Jen

We got out tonight for a fun fish with some friends! The weather has certainly been co operating and so have the fish. The boys had a blast... We got a lot of hits, missed some but landed 15 fish of all different sizes. They did a great job catching and netting their own fish! Even a double header or two:) Thanks to Steve for taking us out, it was a great night had by all! Cheers Bernadette

Awesome trip report... Cheers Jen

Hello Rob, Fishmasters is just outside of Dunnville, if you are looking for an easy accessible place to fish we have everything you need here! You can even have a bon fire on shore to keep you warm and roast marshmellows over while you fish... If you come out we will definately steer you in the right direction... Cut Bait, Shinners, Artificial Cat Bait, Booster Tails, Hooks, Leaders, Swivels, Sinkers, information and always a smile... Hope to see you soon Jen, P.S. the gear you have for pike will due for cats!

It was awesome seeing you out our way John... Nice car by the way... Sorry I didn't have a lot of time to chat, it seems when you work two jobs everyone always needs something... Thanks for the compliment on the outfit... It was my birthday so I had been out just before arriving home to find no minnows in the shop. The catfishing here has been really great as of late and will only get better... If you don't want to bring out a boat then come out for a couple of hours and fish off shore... and if I have a moment I would certainly love to join you! Cheers, Jen

Don't forget to add a couple of pickeral Rigs for perch, some Jig heads and Jigs for everything, main colours , white, and yellow. Throw some weights in there with a couple of different sized hooks, a big O, a little cleo, and you should be good to go for just about any type of fish! Good Luck ( I started fishing a lot more when my boys were just about the age of yours! You will make a ton of memories and let me tell you the best moments for you will be out in that boat with nothing to do but catch fish and TALK to your kids...) Jen

Bigcliff the water is still very cold so i think these big Cats are far from getting ready to spawn ...No worries the Big Cats will be flooping in our boat on the 19th... Fsihmaster

You know who Ought to be Ashamed... Each and every single one of us who hasn't taken the time to learn how to fix our own cars... These are machines, which need continually repair... The one reason people complain about how much it costs to get their car fixed is because of the fact that they have to have someone else do it. It costs a lot of money for the training to become a mechanic, to build a repair shop, to purchase tools, diagnostic equipment, and to keep up to the current industry standards. We chose dealerships to do repairs because they are UP TO DATE. Take your car to BOBS AUTO REPAIR, he is 60 and still turning a wrench, but he has no idea what to do with the computer system under your hood and left off the catalytic converter when he put on your new muffler, because you really just don't need it... You get what you pay for... All that said, I drive a 2004 DODGE RAM Laramie, and let me tell you it costs money to keep it running well. It goes to the dealer because I don't want to be stranded on the side of the road due to the fact that someone didn't tighten the lug bolts on my tire properly ... I need the piece of mind that comes with knowing that the men and women that serve me are educated and work to industry standards... not to mention the awesome customer service I always get! So to all the mechanics out there that put up with the everyday consumer hollering at them all day... you are doing a great job... Just my two cents. Jen ( Bernadette)

Awe Misfish, you notice my awesome NEW float suit, I LOVE IT!! Friends of ours Cathy and Bill gave it to me... I have never been warmer and felt safer... ( Ok I have to admit it is a sense of false safety... cause I am still terrified when I hear the ice making all those noises! )

I haven’t gotten out fishing much this hard water season; between work and running the shop to give Steve a break there have not been many opportunities. So, when Steve said lets go fishing this week I was all over it. Sunday morning came, all our gear was ready to go, the alarm went off, and out of bed only to discover the wind was something else. Back to bed, same game Monday morning… and again, it was a beautiful day however the wind would have blown us off the ice… We decided to check the ice at our place… The Marina was 14-16 inches of good solid ice and the river is tightening up with 2-6 inches… which happened to be enough for Steve and James to do a little walleye fishing… yes they are a little crazy, but with float suits, the buddy system, a spud and a lot of light footed walking they made it out there and lost 4 for 4. Tuesday morning arrived and wind or not we were going fishing… a little bit of a late start, however we were on the lake and set up by just after 8am. Line down, fish on, but small little perch and lots of smelt tap tapping our lines. Buddies beside us had been out a bit longer and were saying the same thing… we stayed in that spot for another hour or so before we decided to move with only 4 perch and 2 smelt in our bucket. Second move didn’t generate any fish however we got to watch a group of two men beside us setting the hook on huge perch every few minutes… it was killing us. So third move, and a stop to talk to the men who were on the fish… They had a small auger and had decided to use a pressure crack to their advantage and boy did it ever pay off… they were catching Jumbo’s one after the other and low and behold they were heading home… we just scored a great spot… Thanks guys for deciding you had enough for the day… Two lines down Steve walks off to set up the hut and move things around… wham, my line goes off, I just about have my fish in when Steve’s rod just about disappears down the hole… now I have my fish on the ice, hook still in, drop the rod and reel in Steve’s, I can not believe the size of these perch, definitely the biggest I have ever caught. Wow. After that, setting up and settling in we fished for another hour or so and came home with 27 jumbo perch a couple of smaller ones and 20 smelt. Two of these smelt were monsters… one at 8” and one at 10” and fat… they looked like mini barracuda’s… A great day out on the hard water… well worth the nail biting, hair raising, heart pounding ride out onto Lake Erie… (If anyone is heading out, please, please be careful, there was lots of pressure cracks and the ice was constantly shifting and moving… it sounded like thunder storms and felt like being on an airplane while experiencing turbulents.) Cheers, Bernadette

Yes the ice from way up river is alote thinner then down here were the river is deep we had allmost a 1 ft of Ice 4 days ago ...and a 1 ft of ice don't give in that easy ...river was up 4 to 5 ft ths morning below the Dunnville Dam but it droped a good 2 to 3 ft by 5 pm tonight ....i live right on the River and see whats happens hourly ...it usally take about 3 days for it to slow down after a freeze up...im guessing by next week i will be back out on the Lower Grand Ice Fishing ....-10 here tommrow night ...Steve aka Fishmaster

I know when I had a slight addiction to Starbucks I had something a little extra to show for it... That is why the $5.00 bucks now goes no where but into my pocket... I quit that place when I became enlightened... Dang mirrors!

