Tomcat

Boating while impaired is an offence under the Criminal Code of Canada. In Ontario, Sec. 32 (3) of the Ontario Liquor Licence Act goes even further and states "No person shall operate or have care or control of a boat that is underway while there is contained in the boat any liquor, except under the authority of a licence or permit." IMHO, the Ontario law is draconian. Since I fish mostly in Quebec, I sent the Quebec Government an inquiry about the Quebec laws regarding consumption and/or transportation of alcoholic beverages while fishing in a boat. Here is the response I received: "In Quebec, there is no law regarding the consumption of alcoholic beverages in boats except the Canadian Criminal code." While we have been stopped and checked many times by Quebec conservation officers over the last 30 years, we have never been asked about the empty beer cans in the bottom of our boat. We have never ever been impaired while on the water.

Hi Mike No live minnows allowed. I don't target pike so I have no info on them. Lake Kipawa is a relatively clear water lake. We usually jig early mornings and evenings. I've had success with just a light wire hook and leech as well as with a white 1/8 ounce jig with a leech although there are times when the walleye prefer crawlers to leeches. During the day, I tend to back troll with bottom bouncers. Most success for me bottom bouncing has come using a Northland BaitFish-Image Spinner Harness (model Silver Shiner) with a leech or crawler - see http://www.northlandtackle.com/Category/main.taf?cat=188 Sometimes we have to revert to slip bobbering when the walleyes are suspended (e.g. last year during the last week of June, many walleyes were suspended at 7 feet in 13 feet of water). While many fishermen prefer opening week, the fish biologist for the area advised fishing Kipawa after 15 June. Consequently, I've fished Kipawa 4 times during the last week of June and 5 times during early September. I prefer September because of cooler temperatures and no bugs. I've always stayed at 3 Seasons Camp - see http://www.3seasoncamp.com/ You shouldn't have any difficulty catching enough walleye to get your fill of eating walleye. There's a good lake trout fishery in Lake Kipawa as well. Minimum length limit is 20 inches. I usually run a downrigger at 35 feet in at least 60 feet of water. Have a great trip.

For the last 9 years, I've taken a one week fishing trip to Lake Kipawa. The lake is about 50 miles long and full of structure. Bathymetric maps are available for the complete system. Walleye and lake trout are probably the main prey for the majority of fishermen fishing those waters. Regardless, northern pike can easily be found if that's what you're after. I believe there are 24 or 25 outfitters on the lake. Some are drive-in while the majority are boat-in. With respect to accommodations, there's lots of choice. American Plans and Housekeeping Plans are available.

Nice report and pics. Thanks for sharing.

I purchased a new Toro 8 HP snow blower in 1983 and its still working - touch wood.

Hi Mike: Thanks for replying to my post. You made a good point about how records are kept within the ZECs. Its truly sad that some fishermen seem reluctant to accurately report their catches to fish biologists trying to manage the resource. Anyway, for the lakes you mentioned, according to the 2005 harvest stats, for Pin Blanc, 770 walleye were reported harvested during 638 fishing days (number of fishermen X number of days fished) for an average success rate of 1.21. Similarly, for Lac du Fils, 2399 walleye were harvested during 1953 fishing days for an average success rate of 1.23. There were no stats reported in 2005 for Lac Watch. Continued success with your walleye fishing in la belle provence. My walleye fishing is in the same general area of Quebec (e.g. Lac Kipawa, Lac Ogascanane, Lac Sasseginaga and Lac Truit). Jay

Just a question I took a look at the latest harvest statistics I have (2005) for ZEC Restigo. According to those harvest statistics, if there are any lakes in the ZEC JAMMED full of walleye, I guess they weren't biting in 2005. The best ZEC Restigo walleye harvest stat in 2005 was 1.53 walleye per fishing day on Lake Restigo. Has the ZEC opened some different walleye lakes since 2005 where the walleye fishing is better? I'll have to send away for the latest stats.

Very sad news indeed. My deepest sympathies to Rob and his family.

1. The credit crisis wasn't the cause of the problems with the Big Three - it just highlighted the blight that's been there for years. 2. I don't support bailing out the Big Three and I've written my MPP to let him know my opinion. Everyone here should write their MPP, regardless which side of the fence you're on. 3. Sales staff in dealer showrooms make no where near the amount of money assembly line workers make nor do they have anything near the same benefit package. That's why we're not discussing auto sales staff. 4. There's a good possibility that one or more of the Big Three could declare bankruptcy even after US and Canadian handout loans - and then we the taxpayer really get screwed. 5. The CAW website indicates in their membership profile that 13% of its 250,000 members (or 32,500 workers) work in the major auto industry in Canada. A $6 billion bailout in Canada equates to approx $185,000 per auto worker. Obviously, there's other options than bailing out the Big Three. 6. The video on the Ford Camacarie plant in Brazil was excellent and a sign of things to come. Canadian auto workers should be getting ready for new careers as should others associated the Canadian auto industry.

