Cabonga Reservoir

[cep56]

I'm going to Deer Horn in July and was given a spot to checkout called "The Trestle". Has anyone heard of this, and perhaps a landmark location? I have the map of the reservoir but don't see any reference to it.

Thanks...

[cnydave]

hi. I have been to deer horn several times and going back 15 yrs. I do know the area where they call the trestle. It looks like a train bridge , theres a big deep hole just in front of the area between the two bodies of water , the area that you go threw is very shallow and very narrow and only about 10ft. threw the area. This is very good fishing here , only problem i have had there is the walleys spook very easy there. You catch several , then they slow down. It is about 10 mile from deer horn to this area.
I will be going to Deer Horn for several days July 3rd. Maybe I'll see ya there.
CNYDAVE.

[RAB]

I think the trestle reference refers to the remnents of a bridge that was used when that area was logged many years ago. There is indeed a deep hole there, just as you aproach it, that has given up some very large walleyes. It is a somewhat narrow area and boat traffic will spook the fish quickly. To reference it on your map, first look for Van Geisen Bay and follow into an area called WaWa pass. The trestle is at the end of WaWa pass before you would enter an area called Ely's Rock lake. Lots of good fishing down that way........good luck!

[cnydave]

Rab.
This is the area i (cnydave) was refering to . Yes there have been some nice Walleye taken out of this hole , i can take ownership of several real nice fish from there. Several yrs. ago we saw a Lynnx cross this pass while we were fishing there. I still can not beleive that Lynnx jumped in the water to cross while were there , but i had a couple guys with me that saw it also..I'm glad of that because i do not think anyone would beleive this cat did that while we were right there.
Thanks .
CNYDAVE.......

[cep56]

Guys, thanks for the info. I see if I can find it if the bite is slow in the usual areas. CNYDAVE, maybe I'll see you there, I'll be in cabin 14.

cp

[emanonmac]

I've spent hours looking at the detailed map of Cabonga and cannot locate the area where the trestle is. I have been to Deer Horn 3 times and will be going up again June 12 through June 19 this year. Any directions from the lodge to this area would be appreciated. I've been as far as the entrance to Baie de Waskega to the East and Ile Menard to the SE and NE to the Baie des Sept Milles (7 mile bay). This will be my first trip during this time of the season as I've usually been up there 4th of July week. I've got a mess of worm harness rigs tied up, plenty of different lures and side planers for trolling. Plan on bringing Leeches up (I checked with their fish & game dept and have an e-mail confirming it is ok to bring in) and some nightcrawlers in worm bedding (not dirt). They also confirmed it was legal to use one dip net and up to 3 fish traps for catching minnows in the Cabonga, but you can only fish them dead and they must be dead when you travel with them. Any advice for fishing this time of year would be appreciated. I will post a recap of my trip when I return.

[cnydave]

hi emanonmac.......
If you look on your map , find the area where indian point is , it's in a small channel that runs into a area where there is a sunken island and some very large rocks stiking up out of the water. You will need to travel past the rocks and head out into a big bay , stay to your left . The treastle is down on your left about 3/4 mile. It is about 30 mins. from deer horn.
Have you ever fished Barrier Lake just below the cabonga. This is very good walleye fishing here if the water / dam is on . We will be going up on July 3rd. to fish deer horn area for several days. I know right now the fishing is great , hope it stays that way for another Month.
Hope to here how you make out on your trip.
cnydave.

[emanonmac]

Hi CNYDAVE

Thanks for the reply. The laminated map I have of Cabonga is a 2003 edition and there is no Indian Head point on it. All the bays and lakes have French names. If you have the GPS coordinates I will be able to locate it or a map direction from Deer horn. I have a more current map that shows the water depth and contours but can't remember where I put it. Thankfully, my Lowrance IFINDER PRO has a chip in it that shows all the same information for Cabonga and I use it all the time up there. Supposedly Steve has wifi up there now and my son is bringing his laptop so I might be able to post daily reports. The Sunday after I get up there we will be going out with Gary the guide. Can never have too much information or tips for fishing there. Appreciate any help you can give. Thanks again.

[still fishin']

emanonmac,

Heading up there in 16 days. Where did you find a chip for Cabonga for your Lowrance? Good luck.

[emanonmac]

I have a Navionics chip that I purchased a little over 2 years ago. I believe it was around $90 for the chip. The case it comes in says it is compatible with Lowrance, Eagle, Hummingbird and Furuno. I know I ordered it on line so I believe the best place to start is the Navionics web site. Good luck fishing, I'll be there a week before you. Staying in Cabin 19.

[RAB]

One of the boats in our group has the navionics chip in his gps. It's well worth the money, showing us some shoals barely covered by water that could easily take off a lower unit. We run pretty far, to the deep part of Cabonga for lake trout. The chips a great help. We'll be there the 19th through the 25th of june. Looking at Steve's fishing reports it looks like the bite is on. It's amazing how shallow we've been taking good walleye for the past few years Good fishing to all.

