tbayboy

Awesome report Mike, our family use to spend time every summer on Pickeral lake but never ventured too much farther in. Now that I've moved down south I kick myself for never taking advantage of that opportunity. Maybe someday I'll get a chance to try again but until then I can just enjoy your photos.

Nicely done, congrats on a great day.

Hey TB and anyone else I'm always looking for partners (none of my friends in the GTA are into fishing, just my buddies back in Thunder Bay) so if anyone ever needs someone to split the costs or just wants some company that will make them look like a pro then I'm your man, just don't ask me to clean the fish at the end of the day

New auger was great Lexx - I couldn't believe how easy it worked (smaller size + brand new blades probably helped a lot compared to yours last week), fin bore micro - very happy with it. I was talking to the other guys and no one was getting big ones - quantity over quality kinda day I guess. If the weather forecast for this weekend is actually right (3degrees and sun) I'll give it another go but if its windy like this weekend I may take a pass - that was getting pretty miserable by the time I left. Of course the bite dying off didn't help make the weather seem better either. By 2pm I was starting to realize why you and others spend the money on those portable shelters

At least you got the coffee - nothing is all bad if it starts with coffee. Next time there'll be some fish to go with it.

Hehe Jen, you're not far from the truth "perch are hard cause they wiggle when you are cutting them" - my perchsicles thawed on the drive home and were still kicking on the cutting board - wasn't expecting that!. Clampet - I thought about moving and when I left I tried one new hole closer to shore but the wind was pretty miserable (and no Tarpus of any size in sight!) so I didn't really feel like moving around a lot once I'd hunkered down - maybe next week.

Morning everyone, thought some of you might get a chuckle out of my newbieness (yes thats a word, I'm sure of it). Based on some great advice from the board I headed out Sunday morning for a little solo adventure. The morning started off fairly well, traffic was light and I flew along 7 then up the 400 and made a quick stop at fish ontario for some timmies and a scoop of minnows. Hopped back on the 400 and 2 minutes later came to a stop as some brain trust had decided that putting three salters side by side across all 3 lanes instead of staggering them was a great idea. Needless to say I spent the next 45 minutes crawling towards innisfil along with a couple miles worth of other happy drivers . Finally managed to get off the 400 and hit the ice, by that time it was 10:30 and I dragged the sled to a spot I'd heard would produce and chatted with a guy who was already out there. When I asked how it was going he showed me his near blue hands and said he couldn't get a break long enough to warm his hands. Awesome I thought and set up but realized I'd left the rod holders in the car.. no worries: <a href=" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/173/410703844_25c8a54f38.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="IMG_0403" /></a> Quickly I had a few keepers including a double header so it looked like a good day was coming: <a href=" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/151/410703812_7dc56075f5.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_0401" /></a> The wind was really blowing along with some snow so things weren't the most comfortable but as long as the fish are biting I'm happy. Of course you know where this is heading .... I quickly learned about the feeding cycle of simcoe perch - 11am and it just stopped. From then til 2:30 when I left I landed only one more keeper (and a few dinks). Ah well, at least I had some fish for an evening snack and thats when the fun really begins - you see the last time I cleaned a fish I was so young my dad had to help. Bring on the newbie report! I figured I needed the practice so I brought home 5 and did what all good fisherman do - I went to google and entered "how to filet a perch" After reading a few articles I was pretty sure I was an expert and setup in the kitchen. After 1/2 hour this: <a href=" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/188/410704003_971a035b78.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_0407" /></a> Became <a href=" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/123/410704052_aff5b4c969.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_0408" /></a> Sigh But I will say that by the last one I was getting better (or maybe it was because I saved the largest for last and it was easier to handle?). Anyhow, a quick batter/fry job and my huge meal was ready: <a href=" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/169/410704268_18391de621.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_0414" /></a> Luckily I knew exactly what to do next: <a href=" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/42/410704169_8d45bc0cf9.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_0411" /></a> Mmmm good filling pizza I mean perch - good filling massive perch, such a filling meal from such a master angler! Hehe, anyhow, was a fun day and I'm sure I'll get better as I go. Big thanks to Clampet for the advice over the weekend. Here's the final 'I can feed millions with my fishing skills alone' shot: <a href=" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/180/410704330_2ead3da09b.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_0416" /></a>

Wow nice job tip-up, enjoy your tasty dinner.

Thanks a bunch Tinbanger, I'll stop just short of saying I love you too Guess I will get to break in the new auger after all.

Lost power in thornhill around 3 am - was still out at 11am when I went into the office, hopefully its back on now, was getting kinda chilly in the house.

I'm starting to agree with you Kevin, think I might just take a wait and see approach . Maybe it'll be better by Sunday, if anyone does get out or heres any hands on reports please let us know. Sean

Your probably right, following a sled trail out along with some very waterproof boots, maybe I should drag a little tinny out and float in it .

Hey everyone, hoping to hit the ice this weekend but wondering what all this snow/rain/slush/warmth is going to do to the ice. Anyone have any thoughts on whether the conditions will be dangerous this weekend anywhere (I'll be walking so near shore stuff)? Sean

Decided to leave the office (yonge & sheppard) early today when it was coming down sideways. Still took 1/2 hour to get from sheppard to john street, never got past second gear. Heading out to shovel now.

Wow thats a great mix of some serious pigs along with some perfect eaters, what a great fishery you've got there. Thanks for sharing

Nice job Clampet - suppose to be gusts to 70km during this upcoming storm tommorow - maybe you should give Tarpus a good test

Normally I hear sunfish I think bluegill or pumpkinseed but I guess this counts right? So the limit is what, 50 a day - what do you think? Now thats a sunfish

Not only was this my first OFC event but to witness the Tarpus Maximus in action - what an honour . It was great getting to finally meet some of the names I see here a lot - well run event and a great job with the cooking guys - that burger hit the spot. Also a big thanks to Lexx for taking a newbie like me out on the ice. Was a nice day of lying back til I hear Lexx call out 'School' as he had the electronics then watch the lines pop (his more than mine but hey - I'm the newbie). Sporting a bit of a sunburn and some sore arms today (gas augers - maybe not just a bad deal after all) but still glad I went. Here a panarama I took around noon (click for the big picture): <a href=" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/177/401384224_7fc1b67aed_b.jpg" width="1024" height="135" alt="SimcoeIce2007" /></a> Sean

Oh man express your so right - they sold extra crispy up here for maybe 6 months. My arteries are glad they stopped but damned if I don't get disappointed every time I go by a KFC now. But then I remember that Americans can't get coffee crisp and all is well with the world. Oh and for our American friends or ex-pats -Canada Only Sales

Nice looking fish guys, congrats.

Great story and amazing pics. Funny how many of the best trips always the ones where there's no planning involved.

Sounds like a great time, I really gotta convince some of my friends that ice fishing isn't that bad, I haven't been able to drag anyone out yet and never feel like going by myself (just more fun with others). For the pictures to show inline just put them in [ img ] like this: [ img http://www.myfishingpictures.com/img/119026.jpg/img ] - only without the spaces in the square brackets. When you look at your pics on myfishingpictures the url you want is the "image link" down at the bottom - paste that into the img section and voila:

Man that looks like a perfect afternoon. Thanks for sharing

Dang that is a nice hut is the tear down as easy as the setup?

Ive done that one too Mepps . Gonna pick up a new single piece walleye rod this year but I've got a question - have any of you guys transported these single piecers (lets say a 6'6 or 7'er) via plane - any recommendations on the rod carriers you see at places like BPS? I've got a trip up to NW ontario this summer and I'd love to bring up a nice rod but don't want to ruin it or pay a bunch extra to bring it up.