortality.

I've never ice fished Nippising or know much about the fishery , but ive heard that there is commercial netting of walleye. Obviously I would assume this is also analyzed when a study is performed on the state of the fishery .

As much as people are slamming the MNR for recommending "yet another study", I believe it's the right move. I personally think fish mortality is huge through the ice - something we need to fix.

The current slot limits for sportsfishing are adequate and put our harvest levels within the safe zone. I know that puts our harvest rate at 3% of all catches, but lets fix the 3%, not the slot.

I read the full report from the independent study. Some interesting highlights;

1. Number of catches from sports fishing is at an all time high.

2. Number of harvested fish (fish kept) from sports fishing is at an all time low.

3. Sportsfishing harvest has been cut 1/8 from 2014, when the new slot went in.

4. As others have pointed out, netting is now overwhelmingly responsible for harvest numbers.

I think us sportsfishermen have done our part in reducing our harvest. I encourage everyone to continue supporting the new slot size, as painful as it is now.

DanD that is so cool...

Tremendous news! Crazy to think it was an infection the whole time.

For pike I love me a #1 syclops spoon, they cast like a football so you get tremendous distance. Hot tiger is my best but any color will do.

Finicky fish like summer specks, nothing beats slow death hook with half a nightcrawler. 8lb fluoro line, bury that hook completely.

Deep walleye shad raps are great, the UV ones performed well this summer in tanned water. Harnesses always work too if you can get your speed way down.

For perch my strategy is different; I bring my line in, take off whatever I'm fishing with, and go home. (jk, perch or walleye rigs in the winter anyway).

"Media" prediction was 270 to 170. Final results 218 to 279. Wonder who had the media in their pocket?

Like manitoubass said, Trump strikes me as an idiot in some ways, but it's remarkable how idiotic the democrats were this cycle. Screwing over my boy Bernie (whom had a better shot, by the way), mixed with tremendous in-party corruption. Serves them right.

Seems like the biggest force in Donald's favor was the DNC's corruption.

Next 4 years is going to be entertaining, to say the least.

You got the rainbows in that lake too?