[still fishin']

RAB,

We'll be there the same week. Hope we all knock 'em dead. I don't have time to get the Navionics for this year; will have it before June, 2011.

[jimash2]

Hi cep56,
I have been to Dear Horn a couple times a year since 2005. I was just there by myself fishing May 21-25. Fishing was a bit slow; looks like it has picked up. I mentinoned the Trestle to Steve Hamel and it did not ring a bell. I later talked to Gary the guide and he can tell you where WaWa pass and Rock lake are located. I believe if you check with Steve Hamel and mention WaWa pass and Rock lake, he can tell you where this fishing area is. While fishing out that direction, I made a trip to the WaWa pass area and went through the narrows that has been discussed. Based on my map, this is my description: Basically you are headed toward Baie de Waskega. Go from camp South thru Chenal Barriere (hugging right shore line) until large body of water leading to Chenal Waskega. Follow right shore line of Chenal Waskega. WaWa pass is the final stretch leading thru the narrows into Baie de Waskega. It appears some people think, the narrows leads into Rock Lake. It appears others think this is a different lake and Rock Lake is past it. By the way, the water is very low so you may see new rocks and additional markers!! I used a lap top to send a message home each day. Composed in my cabin and walked to office and set it on the freezer to read and send messages.

[RAB]

Thanks for the update jimash2, haven't seen low water conditions on the Cabonga for years. All the more reason for caution. If you access steve's topo map of the northern part of cabonga, it's on his website, you will see a logging road crossing the water in the wawa pass area. This is what some refer to as the trestle, although Steve probably wouldn't know it by that name. However, he is well aware of the deep pool just before you go through to the next lake.......not ely's rock lake, thats a bit further. We were in the area one time when Steve came through from the Washega side with a film crew to record the fishing there. Wasn't much going on at the time. Steve and Gary know the lake and its shoals intimately. I've seen them blow though areas that would give me heart palpitations just thinking about it. Lower water means some tactical changes in our fishing approach, thanks again for the heads up. good fishing.....

[cep56]

Thanks for all the informative replies. I am going to try and post a section of the map showing where I believe the Trestle is located. If I'm wrong please correct me.

CP

4910

[emanonmac]

Appreciate all the replies. I fished that hole two years ago but that was after I had gone through to the next body of water and fished there with no results and came back through and set my anchor and tried the hole before going through with no luck again. Just before I left, another boat came in and set up on the hole and he did catch some fish using leeches, which I didn't have at the time. Recent pictures on Steve's web site showed the reservoir and it looked like the level was down and thankfully we now have confirmation it is down several feet. Going to have to slow down the first day or two and watch carefully where we are going.

[cep56]

Recent pictures on Steve's web site showed the reservoir and it looked like the level was down and thankfully we now have confirmation it is down several feet. Going to have to slow down the first day or two and watch carefully where we are going.

Hi emamonmac,

I attached a couple links to the Ottawa River Planning Boards web site that will show the current water level of principal reservoirs. The Cabonga is down about 1.3 meters from the maximum level which is where it was last year in June and August when we went. Hopefully some of the rock hazards will be marked when we go in July. A friend of mine went one year when Steve's bay was nothing but sand. Steve had to launch the boats with a tractor about 100 yards from the dock. I hope the level is not down that far.

Take Care,
CP

http://www.ottawariver.ca/principal.htm
http://www.ottawariver.ca/emain.htm

[emanonmac]

From recent pictures on Steve's website, it appears that boats are still using the docks he has. Pictures showing the shoreline seem to indicate the level is down 2-3 feet. I'll know for sure in 8 days and will post information from camp.

[cep56]

Thanks,

Pictures would be great. It will give us some indication of where the level actually is. We will be going 3,4,5,6 of July. We booked a little later than usual.

CP

[jimash2]

I was at Deer Horn May 21 thru 25. There is no dock problem at the camp. I was using a camp boat with 15 HP motor. I got into Lake Minnie OK; one just has to go slow through the stump areas. Going straight South like to Burns Bay is also not a problem; however, I see that there are additional markers. I also traveled to Lake Wagoose. It is fine all the way past the Dam and going South to where one must head West. Be carefull in the open water where you must head back North to enter Wagoose. There was a rock out of the water in the normal path I take to Wagoose. I only went to Wagoose once on this trip. When I returned I investigated some and it looked very scarry in this area. I know when I return to Wagoose even with a better water, I am going to be watching the depth and speed in this area.

Jim

[cep56]

Thanks Jim...

Was the guides boat docked without issue? We are coming with slightly larger boats and we are in cabin 14 which is back in the bay further. How was the fishing / weather for your time at Deer Horn? Steve's web site shows some decent fish.

