Sinker

Oh boy, where to start. The geese are a whole different animal. The "authorities" let them get to the numbers they are at, before they increased limits, and lengthened seasons. Now they are kicking themselves and don't know what to do with them. They've even tried shipping them out of the city in a truck......that's laughable. They can fly for god sakes. Start a hunting season now, and maybe, just maybe we can keep them in check. Beat around the bush getting something going, and we're going to be stuck with so many of them we won't know what to do with them and a hunting season isn't going to do jack........ kinda like the geese are now.....see what I'm getting at??? People cry the blues to protect them, but as soon as they are a problem to them personally, the tune changes. Tell me this...what is the harm in a hunting season for cormorants as a tool for population control? Its proven to work for many, many other species of wildlife. Why are we protecting these things??? S.

Well, my fishing/hunting licence and my equipment is worth more than that. You guys know much about snow geese, and the problems with them?? I hope the cormies don't get as out of hand as they are now. They've just, finally, opened a spring hunting season in Ontario for them, starting this year. I can't wait to get a crack at them too! S.

If your jiggin a william whitefish with the side hooks properly, you don't foul hook many fish. Sure, it happens, but not very often. The truth of the matter is, most guys have no clue how to work them, and just end up ripping them, and snagging fish. S.

Forgot to mention all the money that would be generated from cormorant licenses that would go back into the resource. Hunting them is a win/win. Whats the big fuss with killing off a few thousand? S.

Why would you think we don't? This isn't getting personal HTHM, its getting passionate. All I know is we need a solution to the cormorant explosion before its too late. If we leave it up to the MNR, it will be too late, I will bet on that. I don't think there is a single person who can disagree with the fact that there are a lot more of them around than there needs to be. I don't want to kill off the species, just keep them in check before we're in too deep to fix it. I hunt geese for 4 months every year. We kill a pile of birds. The goose population still rises every year..........so whats the big deal with killing some cormorants?? Why are some people so protective of them? Is it because they don't crap in the parks, and on the docks like geese do? I don't get how anyone could/would defend them. Post up something to sway me that way, and I may agree, but until then, I say open them up to hunting. I would be willing to bet hunters couldn't kill enough of them to even make a difference. At least we could have some fun trying, and do our little part to help protect the fishery. S.

I just want to whack a pile of cormorants so i can take a big ole hero shot and post it all over the internet!! S.

Bahahahaha.....your hilarious. You clearly have no idea. I worked my ass off for longer than that to get the position I have now. Guys like you are a dime a dozen in the field. Guys like me stick it out, put in our time and end up with full time permanent positions with gov't agencies. S.

So I guess your the authority on this matter? What do you have, 3 years experience?? Last I remember you were looking for a welding job. Give your head a shake. If you really want to defend these birds, join an animal rights group!! S.

If fish populations were rising as fast as the cormorant population, I'd have no problem. Whats gonna happen when we run out of fish?? We all suffer, not only cormorants. I have no doubt they're eating gobies in some lakes, but around here, we don't have them, so I'd say they're feeding on sportfish primarily. They will probably drop a few gobie eggs in the kawartha's though....isn't that just gonna be great!! I have no problem with cormorants as a species, its the massive boom in thier population i have a problem with. They need a bit of help in controlling it. As long as we have lots of fish, the population will continue to rise.....do the math. Sure, give it 10 or 15 years and let them thin themselves out, but what about our fish stocks?? We gonna let them thin out as well?? I don't think its worth it for a few dirty birds. Their negatives, by far, out weigh the positives. I like the idea with the natives. That is a great idea IMO. S.

I only shoot if I can get more than one with one shot I know this guy who has a cormorant band....he found it dead on a beach Poor little bird. We're not sure what happened to it. Must have choked on a baby walleye or something I don't think there is a C.O out there who would lay a charge for shooting one. It would take some bleeding heart, P3TA freak to cause a ruckus in order for anyone to get charged. In all honesty, there sure are a lot of them. This year while duck hunting we saw literally tens of thousands. I'd take the boat thru a flock of 1000 of them just to get them moving.(right in front of cliffs house too!!) Just think of all the fish 1000 of them will eat in a day, a week, a month ....a year. Its incredible. I've witnessed them eating walleye, perch and crappies in the kawartha lakes. Just think what 1000 of them will do!! 10 years ago, I didn't even know they existed. Just wait another 10 and see how many there are!! I think they will eat themselves out of food, start to starve, and then we will have to re stock our lakes. By the time anything gets done about it, we will have no fish to catch, and an infestation of sick, dying birds to deal with. I wonder how much disease they carry with them? I have this funny feeling some of our invasive species, and fish virus's are carried around by them as well. Just thin them out a bit now, and it will save us a lot of work down the road. I'm not saying kill them all, but keep them in check. Look at the numbers of canada geese we have....and there are plenty of opportunities to hunt them, as well as annual egg oiling....but the population still rises every year. It will be the same as everything else with the MNR. Too little, too late. By the time anything gets done, there will be no fish left, and millions of cormorants to feed. Whats more important, the fishery in ontario, or some cormorants? The answer is a simple one in my eyes. S.

