steverowbotham

I always look forward to this time of year, and posting a recap of my season. It's a good way to enjoy and share my memories from the sport i love! 2009 was a great year for me, I got to do lots of fishing, I got engaged, I bought a new pickup... I cant ask for much more. So here goes, I hadnt done a ton of ice fishing in previous years, maybe 10-12 times per season, but this year, I stepped it up and I got out every day that I could, I really started to enjoy it. I had some great memories and got to share some amazing days on the ice with good friends and family. Kelli and I started our season with a trip to Little Lake, she loves catching pike after pike, so we always do it a couple times per season Then we switched to Simcoe for lakers and whities Annual group trip to Nipissing was a blast as always But, back to Simcoe Lots more, but I cant post em all lol Didnt really do any spring steelheading this year, only got out once and only have cell phone pics of the good ones Last saturday in April however, I needed to get my speck feed on. Had a garage sale in the morning and took the afternoon to stomp the forest in search of some speckies. Landed about a dozen, kept 4 for the pan that night. Dont like to keep many, but once or twice a year I cant help myself I also love me a perch feed, and Kelli loves fishing for em. We got out a bunch this year off of Innisfil and we ate lots of perch this spring. No massive fish, but lots of solid eaters. Pike season rolled around, and I always love pike season! Opening day was 60km/h winds and thunderstorms, I went to work instead. The next nice day I took Kelli and a couple of friends to Couchiching in search of some gators, and gators we found. Did some fishing up in the Muskokas as well... Jigging for lakers was new for me, and when I client called asking to do it, I was hesitant but he trusted me and wasnt dissapointed Then my favourite time of year, bass season..... Happy clients Livewell incident led to some dead fish in the tourney, first time in a long time and VERY dissapointing, still won though! New club record! and 1st place 1st place again, I got on a roll 2nd place I may get out steelheading once or twice before December wraps up, but that was my 09 season! Hope you enjoyed, I know I did!

not surprised or upset by this, there are garbage cans all around and people refuse to use them. It's disgusting, dispose of your garbage properly.

nice report man, even better pics

nice man, good season!

You're right about the flyer date, I was kind of peeved that it didnt have a start date listed. As far as the other issues are concerned, The "rep" has no idea when the next shipment is due because we have no way of knowing, this information is not provided to the staff. The manifests come when the truck is shipped. We can not offer rain checks on ice huts, because due to a limited supply, we can not guarantee we will receive more. The employee's can not just give you a hut for a lower price, they do not have the authority to do that. Hope this clears some things up.

no can do partner, we cannot hold any sale items. If there was a hold tag on it, and someone wanted to buy it who was there, it would be sold, no questions. It's just policy, and I love OFC, but its not worth my job I can tell you that.

As a bass pro employee, we do our best to help our customers and when an item has been on sale for an entire month, how can you expect high stock? We got a shipment of Nanooks today, and we sold out today. It's that time of year, great prices and people are all over it, the early bird gets the worm.

keep the entries coming guys

Went from 05-08 for F&W Loved it

nicely done man!

good fishin dude.

my dilemma too. I love bass fishing, and when I'm not guiding for them, I need to keep the reports coming to help with networking etc... that being said, steel is my guilty pleasure

Hey everyone, with the Christmas season upon us, I'd like to inform everyone of some changes with my business and a new contest I'd like to run. First off, 2010 will be my inaugural season running ice fishing charters. I will be running out of heated portable huts with flasher units and one on one instruction. I will be guiding on Lake Simcoe (perch, whitefish, pike, lake trout), Lake Couchiching (pike, perch), Lake Joseph/Rosseau (lake trout). Also new for 2010, kids fish for free, when accompanied by a paying adult. Now, as far as the contest goes, up for grabs is one FREE 4 hour charter for two on Lake Simcoe for some giant smallmouth bass, one FREE ice fishing trip for two on Lake Simcoe for some JUMBO perch action, and one FREE ice fishing trip for two on Lake Simcoe for some lake trout/whitefish action. Here's the scoop. I will accept multiple entries and i will make the draw on December 18, 2009. To win the bass trip, you must add to this post your favourite bass picture and tell the story of how you caught it. To win the perch trip, you must add your favourite perch recipe To win the lake trout/whitefish trip, you must add your favourite lake trout/whitefish recipe. All contestants must email me their real name and OFC handle to [email protected], you may visit my website at http://www.sircatchalot.piczo.com Best of luck to all,

it's balsa so it will float pretty quick when doing that. I think it's a better trolling bait than anything

fish deep with tubes, jigging spoons or strike zone slammers. Fish as slow as you can, and then a little slower.

im game

I honestly did not have a great year for BIG fish. I caught a lot of good fish, but nothing mind boggling There's still a month left on Simcoe, I'll get my Will Smith (7 lbs) for the year

Just curious, with the senko craze STILL kicking around, what colours are everyone throwing? For the poll, dont worry about fleck colours, explain that in a post. For me, I would call black the best all around colour

pretty sure I saw RambleOn from a distance sure, not 100% though

When I studied Animal Pathology, I remember my professor saying that there is a strain of pig flu and if it ever got to humans, we'd be screwed. It's scary stuff, dont take it lightly

incredible!

There's a reason I didnt start a topic on it as soon as I got home that day haha

I was fishing a tourney on Sparrow when this fish was caught and had the opportunity to see and hold the beast! It was weighed on an old spring scale that bottomed out at 50lbs. My digital scale read 42lbs 7oz and our clubs weigh scale weighed it at 42.30lbs. The fish was caught by a musky fisherman, yes he was targetting them. It didnt die accidentally, he kept it on purpose. Yes, he is 100% within his legal rights to keep this fish. Unfortunate, yes. but good for him, its being mounted, fish of a lifetime. A fish like that has donated to the gene pool MANY times I would think. My concern came when this angler told us he caught and kept another 53 incher out of there a few weeks prior. That's when I became upset with the situation. To keep a 53 inch trophy is fine by me. I'd prefer a replica but to each his own. But keeping 2 fish in the 50 inch class in 2 weeks time is not cool by me. just my opinion. Here's a pic I got with the giant!

It is with great happiness that Kelli and I announce our engagement as of yesterday evening. I was a nervous wreck, very glad its over with LOL Fishin partner for life!

I disagree, I'll start big and downsize if I have to. Deadsticking a big jerkbait is a good way to put big fish in the boat