CP

[jimash2]

Hi cep56,

There were lots of big boats at the main docks. I don't really know how much water is required for larger boats. I was docked near a boat with a 150 HP Mercury and I saw it moving around the docks. I don't believe there was any problem around the main docks. I don't know the situation regarding the other docks. The weather was pretty hot all 5 days I was there; even into the 90F's. Many were complaining about the heat. I stay on the lake til about 4-5 PM each day. It was a bit warm but there was a light breeze and a few clouds most of the time; I had no problem with the heat. The fishing for me was pretty challenging. I only caught 12 walleyes and 6 pike. I brought home 5 walleyes (20-21 inches) and 2 pike (3 and 5 lb). I did lose one 5-6 lb pike. Unlike most Cabonga fishermen, I do spend about 40 percent of my time fishing for pike. I ate walleye all 5 days out in the lake. I just could not catch a walleye in any of my past spots except for one. I caught all my walleyes in this one spot. This spot is on the way to Wagoose where there are 2 markers and one makes a sharp right to head West. I even fished this spot in the evening with minimal sucess. I only heard of one sucess story. On the 3rd day of the season, a large party with a guide caught a bunch of walleyes.

I am hoping to return to Cabonga in the later part of August with my son; he is trying to work out his schedule. I know we will do much better.

Jim

[cep56]

Thanks Jim,

By the sounds, we should have no issues at the dock. Last year some of our best fishing was around the same spot you mentioned. The fish are a bonus to me, I enjoy being there with good friends and family. It's about the only time we can get together. It sounds like the pike are a little more plentiful this year. My son and son-in-law want the pike in a bad way so perhaps they will get a few.

CP

[emanonmac]

As everyone knows by now, the water level is down about 3 feet because of some work done at the Barrier Lake dam. Boats are being launched way out past cabin 1, usually by the guests themselves. The camp tractor that usually launched the boats was out of service with transmission problems. No problem launching your own boat as the water gets fairly deep close in and you don't have to get your rear wheel tires in the water to launch or recover. Overall fishing was not very good for most people. Combination of sunny hot days and low water level? Jigged 5 nights at different locations with no results using both worms and leeches. June 16th the day was cloudy and rain started mid afternoon but we had fantastic fishing and wound up with 15 eyes and 1 large perch for the three of us. We had 2 fish in the freezer back in the cabin and had previously eaten 4. Picked up our last eye for possession the following day and played catch and release the rest of the time. Other than the one great day, the weather all week was sunny and hot during the day. I will post some pictures as soon as I can figure out how to reduce the filesize. One important note, the logging road in is in the worst shape I have ever seen it. My 17' Fisher developed a crack on the port side of the transom from all the bouncing on the way in that we were able to plug up with some aluminum epoxy that Gary the guide gave us. Going to have to get it welded now that I am home. Thought I took my time going in but even with the boat fully up on the bunk boards the boat couldn't take the punishment. When we left we took and hour and 15 minutes to go the 18 miles to get to the highway. Road is not going to be in as good a shape as in previous years as the logging company is done and only the park is maintaining the road which I understand is only 3 times a season. One final note, we brought jumbo leeches in with us but had our best luck fishing with worms on worm harness rigs.
Link to some fishing pictures of my trip:
http://s872.photobucket.com/albums/ab289/emanonmac/Cabonga2010/

[cep56]

emanonmac,

Thank you for all the information. I looked at your pictures, very nice. They show how low the level really is. It's good Steve's crew can move the docks to deeper water. Our group will be leaving next weekend. I'm hoping the weather co-operates for some better fishing.

Kinda to bad about the road being so rough, even at it's best, it's pretty rough. Last year, both trips to Deer-Horn took us about an hour and 45 minutes on the road in, 20 mph tops. But if it was black top, Deer Horn wouldn't be the same, nor would the fishing.

Was there anyone fishing Barrier that you know of and how were the black flies / mosquitos?

Thanks,
Charlie

[emanonmac]

On the way in on June 12 I saw a few people at Barrier Lake but none on the way out. I did not hear anything about anyone fishing there. No water is being released into it and there is currently no work being done on the dam. There were no black flies when we were there and I was told they had been gone for some time. Mosquitos also were not too bad at night but as the summer wears on they could be. Trolling wormharnesses close to shore attracted horseflies and deer flies (which were the worse). Gary the guide had said there was no action south of the camp at Bay Wagoose which we found to be true as we tried it on the Friday before we left. There had been no significant rainfall at the camp for some time and a good storm with some wind would have really turned on the fishing. We went through about 40 worm harnesses for 3 guys only because we were quick to free spool when snagged and backed down towards the snag and were able to retrieve most without loss. All trolling was done at 1.5 to 1.8 mph as slower brought more snags and faster did not produce any hits. Bring your own worms if you can. We bought 4 tubs of 40 and used over a pound of jumbo leeches I had brought. The leeches lasted a lot longer and were not lost when we snagged up but the fish seem to prefer the worms. Hope this information helps you. Give us a report when you are back and good luck.

[cep56]

emanonmac,

Thanks for the detailed information it will save us time figuring things out if the weather is similar. I will post are results on 7/7 or 7/8.

Charlie