Lew: I purchased a Garmin Nuvi 750 in early 2007. I selected that model because it best suited my requirements - in particular I wanted a unit that would allow me to program routes (versus following the route that the GPS software selected). The mapping software with the unit was City Navigator NT North America. Unfortunately, that software didn't include logging roads. However, one can download the topographical maps of Canada and use them in conjunction with Garmin MapSource to create routes that include logging roads (comes in handy sometimes when driving logging roads to a new outfitter). I'm satisifed with the unit and can easily recommend it. Your Source reference has the Nuvi 750 at $400. It's available on-line for $365 at http://www.gpscity.ca/ I'd also recommend the following web site for reference http://www.gpspassion.com/fr/default.asp?_...rrentVersion=EN

Nothing else to say but thanks for sharing those experiences.

Just getting your one piece rods safely to the lake can sometimes just be the first leg of the journey. On occasion, I've taken trips into remote areas where portaging our boat, motor and gear into several subsequent lakes was the task. For such occasions, I've packed my one piece rods (in rod socks) into a Plano Guide series rod caddy - similar to this one - see http://www.buytackle.com/product_view.cfm?id=1395 Sure, its a little inconvenient but that comes with the joys of using one piece rods.

Great report Wayne - thanks for sharing.

Hi Wild: Very much appreciate your comments and I would welcome your provision of more details. Over the weekend, I did some preliminary research via the net on the potential hazards (e.g. release of toxic chemicals) related to heat sealing plastics. Lots of data available but one needs to know which plastic (or its major chemical constituent) FoodSaver uses. Writing FoodSaver provides an opportunity to obtain disclaimers in writing. Thanks again for your interest.

Thanks everyone for your comments. I've emailed FoodSaver regarding the potential release of toxic chemicals during heat sealing.

During a summer walleye trip, I watched a fishing colleague use a FoodSaver to vacuum seal harvested and cleaned walleye (skin on and fillets connected at tail). We then froze these packages (1 walleye per package) in preparation for the eventual trip home. My colleague claimed that fish stored this way could last up to 2 years in a freezer without any freezer burn. A search on FoodSaver on OFC turned up nothing. Can anyone share their experiences (positive or negative) with a product like a FoodSaver for preserving fish? Thanks in advance.

Here's a follow-up to my post about the constant stalling problem I experienced while back trolling this summer with my 2007 Honda 15 HP four stroke outboard. Took my Honda back to the dealer. First thing they did was to determine whether idling rpms (after warmup) were within spec. Idling rpms were 200 rpms too low. After adjustment of the idling rpms to 950 (spec says 900 plus or minus 50 rpms), my outboard idled without even a hiccup for 45 minutes while in reverse in the water tank. I asked the tech to lower idling rpms 200 rpms and rerun idling in reverse test in water tank. Within a couple of minutes, you could hear the tell tale engine shutter that prefaces a stall. Sure enough within 5 minutes, the engine stalled. During this 5 minute period, the engine rpms kept degrading (from a start of 700 to about 530 at stall). This degradation of the rpms remains unexplained. Anyway, suffice to say that I'm now satisfied that the improperly set rpms during 20 hour maintenance service were the cause of my stalling problems. I've reset idling rpms to 850 (lower limit of spec) to keep backtrolling speed to a minimum (I can adjust if necessary). Dealer didn't charge me a cent for the service call - I didn't even have to threaten to hit the mechanic with a 20 pound frozen carp.

I have a Honda 15 HP four stroke short shaft outboard purchased new in 2007. During two week long trips in 2007, the motor performed flawlessly for my application (90% of the time I back troll for walleye). Last fall, dealer’s mechanic did 20 hour maintenance routine as well as the winterization. First 08 use of this outboard was a recent week of walleye fishing (90 % back trolling as usual) at a remote location four hours from nowhere. Unfortunately, while the motor ran great at ½ to ¾ WOT going from A to B, it continually stalled during back trolling. Although the motor was easy to restart, a cloud of blue smoke always accompanied the restart. I was reluctant to attempt fixes at water’s edge because, firstly, I’m no mechanic, and secondly, one can’t easily get at spark plugs or the oil dipstick without removing a bunch of screws. I was also 16 miles (by water) from my truck. Once home, I checked both spark plugs. Both plugs were dry and looked identical. Both were dark chocolate brown to black in colour. When I checked the oil reservoir, the oil level was almost an inch above the full mark. Could the high oil level in the reservoir be responsible for the problems experienced? Might it be beneficial to switch to a hotter plug? I’ve read that prolonged idling or continuous low-speed driving (i.e. back trolling) may keep spark plugs from reaching their optimum operating temperature. Does anyone have other suggestions/recommendations? Thanks in advance.

