the 'Gems' of lake nippissing
by Nic DiGravio
Lake
Nippissing, with its picturesque views is not just a ‘pretty’ face.
It’s an angler’s paradise. The waters of Lake Nippissing are home to many
species of fish. The sport fish most sought after is the Walleye
and rightly so. Trophy Pike, Muskie, Jumbo
Perch and Bass are Nippissing specialties too.
During my stays in Lake Nippissing I have never had a boring day. If you are a multi-species fanatic like I am then this lake is definitely for you. My days would consist of Walleye fishing in the early morning, then mid-morning switching to Small Mouth. After a good hearty brunch, thanks to my lovely wife, I would head to the weed riddled bays for Large Mouth. Mid afternoon I would test the Pike waters, as well as, Muskie. Later on, after supper, I’d find myself fishing for Walleye. Now that’s what I call a vacation fit for an angler.
Walleye
is Nippissings most wanted. The preferred method of catching these tasty
morsels is drifting jigs tipped with worms. Slow trolling produces good
fish too. You can use spinner rigs, bottom bounced worm harnesses, it doesn’t
matter really, as long as it is presented slowly. The slightest little tap
would prompt me to release my line and seconds later hook into a feisty
Walleye. Remember to always keep your bait on the move because the Walleye
travel in schools. They can be under you one minute and gone the next. Walleye
are found on rocky shorelines, bays or points during the post-spawning season.
During the summer months they move to the many shoals and drop offs. 
The Gators of Lake Nippissing are a definite must for the trophy angler. Gators are plentiful and eager to take your bait for a long ‘haul’. Wherever you find weed growth, you find Pike, and I mean big Pike. Latching on to a 20 lb Pike is not uncommon in Lake Nippissing. The smaller, 10 to 15lb fish are a common occurrence, but I think I was able to handle it! I discovered that finding sparse weed growth in 2 to 5 feet of water and having that ‘eerie’ feeling inside made for excellent gator real estate. Spinner baits were my lure of choice most of the time. The willow leaf and Colorado blade combo made getting it through the weeds a snap. I recall one incident while reeling in when I thought a muskrat was following my bait. As it came closer I noticed that it was ‘no’ muskrat, it was a ‘huge’ gator.
They
say that there is big Muskie in Lake Nippissing. You know…….I believe them!
Normally, the best time of year to fish for these big brutes is in the fall.
Locals tell me that only a hand full of angler’s fish for them religiously.
During the time spent on this body of water I have had my share of Muskie
followers while fishing for Pike. They have not been your average Kawartha’s
Muskie size, which I must say, is still a good Muskie. Judging by the numbers
I have seen, I knew it was just a matter of time before I would hook into
one. Again, spinner baits were the lure of choice for me. Finding them was
‘easy’ because Pike territory is also Muskie territory.
Small Mouth Bass fishing in Lake Nippissing is
superb. You can find them anywhere along the many miles of shore line and
submerged weed growth. Casting crank baits in fast sloping shorelines and
boulder infested waters produced many Small Mouth. Even spinner baits with
a white grub trailer would get its fair share. A white tube jig or jerk
bait also did well. So, as you can tell, Nippissing Small Mouth are willing
and able to smack anything that comes in their path. The trick is to keep
on the move until they are located using fast baits like some mentioned
above. After you have found them try finesse fishing with plastics fished
‘slow’.
Lake
Nippissing and Large Mouth Bass is an experience I will never forget! Come
August the bucket mouth come to life. By this time the water is at its warmest
and the bass know its time to get active. I kid you not when I say; within
3 to 4 hrs my buddy and I would hook into 15 to 25 Large Mouth with the
average weight being 2.5 to 3 pounds. The strange thing was that there wasn’t
a single bass angler to be seen. Look for them in the reeds, submerged vegetation
and don’t pass up the lily pads. Soft jerk baits, spinner baits and finessed
plastics all worked quite well as did the infamous Pork-O. There is some
big Large Mouth in this lake and they are hungry!
Lake Nippissing is a big lake with a lot of rock so be cautious and bring along a map. Chances are that you will be quite surprised as to quantity and quality of fish in this lake. Picturesque you say? Then picture this. Sitting back in your Muskoka chair staring out into the Nippissing sunset sipping on red wine and yes, oh yes! Eating that tasty, deep fried perch you caught today! Paradise!