walleye

[little angler]

My family and i are going to lake Nipissing for a week on the south shore staying at promised land camp amd i was wondering if anyone knows any hot spots were i could catch some walleye or some lures to use that would catch a few iv never caught one and i heard the taste amazing thnx in advance

[Rizzo]

Wish I could help you Bud but:

 

A) I'm not familiar with that area

When I catch a walleye its definitely an accident. They may taste good, but the fight is comparable to a wet dishrag.

 

I would suggest speaking to the Lodge owner. When I went to Lakair, Kevin was very helpful with some areas to try. Ditto when I stayed at Waltonian. They want you to be happy and come back, so I'm sure the local tips would be your best bet. Here, you're bound to get the old "look for drop-offs" "fish in low light conditions" "slow down your presentation when the fish are inactive" "weed to rock transitions are dynamite" and other generic albeit true tips. When you get up there, they can get as specific as fish 100 feet west of the cottage with the green door and use a purple wiggler bounced off bottom! Then again, the most fun is going out there and hunting 'em down all on your own! Good luck and have fun.

[kuhaman]

Try adventurefishingmaps.on.ca, ya gotta pay for the map but they're pretty decent maps.

[kuhaman]

1/4 to 1/2 ounce jigs in chartreuse or orange tipped with a minnow work pretty good on Nippissing. Just gotta find some decent structure(shoals or rock piles) and start jiggin. Good luck.

[Zib]

Wish I could help you Bud but:

 

When I catch a walleye its definitely an accident. They may taste good, but the fight is comparable to a wet dishrag.

 

You must not have caught many walleye then.

[trapshooter]

Hello LA,

 

I'll try to help you out as best as I can. Even though I have only fished for walleye on lake Nipissing through the ice I think I can still steer you in the right direction.

 

For lures your best bet is a jig tipped with a live minnow. My favourite colour on lake Nipissing is glow but white, pink and chartreuse also work well. Although simple, the jig probably accounts for more walleye caught in Ontario every year then all other baits put together. Buy different weights from 1/4 oz to 1/2 oz depending on how deep you will be fishing. You always want to use the lightest jig possible while still being able to feel the jig and the bottom of the lake.

 

I can't help you with specific locations but just in general, look for a rocky point, island or shoal and fish the side that is being hit with the wind/waves. Depending on what time of year you are there will greatly affect how deep you should be fishing. Shallower (say 10' or less) in May and getting deeper and deeper as the summer progresses. Start fishing shallow and move out deeper until you start catching fish. Repeat this process on different spots and you can be sure to connect with your first walleye. A fish finder will really help you with finding fish and staying at the right depth.

 

If you want to try casting a lure I would recommend trying crankbaits like the walley diver or grapler shad, suspending minnowbaits like the xrap or huskey jerk. These also work well for bass which can be found on Nipissing so they are versatile.

 

Rizzo gave you good advice about asking the lodge owner for help. You can always stop at one of the local tackle shops too and ask what's been producing well. Pick up your minnows and some jigs while you're there and you're all set.

 

Good luck and have fun.

 

Cheers,

ben.