Thanks for the report Superdad.

Another great report with great pics! Thanks for sharing.

I had the pleasure of sharing a boat with McQ for a week at Nemio's in Aug 05. McQ is an astute walleye fisherman with loads of experience fishing the Gouin. Nemio accommodations and equipment were excellent and the fishing was good. As a consequence, I've already signed up for the Aug 08 trip. Its a great opportunity for some good fun and good fishing as well as a chance to learn a little from a walleye expert. Hope to see some OFNers join us.

Great start Lew. Thanks for sharing.

A Blind Fishing Adventure Many times this fishing season, groups of fellows will get together and travel to selected destinations to enjoy everything there is to enjoy about a few days of fishing together. On Sunday morning, 25 May, our group of four fishing enthusiasts departed Ottawa for just such a trip. However, our group was different than most in that two members of our group were blind fishers (Miles Hilton-Barber - see http://www.mileshilton-barber.com/ and Lawrence Euteneier – see http://www.blindfishingboat.com). Bill McCue and myself were the other fishermen. Our destination was Lac Sasseginaga in North Western Quebec where we would be hosted to 3 three days of fishing by Art Southern and his wife Pat, owners of Bush Country Camp. The eight hour drive to Lac Sasseginaga went by quickly as both Miles and Lawrence took turns sharing their past experiences. And believe me, it’s a very humbling experience to hear what both these fellows have accomplished to date. There are more accomplishments to come, I’m sure. Both these guys are very inspiring! Here’s a picture of Miles and Lawrence with Art Southern at the landing at the south end of Lac Sasseginaga. We’re about to load our gear into Art’s boat and head up the lake for 20 minutes to Bush Country Camp. The weather was challenging on both Monday and Tuesday with cold temperatures, overcast skies, winds and a mixture of rain and snow. Here’s a picture of Miles, bundled up quite well to cope with the weather, on our way back to camp Monday afternoon. The walleye were scattered in depths from 5 to 20 feet. With the windy conditions, we drifted with Lindy rigs with crawlers (the walleye preferred crawlers over leeches). Regardless the unsavory weather, our hours on the water were rewarded with enough keeper walleye to afford two walleye meals during our short stay at Bush Country Camp. Here’s a picture of Miles and Lawrence in front of our cabin with some of the walleye we caught. The minimum length limit on Sasseginaga is 14 inches while the maximum length limit is 23 inches (imposed by Art to address resource management). While we did release some walleye not meeting the minimum length limit, most walleye we caught measured 15 to 19 inches in length. While we did not catch any large walleye in our boats, several large walleye (over 27 inches) were caught by other groups while we were in camp. Although Wednesday morning started out sunny with no wind, it was still quite cool at 0630 hours. Here’s a picture of Lawrence and Bill making their way past our boat. Although the temperature warmed a little over the next couple of hours, we weren’t able to find any walleye. Over the next few hours, as we tried new locations for walleye, the wind velocity kept increasing and we eventually opted to get back to camp and have our second walleye meal. Bill treated us to his shore lunch menu special which included onion rings, bacon, fries and walleye all deep fried successively in the same cooking oil. Lunch was absolutely scrumptious! Late in the afternoon, we decided to troll for lake trout for a few hours. While we marked many lakers near bottom in 70 to 90 feet of water, we couldn’t attract a strike. Around 1900 hours, we switched gears, anchored and vertically jigged for walleye. After two hours of jigging without success, we returned to our cabin for our last dinner in camp. Fishing with Miles was no different than fishing with any sighted person other than those obvious times when Miles required my assistance (e.g. getting into and out of our boat, landing walleye, checking the condition of his crawler, providing the direction for his cast, etc). Indeed, Miles caught more walleye than I. His feel for the bite was quite frankly better than my own. During our time on the water I did my best to provide accurate descriptions of the scenery around us in order that Miles could imagine our surroundings. In return, Miles graciously shared some of his previous adventure experiences with me. I remained quiet most of the time in the hopes that Miles would tell another story. I wasn’t disappointed. Our short three days of fishing was over too soon. Regardless, we all thoroughly enjoyed our time together. Miles and Lawrence had to be back in Ottawa early on Thursday evening (29 May) in order to prepare for an early departure Friday morning (0300 hours) for a few days of carp fishing on the St Lawrence River. The Blind Fishing Adventure afforded me the opportunity to learn more about blind fishers as well as develop a deep respect for their ability to fish. Sharing a fishing boat with Miles for three days was an absolute pleasure as well as a learning experience. Sharing a cabin with Miles, Lawrence and Bill was great and I'll have many fond memories of our time together. I’d relish the opportunity to do it again.

