Rizzo

good luck to all of you heading up, lets see lots of photos of big (released!) fish when you get back

So I head out early Saturday to try and get some musky fishing in before the dreaded "family reunion" that afternoon. Turns out it doesn't get light so early anymore! We got to the launch and she was still pitch black out. Hey, better early than late though. The rain was the real annoying part...I had checked the forecast and watched every conceivable weather network numerous times and was told 0% chance of rain...I cursed the weatherman as we raced away from the launch as I got soaked with my rain gear back at home. Turns out extra pfd's do work as an umbrella though. We were trying out an area of the Trent severn system that I had never fished before. My partner for the day, Alvin(some of you met at Lakair 2006) had some experience on this body of water. He has fished a couple of bass tournaments there, and each year has seen some muskies. One year he thought they hit a shoal with the trolling motor, went to check it out and a musky was head-butting the prop trying to make a meal out of it. We tried some rocky points, bluff shorelines and some deep weed edges that produced a couple of bass and hammerhandle pike. Alvin, bass-fanatic that he is, wanted to check in some weedy back bays. I have no problem with that...except when we get there the water is crystal clear. In my head (and perhaps I said it aloud) I'm thinking we're nuts. We're talking 2-3 feet of water, good weeds, but clear as crystal. Why in the world would anything but sunfish be in here? I mention to Alvin I have never had success in the shallows when the water is this clear...he claims that it has worked for him before. Thinking he's a big liar, I snap on a bucktail to work what water is available. I've got zero confidence in this spot, but fire a few casts out anyways. Not too long in, Alvin has a strike and claims he's hooked a big bass. From my better vantage point up on the platform, I see the profile and the beautiful silver colour and know that this is no bass, but clearly a musky. Seconds later the fish flies through the air, coming down with a huge splash and startling the cottagers a few feet away on their dock. I believe the comment they made was something about never swimming again. Here's Alvin giving his best Lew impersonation. After a quick photo op the fish was released. It was really neat to release the fish in such shallow clear water and watch it swim away. We didn't measure the fish (much to Alvin's dismay as it was his personal best) because the tapemeasure wasn't readily available. Naturally here is everyone's favorite...the release shot. For me, that was a first, seeing a musky caught in such clear shallow water. Don't think I'll give up on my usual spots of rock/weed drop-offs, saddles and points, but I may not give up so easily anymore on areas that I don't think will hold a fish! Anyone else have a similar experience where you catch something in the last place you'd expect?

think I may have figured it out, will try and post a new thread about a real shallow water musky caught on saturday

So its been a while since I posted a photo, now I know why...I can't remember how to do it! On the old board I would upload the photo, right click on the photo in the gallery to get "location" then copy that location inbetween the thingees. I've already uploaded into my gallery, but can't seem to get a proper location when I click on properties. Sorry to be a trouble, but I can't seem to find in the "help" section where it describes how to post a photo, and when I do a forum search on "image posting" I'm not having any luck either (even though I'm sure this topic has been done to death). Please assist a computer ignoramus in AS SIMPLE A LANGUAGE AS POSSIBLEZ

great report and photos. I used to fish east and west lake all the time. My yearly trip with the grandparents when I was a wee one we stayed at either Martin's Outlet Park or Log Cabin Point at the mouth of the outlet river. Both are great lakes, but a good haul from Toronto when the average fish usually aren't too big. Funny thing is, East lake has even better numbers than west, west tends to have the bigger fish (proximity to the big lake affects that I'm sure)

wow, heck of a first fish, and from GBay to boot. nicely done

50 plus inch on a figure 8...better grab the heart medication. My knees shake when a 40 incher is showing some interest!

great report and great hospitality. Sounds like a good day

in the immortal words of roland martin..."oooooh son, that's a big'un"

good report. Whenever I drive past there I'm shocked there are any fish in that lake anymore. 25 boats sounds like a typical Saturday or Sunday. Guess catch and release is working! If they were pickerel instead of stinkin slimy pike that lake would be empty by now

I attended one time here in Barrie. gotta admit I was disappointed. Cost me an arm and a leg for half a rack, and the ribs weren't that great. To be honest, those pre-flavored ones from Loblaws that you just heat up on the bbq are better. Hope the Burlington experience is better (and less draining on the pocketbook) than the one I had.

great photos, although I would have bolted the other way even if it was some dude in black fleece

glad sinker mentioned the rings and not just the hooks...I had the o-ring straighten one time, now I replace them

never heard of this place, but I did just hear it mentionned on the radio when they were talking about beaches that were closed or open...sorry I can't recall what they said about Earl Rowe...my suspicion is that they said it is open, but if it matters to you, better check it out.

Good report JB, always worth the read. Nice variety of fish too

watch out for crabs

after reading a different thread, may I suggest a muskrat or other filthy rodent for bait?

so was that your bait?

persistence will pay off...even if you have to get out the auger to get at those pike!

A good friend of mine (Chinese) got married in Vancouver last year. I was out there for a few days, and let me tell you, his family had me eat every "delicassie" imaginable, including the jelly fish! Quite an experience, I ate everything, and most of it was pretty good! Not sure I'd ask my wife to fry up some fish heads or chicken feet, but when in Rome...

sounds like someone is getting a little fresh

I've tried the 2 alarm thing but that got me in the doghouse. First alarm actually did wake me up...second one woke everyone else up when I was in the shower (snooze buttons can have the same effect).

save your $$$$ on the live bait, you do just fine without it!

that is a very good point! I always end up leaving an hour early for fishing trips because I'm too excited to get a proper sleep! Only thing that delays me is when I have set a meeting time with a partner...then I end up "playing" with lures and reels at 3:30 in the morning until they show up at 5 am. Wife thinks I'm freakin nuts...she's a smart woman.

Wow, small world! I know those guys (Ed, Ian etc) they just rented my cottage a couple of weeks ago. Surprising to open this post and see their photos. Looks like they had a great day (I'll have to find out why I wasn't invited!)