Hi Gordielocks,

For ice out history, see http://www.algonquinpark.on.ca/news/ice-out.php (it says it was updated today but really the announcement is from May 4). As you can see the average ice-out date is April 23, but it's been later than that the last two years, with full backcountry closures for the last few days before ice out due to flooded roads/campsites and unsafe conditions. As you probably know, fishing season doesn't open in the park until April 30 regardless of canoeing conditions. If you booked a trip starting about a week into May I think you'd be reasonably safe. If you booked a trip for the very start of May you'd run the risk of having to delay it last minute.

Areas or routes to avoid in early spring... not really; spring sort of offers the most choice of passable routes, since some rivers have low water issues later in the summer. I like to avoid camping on lakes with motorboats and cottage or commercial leases, but that's a year-round thing. One potential concern is that some of the more rugged access roads might be a little tough right after the snow melts. If you're using a 2wd and want to head to an access point without a paved road, maybe ask on the forum for people's early spring experiences on that particular road. Also if your timing is going to be really hit-or-miss for ice out, keep in mind that lakes farther south may thaw before those in the north end of the park.

Aside from that I guess you'll want to avoid areas without trout, of course. Jeff's map ( http://www.algonquinmap.com/ ) shows the species in each lake. As a general rule (with a few exceptions), lakes with smallmouth bass will have few if any brook trout. And since smallmouth bass aren't in season until late June I prefer to avoid the lakes they dominate in the spring if I'm fishing. You can see the aggregated backcountry trout fishing survey results from 2009 to 2012 at http://algonquinpark.on.ca/visit/recreational_activites/fishing-in-algonquin-park.php#fish_survey to get a sense of some of the better waters, but it's data volunteered from anglers of various abilities so take it for what it's worth.

Base camping vs route tripping... I dunno, I've done both types of trip in the spring. No real reason to avoid one or the other. Base camping has the advantage of leaving lots of time to fish, and giving you enough time on one lake to really figure out the spots and tactics; also lets you hunker down for the day if the weather flips back to winter. Route tripping has the advantage of getting you deeper into the interior (with the possibility of accessing more remote, less fished lakes), and passing through the major stream corridors that sometimes have the best brookie holes.

Last edited by DanPM (11/25/2015 11:06 am)

The one time I've been down the Nipissing River from the Big Bob portage to Loontail Creek, it was so choked with alders it was hard to believe I was on a mapped canoe route. See pic below. Maybe it's different now, or maybe you want to brave those almost-impenetrable walls of bush to get at the brook trout they jealously guard (I assume; I wasn't fishing on that trip). But if it was me, after that experience, if I wanted to do a Nipissing River trip starting from access point 2, I would go down the Tim River to Rosebary Lake and then take Latour and Loontail Creeks to the Nip from there.

Oh! Sorry I misunderstood, that picture is on the nippissing river between big bob and loontail, my mistake!

Do you think travelling from access 2 to the Hiah Campsite (Where Nippissing meets Loontail) via Big Bob is doable in one day? I've read of people making it to the highview cabin in a day so I would think this is possible but would like to hear your two cents.

Should I post the link to my YouTube video from this spring?

Tim Access to Highview is doable in a long day. It would be quicker to got through Rosebary than Big Bob. Tim Access to High Dam through Rosebary is about 6 hours single carrying. The port from Floating heart to Loontail creek is a bitch.

I doesn't much matter if the Alder on the Nip down stream of Chiababos creek has been cut. It grows up like that every year. Early Spring it won't be any trouble. 

First night was High Dam, just north of the Hiah Lake site. Easily made it there in one day as Martin said.  Also as he said, the one portage almost broke my leg, as seen in the video.
I have to say it here, I enjoy writing trip reports and making the videos and I find other people's videos informative and entertaining while planning trips.  However, I struggle with exposing sensitive areas to increased pressure.  So, please, please practice Leave no Trace principles and mainly catch and release fishing.  A few small fish for an occasional meal I strongly encourage, but these rivers and lakes are sensitive.

I read a trip report earlier this year about a group of guys catching and keeping more than a dozen fish from one pool on a river near Cedar Lake I think it was.  They returned the next day to slaughter the rest of the fish and couldn't understand why the fishing was less productive - like he didn't understand fish populations have a sustainability limit, not infinite.

That campsite is so-so - not very picturesque.  Not sure I would spend two nights there.