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Not sure if anyone has posted this before, if they have I apologize. Last winter when I packed up my ice gear, I guess there was some moisture in my tacklebox I hadn't addressed. Almost all of my lures had rusty, beat up hooks. I figured I would have to replace everything but figured I would try leaving the lures in CLR for 24 hours. Just now I pulled the hooks out. I can't get over the difference. Its like they are brand new, out of the box. I wish I had taken a before/after photo because the results are stunning. I'm going to dry them out, then wash again with soap and water to make sure I'm not polluting the lakes but I would recommend trying this to anyone who made the same mistake I did.

Time to scour fish online again. I don't want to wait until the 1st.

Nope. Just couldn't get dialed in on em. Chris was battling with em with some of his homemade flies for a while and I had a few picking on one of my tip-up minnows but nothing stuck. We saw one guy on the ice haul in a decent one but for the most part they were pretty quiet. There must be a trick. Hopefully we can plan something in the new year. I don't go back until the 6th if you are planning on hitting the ice before then, and I hope (dependant on getting rid of my apartment) I'll have moved back in late February. If not, I'm going to take you up on that kayak fishing outing this summer.

One of the things I wanted to make sure of, while I was home for the holidays, was that I would be able to get out at least once and do some ice fishing here in Ontario. I had planned on hitting a few lakes for a while with Dynamic_Bear and at a last minute Chris K was able to come as well. Arriving on a favourite lake before sun up we were able to somehow set up the tip ups and tie our lines in the dark. Mother nature was on my side as my new tip up (built by Trout junkie) went off after only about 20 minutes into our day. [/url] Not the biggest pike I have ever caught but I'll take em all. Not to be outdone, the bugger kid had to get one bigger then mine not long after. Not a bad fish. Throughout the day, the flags flew more and more but getting the pike to stick was becoming difficult. I lost one, Dynamic_bear lost one, we all had a few misses and the lake was becoming more and more packed with people on their holidays. I have a new respect for tipups after today though. It was great just sitting back, catching up and discussing fishing with good friends, waiting for the flags to fly. Seeing your tip up go off (or most times, having someone else notice for you) running over like a maniac and then taking an extra 3 seconds to prep yourself to set the hook. We ended up going over to another lake that was busy and caught a decent number of perch. This was the biggest one that shows rod holders have multi purposes. Only a few worth keeping but still a great day. Hopefully I'll be able to get out at least once more in the new year to target lakers before I have to fly out west but even if I don't I couldn't imagine a better way to spend the day. Edit: Oh, in my haste and my exhaustion I almost forgot the entertaining parts. When we were on the first lake, a couple is walking around asking 'Who owns a white ford?" trying to get the person to move their vehicle. When we went to leave, we figured out why. The guy was right in the middle of the entrance to the parking lot, blocking off all access in and out. So, I totally forget that I'm in a 2003 Hyundai Elentra and not one of my work trucks and I try to go around him in the foot of snow on the side. Of course I end up getting us stuck. After about a half an hour of trying to get us out the guy owning the White Ford comes by, loads up his truck and leaves. Didn't offer to help us get unstuck, no apology for blocking off the parking lot...... nice guy. So we go back to work trying to get unstuck. Finally, a large, husky, European (Chris and I debate where he is from) gentleman came off the ice and added a little muscle to help get us unstuck. Hilarious story number 2: We are fishing lake #2 when we see a large Jeep roll onto the ice. As we slap our forheads (Ice was 6 inches thick at best) we hear Terry Goy shout "Get that thing off the ice!" To which the driver responds "Why?". Dynamic_Bear said it best: 'If this was a comedy movie, right as the guy said "Why", the Jeep would go crashing through the ice'

Those two photos are what dreams are made of. Great fishing.

Today was a little slower on Gilford for myself, Dynamic_Bear and Chris K. Lots of small ones but one 2, maybe 3, eaters.

I went today. Didn't see and deals that stuck out. Bass pro, however, looks like they may have a few good ones.

For me, heavier fish I love my Ugly stick. For panfish and walleye I find the St. Croix legend is pricy but worth every penny. The spring bobber on that thing is deadly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojtGHXsTXmU This is an easy one. The muppets family Christmas. So many good jokes when I was a kid, and so many more good ones that I get when I grew up.

I approve of these messages and follow them as well. I like the taste of the 1-1.5 pound walleyes better anyways.

Hope the weather clears up. I have to land in that big airport in about 9 hours.

This is why I only post reports from Alberta. There are no fish in this province. Even when I move back to Ontario I'll still be posting reports from 'Edmonton'.

It totally is. That being said, at my old job, for 9 months of the year I wouldn't have traded it for anything. It was a labour of love.

Sadly it doesn't work like that anymore. At my previous job, it took me 4 years to get to the point where I was making $18 an hour for a 9 month out of the year contract. It took me 4 years to even get that job. Now, the thing is, I loved that job and the pay was more then enough if it was 12 months out of the year (works out to about 40K a year) but I got tired of working at bars and odd jobs over the winter with no one in my office getting promoted or full time. Hence why I sold my soul and moved to Alberta. Never mind the organization I worked for. That's opening up a whole new can of worms.

Sadly fish farmer hit the nail on the head. All I want now that I'm an 'adult' is a job to put food on the table and to be able to go fishing on weekends.......... when did it become so hard to make that happen?

I don't agree with what he said but I'm not surprised he said it. He is of strong Christian belief from the southern states. He is also from a much older generation. My grandfather says stuff all the time where afterwords I think 'Grandfather, you can't say that anymore.' They were raised in a different time then us. Either something will break and they will have him back on the show or they will lose some viewers. I don't know if the show will tank but I'm pretty sure the ratings will go down.

The thing is though, the internet is a great resource to get out and learn 'HOW' to ice fish. I have been fishing for almost 25 years now but I only got into ice fishing a few years ago. Before then I had rented huts on Scugog and Guelph lake and I didn't really have much fun. Joining this message board, getting some info on the gear I needed and learning about "Safe ice' were all key to getting me interested in ice fishing and have been keeping me safe. If it wasn't for this forum and some helpful members I would probably be going out this winter on 3 inches of ice in shorts and a t-shirt (ok maybe not that crazy, but you get the idea). This forum told me about Simcoe and where to catch piles and piles of perch and it was great and it was a start. I dunno, I feel like without sharing information and things like 'the blue ice report' there would be a lot more people going through the ice, probably me included.

Usually I play nice with the OPP. They can't kick you off but they can 'find' some other way to make your day miserable. The officer told us the ice wasn't safe, then proceeded to cross it to tell us again but this time, closer to us.

I will agree with the junk and the mess people make. There is no excuse for that and it really bothers me when I see all that nonsense on the launch or ice.

I like Simcoe but I know if I go there its going to be busy. That being said, there are lots of good lakes that are just a little further of a drive away from there. I know that if I want peace and quiet its worth it to make a bit more of a trip.

Thanks for doing the tourney this year Joey. Team 5: We call us the Ron and Mike show. (My perch helped)

Aw crud. I liked that lake too.

That is a pretty sweet haul. Nicely done.