Lake Nipissing has good numbers of walleye available and there are a lot of big fish here too. It is also a very shallow lake compared to most of the better walleye lakes in Canada, so it is much easier to find the schools of walleye. Lake Nipissing is a big lake and it can get very rough when the winds blow harder, so getting offshore may not be possible on some days. When you have better weather, you can really go out and catch a lot of walleye on all the main lake rock piles, shoals and reefs.
Catch Lots of Walleye
Lake Nipissing is loaded with walleye. If you can find the larger schools of them, you can catch a lot of walleye here. In higher winds, you may not be able to get out to the better spots, but other than that, it is a pretty consistent walleye fishery all season long. Anglers that know how to catch walleye will usually do very well here.
Catch Big Walleye
Lake Nipissing is a big lake with lots of food and walleye grow very big here. Anglers catch fish in the mid to upper 20 inch range all the time with some fish up to and above 30 inches possible.
East End of the Lake
The east end of the lake offers good walleye fishing all season. There are a couple of bigger bays that hold good numbers of fish early in the season. Once summer patterns set in, the huge schools of walleye will be out on the main lake around all the offshore structure.
West End of the Lake
The west arm of the lake provides quality fishing early in the season without having to go out on the main lake to find them. Around mid-June, the walleye that moved in the lake to spawn will head back into the French River or out on the main lake basin. You can still catch walleye on the west side of the lake in the summer and fall, but the better bite will usually be out on the main lake rock piles, shoals and reefs.
Fish the Bays
Early in the season, walleye will move into some of the bays on the lake. You can catch walleye in shallow water with a variety of baits. Once water temperatures warm up though, walleye will move out onto the main lake structure.
Fish the Islands
There are a lot of islands on the west end of the lake and you can find a lot of walleye off of these islands early in the season. With warmer water temperatures in the summer, walleye will move out onto the main lake basin. There aren’t as many islands out there, but there are a few to fish and they will hold fish from summer through fall.
Fish the Points
There are a lot of points on the lake and points can always hold some walleye throughout the fishing season. Whether the points are off the main lake shorelines or off some of the islands, they both can hold some fish. Wind blown points with some deeper water nearby are some spots worth checking out from spring through fall.
Fish Offshore Structure
Once the summer pattern sets in, most of the walleye will be roaming the open waters out in the main lake basin. There are a bunch of rock piles, shoals and reefs that will hold walleye from summer through fall.
Fish the Rocks
Lake Nipissing has a lot of rocks in it, so plan on fishing a lot of rocky areas from spring through fall. Fish the rocky points, rocky shorelines around the islands or the offshore under structure.
Fish the Weeds
There are plenty of weeds on the lake too. Early in the year, some of the shallower bays that hold weeds can hold some walleye. Fish the new green weeds to see if they are around. The deeper weed lines will be more effective in the summer and fall.
Best Baits for Walleye
Walleye eat a variety of different baits, however, when push comes to shove, it is much easier to catch them with live baits. Minnows, nightcrawlers and leeches are definitely the best live baits for walleye.
While most anglers will just use live baits, many anglers will also target walleye with lures as well. Crankbaits and soft plastics are the best lures for walleye, however, you can catch walleye with a variety of different lures.
Learn More
Best Rigs for Walleye
When targeting walleye, there are many different rigs that you can use to catch them. While most anglers will keep it super simple and just use a simple jighead, many anglers will use a variety of rigs such as spinner rigs, 3 way rigs, bottom bouncers, drop shot rigs and many others.
To learn more, take a look at our best rigs for walleye page.
Best Techniques for Walleye
Jigging is by far the most popular technique for walleye fishing, however, you can catch them a variety of different ways. Casting, trolling and drifting are some of the other awesome techniques that anglers use.
To learn more, take a look at our best techniques for walleye page.
Learn More About Walleye
Our walleye fishing section has tons of tips on the best lures, live baits, where to catch them and how to catch them.
Visit our walleye fishing website to learn more.