A Blind Fishing Adventure Many times this fishing season, groups of fellows will get together and travel to selected destinations to enjoy everything there is to enjoy about a few days of fishing together. On Sunday morning, 25 May, our group of four fishing enthusiasts departed Ottawa for just such a trip. However, our group was different than most in that two members of our group were blind fishers (Miles Hilton-Barber - see http://www.mileshilton-barber.com/ and Lawrence Euteneier – see http://www.blindfishingboat.com). Bill McCue and myself were the other fishermen. Our destination was Lac Sasseginaga in North Western Quebec where we would be hosted to 3 three days of fishing by Art Southern and his wife Pat, owners of Bush Country Camp. The eight hour drive to Lac Sasseginaga went by quickly as both Miles and Lawrence took turns sharing their past experiences. And believe me, it’s a very humbling experience to hear what both these fellows have accomplished to date. There are more accomplishments to come, I’m sure. Both these guys are very inspiring! Here’s a picture of Miles and Lawrence with Art Southern at the landing at the south end of Lac Sasseginaga. We’re about to load our gear into Art’s boat and head up the lake for 20 minutes to Bush Country Camp. The weather was challenging on both Monday and Tuesday with cold temperatures, overcast skies, winds and a mixture of rain and snow. Here’s a picture of Miles, bundled up quite well to cope with the weather, on our way back to camp Monday afternoon. The walleye were scattered in depths from 5 to 20 feet. With the windy conditions, we drifted with Lindy rigs with crawlers (the walleye preferred crawlers over leeches). Regardless the unsavory weather, our hours on the water were rewarded with enough keeper walleye to afford two walleye meals during our short stay at Bush Country Camp. Here’s a picture of Miles and Lawrence in front of our cabin with some of the walleye we caught. The minimum length limit on Sasseginaga is 14 inches while the maximum length limit is 23 inches (imposed by Art to address resource management). While we did release some walleye not meeting the minimum length limit, most walleye we caught measured 15 to 19 inches in length. While we did not catch any large walleye in our boats, several large walleye (over 27 inches) were caught by other groups while we were in camp. Although Wednesday morning started out sunny with no wind, it was still quite cool at 0630 hours. Here’s a picture of Lawrence and Bill making their way past our boat. Although the temperature warmed a little over the next couple of hours, we weren’t able to find any walleye. Over the next few hours, as we tried new locations for walleye, the wind velocity kept increasing and we eventually opted to get back to camp and have our second walleye meal. Bill treated us to his shore lunch menu special which included onion rings, bacon, fries and walleye all deep fried successively in the same cooking oil. Lunch was absolutely scrumptious! Late in the afternoon, we decided to troll for lake trout for a few hours. While we marked many lakers near bottom in 70 to 90 feet of water, we couldn’t attract a strike. Around 1900 hours, we switched gears, anchored and vertically jigged for walleye. After two hours of jigging without success, we returned to our cabin for our last dinner in camp. Fishing with Miles was no different than fishing with any sighted person other than those obvious times when Miles required my assistance (e.g. getting into and out of our boat, landing walleye, checking the condition of his crawler, providing the direction for his cast, etc). Indeed, Miles caught more walleye than I. His feel for the bite was quite frankly better than my own. During our time on the water I did my best to provide accurate descriptions of the scenery around us in order that Miles could imagine our surroundings. In return, Miles graciously shared some of his previous adventure experiences with me. I remained quiet most of the time in the hopes that Miles would tell another story. I wasn’t disappointed. Our short three days of fishing was over too soon. Regardless, we all thoroughly enjoyed our time together. Miles and Lawrence had to be back in Ottawa early on Thursday evening (29 May) in order to prepare for an early departure Friday morning (0300 hours) for a few days of carp fishing on the St Lawrence River. The Blind Fishing Adventure afforded me the opportunity to learn more about blind fishers as well as develop a deep respect for their ability to fish. Sharing a fishing boat with Miles for three days was an absolute pleasure as well as a learning experience. Sharing a cabin with Miles, Lawrence and Bill was great and I'll have many fond memories of our time together. I’d relish the opportunity to do it again.

As always, thanks for sharing. Your description of your visit with the black bear brought back memories of some trips into Algonquin Park.