We are so sorry to hear about the loss of your mom. No one can help take away the feelings that you are going through right now... Losing a parent, an intrigal part of your everyday life, changes how the world around you works... Hopefully you will find peace in knowing that to love and be loved is one of lifes most amazing gifts... You and your family are our my thoughts and prayers. Always Bernadette (jen) and Steve

Stop in and ill send ya in th right direction with the right Walleye catching lures ...its really not all that hard to get fish on the Ice ...

Hi Carol, What a great way to be spending time... it is almost like walking into a world a long time ago... I have all of my family history dating back to my great great great Grandfather, from diaries to pictures... Letters that were written back and forth between lovers courting to marriage and death certificates. One of these days I plan to put it all together for my kids... Keep up the good work, the sleuthing and the sharing. Wow you certainly have come from a long line of very strong individuals. Take care of you and that beautiful Family, Cheers, Jen

As you all know it took Sonny forever to catch a pickeral in the river last winter...for no lack of trying he became known as the carp king... lol So this year he decided he was going to work extra hard to break that streak. Saturday started early with light just hitting the horizon we set up just outside of Fishmasters... It wasn't long after an hour or so that Sonny brought in his first Pickeral through the ice this year. The black hut is us Congrats to him as it was a long wait last ice season before he could say that. I had a great day fishing with my brother! Thanks so much! Jen

I love reading posts where it tells a whole story and you did that very very well... Congrats on your pb whitefish, it is still an elusive species for me! Maybe sometime this month...

The boys, Steve and I arrived at Steves Fish Huts in Pefferlaw at 7:15am. This would be the first time the boys have fished from an outfitters hut and they were very excited. Our ride out to the hut! (Christian thought this was what we were going to be fishing out of) We were all set up in a brand new hut and fishing by 7:45am, the boys were thrilled, we were getting bites. Small perch were going back, a couple of bigger ones for the bucket and then Christian said I have something big and he did... Steve was watching the fishfinder and told Zachary to bring his line up a bit, wham, he also had a fish on, both lines brought in Herring. There is no limit on these fish so they quickly got photographed and sent back... It wasn't long before I had a herring on my line, the first squiggled out of my hands before Steve could grab a picture and the second almost did the same thing. The huts are pretty accomodating so we decided it was popcorn break time... Jiffy Pop to the rescue The outfitters crew came and checked on us several times, and just after lunch Zachary decided we should move to another hut... Closer to shore ( to the first hut the outfitter put out this year... ) I think the ice cracking sounds were starting to make the kids a little nervous. The fishing slowed after that, the boys played out on the ice a bit and at 4:00pm we got picked up to head home... Freezing rain had started to fall! First Ice on Simcoe is always a treat, we kept what we would eat and let all other fish go. Going ice fishing with an outfitter truly was perfect. We had an excellent day with the boys, on fish most of the day, with lots of quality time. If you are heading up give Steve at Pefferlaw Fish Huts a call and I am sure he will get you out there. Steve's Fish Huts (705)426-7800

Stuffed Mushrooms, Mussels with a garlic cream sauce, brie with pears wrapped in puff pastry, brushetta bread, endive with goat cheese prachutto and balsamic dressing, cheese tray, venison meat tray and of course gin and tonic... let the festivities begin! Happy New Year Everyone!!!

The ice went out this morning on the river, still holding in the marina! For how long I have no idea! Watching the water rise has been amazing today. Here are a couple of pictures of the marina, The poles are usually 5 or 6 feet above water level... Rock point on the flag side is under water and the entire cement pad on the lake side. Crossing my fingers that the levels don't raise enough to crest the banks today! How is the weather in other parts of the world today?

Gin and Tonic when out, paralyzers ( vodka, kahlua, in equal parts, milk and a splash of coke) while home, not to mention single malt scotch or the occational Korona with Lemon... However in saying that a good dry glass of red wine while a fire is roaring is always so wonderful... Hope everyone enjoyed the Holiday! Cheers, Jen

my brother has the 797si,,,which may be close only mine has the side imaging,,,and he raves about it all the time,,,hasn't given him any problems!

Ice is holding in our Marina 6 - 8 inches if you want to bring the kids out, pond is also good... Have a very Merry Christmas... Will be an ice rink on the pond soon if you want to throw their skates in the trunk as well... Will post when we have it all ready to go, going to flood it soon to smooth things out a bit Cheers, Jen at Fishmasters Bait and Tackle in Dunnville

Merry Christmas to everyone here at OFC, may you all find in this season the feeling of happiness and joy! Be Safe and above all enjoy the turkey! Cheers from Fishmaster and Jen, Lee, Abu and Little Jigger (Steve, Bernadette, Leyland, Christian and Zachary)

Merry Christmas TJ, You can't buy a gift like that... Glad you are showing it off ... Hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday! Merry Christmas Jen

Merry Christmas, May you find joy to fill your heart , food to fill your stomach and loved ones to hold. Enjoy the Holidays cheers Jen