Its gotta fall to the bottom on a slack line every time. It should rarely foul your line, but it does happen the odd time. Check your line if it does, because when it gets caught in those side hooks, it will nick your line. S.

If your painting plastic.....or anything for that matter.....look for the Krylon ultra flat spray cans. Its good stuff, and sticks to anything really good. You can get it at CT. If your interested in camo'ing things, check out some duck hunting sites. Waterfowl guys are experts at camo. Lots of good tips and tricks. Ask here and you'll get all kinds of great advice! http://www.refugeforums.com/refuge/forumdisplay.php?daysprune=1&f=10 S.

I'll tell ya what...if/when they open a season on them, i will be the first guy in line to buy the license. Now, when you see a guy set up on your favourite island, whacking every cormorant that comes in range, don't cry the blues about the poor little birdies..... S.

If its getting tangled, your doing something wrong. I never use a snap swivel. Always just a snap, with an inline swivel a couple feet above it. It wont work right with the side hooks if you tip it with a minnow. Jig it clean. If your tipping with minnows, take the side hooks off. I would never take them off for whities, but most other fish, I tip with a minnow, so take them off and upgrade the trebles one size. Whities will pick that spoon up from the bottom, and the side hooks get them in the face every time. I also like to pull the side hooks out to the sides as far as I can, and pinch them good with pliers so they stay there. I wouldn't ice fish if I couldn't jig a williams!!! Go to lure for EVERYTHING!! S.

I guess the secret is out on how to properly hook a minnow! Don't tell anyone! I get a lot of my specks as soon as I drill my hole. I drill it, clear it right away, and drop a line down.....usually get one instantly. I think they are curious. A simple stick and line will usually out fish anything else, unless they are really agressive, then they will smack anything they see. I will sometimes even take a long stick and stir up the bottom in my hole to get them around. I like to fish shallow. 2-8ft. I've never caught one deeper thru the ice. They are a hit or miss kind of fish though. Either you get some, or you'd think there were no fish in the lake. Specks are about the places they live. Just being there is enough to make me happy. The fish are a bonus. S.

I meant I learned my lessons about heavy huts the hard way. No hard feeling dude. I think its a great hut, and your going to have some great times in it, with many memories made. After 20 years of having permanent shacks, I've seen pretty much all the gongs that can happen, but they always work out with a bit of hard work and persistence. I've modified my hut over the years from experience, not sitting in my driveway pretending to fish in it. Simple is better.....but this is all just my opinion, and you have every right to yours as well, and I can appreciate that. I've always lived by the motto, "work smart, not hard." Over killing an ice shack for comfort, is not smart IMO, and you will be working hard to move it around and maintaining it. Just wait till you get 2-3ft of snow, with slush under it around that beast. Your jeep is going to be useless, and a 3/4 ton with a plow is going to be under gunned in that kind of snow/slush. Ask me how I know..... lol. You would be just as cozy in a light hut is all I'm saying, I guess. Like I said, I'm enjoying the thread, and can't wait to see this bad boy on the ice with some fish slime on the floor!! Get 'er done! S.

We had a suzuki outboard for years. It was bullet proof, and the guy we sold it to is still running it today. It was an older one, I think 89, but it was solid, and fast for its size. The starcraft superfisherman is a great boat. It will last a lifetime. S.

Ya, you can't fish the mayan without a guide. I was down there a few years ago, showed up with my gear, and the workers at the resort told me I couldn't fish on my own. Had to be in a boat, with a guide. I guess outside the reef is ok, but the reef itself is a protected area, no fishing. I ended up going out on a big charter boat. We didn't get anything big, but had tons of fun catching smaller stuff off the reef. The boat had crap gear, so I was really glad I'd brought my own stuff. They were set up good for big fish, but they weren't biting, so we just bottom fished with my lighter gear. It was still fun, and I'd do it again. I think it was captain ricks we fished with, out of port aventura....something like that. I forget now. Cuba is the place to go for freelance fishing IMO. S.

maybe they just kept the good workers and let the rif raf go?

yeah, it was fairly inexpensive. I got a 2500lb axle with hubs/bearings/EZlube for just over $200. Pretty cheap IMO. So far, so good, but I haven't really put it thru its paces yet. Its been on there for just over a year now with no issues so far, and I haven't even looked at the bearings, but i can't see any reason that I should have to. I haven't added any grease....I've never even taken the dust caps off. I've put at least 5000km on it by now...easily. S.

Service ontario was no help at all for me. They aren't even set up for licenses yet. Trust me, try the address change, then renewal, online. Worked for me anyways. S.

I already offered some sound advice, but he doesn't want to take it. He will figure it out, just like I did 20 years ago when I started with my first big hut!! If ya can't learn the hard way, you'll never learn at all! S.

I'm not trying to be a negative nelly, but i can see a few things you will change once you get it on the ice. I'm just going to keep my mouth shut for now, though. I learned my lessons the hard way, and after offering some sound advice, that you don't want to take, I'll let you figure it out the same way I'm enjoying the thread, and can't wait to see this beast on the ice! S.

screw some studs in the tires. Pretty slick rig there guys, I like it!! S.

Try the address change. worked for me, and it said I wasn't even in the system when I first tried!! I know its a total crock, but it beats dealing with authorities. S.