charlesn

Wow, thanks guys and gals for the info. It appears that they are all good (except Snapper/Crapper). I'm amazed they all last that long, but maybe they just built things better back then. Since many of the major brands appear to be good, I'll look for what appears to be the best price/hp at the moment. I live in an area that doesn't "usually" experience that much snow. I shoveled twice in all of the winter of 06/07, and about that many the winter before. In fact, in the 8 years I've owned this house I've probably only needed to clear the snow 20 times so I'm thinking of a lower hp model, maybe a 5 or 7.5 from what I've seen surfing.

Thanks again, what a fast response and a great way to get a bunch of opinions and experience.

Charles

I was wondering what recommendations people had for a snow blower?

Have about a 50' long 2 car driveway. I got ripped off once by a company called Alpine Snow Removal, so I'm hesitant to hire someone as there doesn't seem to be a recourse if they just cash your cheque and never show up. I have never owned anything more sophisticated than a shovel as far as snow removal goes.

I guess if someone could explain the differences and advantages for gas or electric and what not, that would be great. I might need to call a cab to go buy it though as I am snowed in. lol

I don't mind paying for quality as I'd rather have something that lasts.

Thanks!

Charles

If the guy who sold it to you lied about about the leaks, how do you know he never hit something? How would Tracker know? I think it should be his problem to help you get satisfaction or pay for the repairs properly at Wayne's. Great offer Wayne, truly a good gesture and a benefit for the Cancer Society too.

I would make sure the guy who sold it to you is doing his damnedest to help you out of this situation.

I hope it works out, our boats are expensive enough at the best of times when things are going good.

They say the two best days of boat ownership are the days you buy it and the day you sell it. Trials like this are what make that true...

Charles

Is it a lifetime warranty or is it time-limited?

I think you may be screwed if it is time-limited.

Maybe contact Browning direct and see what their warranty procedures are.

Charles

It's not even close carper. They say the endorsement opportunities for winning the Bassmaster Classic are in the 1 million dollar range. The prize for winning is a cool $500,000. Bass fishermen are psychotic and incredibly numerous in the states. The BM Classic is an event that occurs every year. The FLW Tour championship pays out $1,000,000 to winner, but if we're speaking endorsements, the BM Classic is the deal.

There are probably half a dozen bass fishing pros making 6 figures of endorsement dollars every year. Actually, I'm probably way off, since the entry fees for the BASS Elite circuit is $55,000. So just covering entries they'd need that much in support plus some money to live on. It could be a significant number.

They've also often said the world record largemouth would be worth a million. Not sure how they quantify that but if it took wearing Fishergirl pink spandex and saying I caught it on Popeil Pocket fisherman using a Banjo minnow, then by golly that's what I was using/wearing... lol

I don't think all other freshwater species combined would compare in terms of sponsorships. But that's just my guess. I could be way wrong. I'm going based on prize purses for competition as a barometer.

Charles

The province could likely make more money off a "spring politician hunt" rather than some dirty nuisance black bears.

 

The culling would be of greater good for the resource too.

But Moosebunk, would anybody even notice that some were culled?

Imagine if you could keep it alive and get it in to Bass Pro's Tank...

That would be pretty neat.

If I caught a Ontario record Largie or Smallie or world Record Smallie, that's what I'd do.

In Texas, they (BPS) pay something to $1000/mth for a live teenage bass specimen at the Bass Pro Shops in Grapevine. At least that's what I heard. It would be neat regardless to have your fish on display for people to hold in awe...

A carp you could probably put in a garbage bag with some wet sponges and it would survive the drive. lol Those are some tough critters.

A musky would be a lot harder to keep alive.

A bass would be relatively easy to keep alive I think, so it would be the most realistic. I'd do the same with a 4 lb perch, sunnie or rockie too.

Charles

With all the problems experienced there by OFNers, you'd think the very least they could do is drop it in the mail to ya?

Just a thought based on what I read of the G2G.

Charles

Corey,

This is my first post (and probably last) on this hot topic. It's obviously an issue bringing out heated emotion from both sides.

Cigarettes are legal and addictive, so is alcohol and pornography. I don't feel any of them should be shared with or forced upon children as there is literally nothing of virtue in any of the 3 activities.

Gambling is legal and addictive, similar to the first three there are age and location restrictions to go with it. Unlike the first three, it could be argued that card games (poker, black jack) at least can work to help develop cognitive reasoning and be considered brain stimulating. Of course non gambling card games can do the same but poker and BJ does not need to be played with money.

Of those 4 things, I think pornography and smoking are the two most similar for the argument at hand. Watching a porno with someone else in the room (a child) is basically forcing them to indulge in your bad habit. Most would agree this is not tolerable behaviour. Drinking a beer is not the same as the baby or toddler will not get a sip nomatter how much they want one. But the non-consenting participation factor is the reason I think we as adults have to be the ones to make sacrifices in the things we want to do whenever there is a non-consenting party that can be affected in a closed environment such as a car. We wouldn't slap a porno in the DVD player in the mini-van instead of Dora or Elmo would we?

I have no comment on the health system as I have no idea how it really works and after watching my F-I-L pass of lung cancer last year, I was thankful for the hard working and compassionate nursing staff in the palliative care units. Had they refused him service because he smoked at some point (he quit 24 years before passing) I would've been upset. I don't think anyone could do that to a loved one. Also, where would we draw the line? I was a second hand smoker for most of my young life and tried a few cigs as a dumb-azz teenager trying to look cool. Luckily for me it never stuck, but I did try it, does that mean I'm not covered?

I think the cig companies did pay a huge settlement amount for health care or was that only in the states?

Anyways, no offense to smokers, alcoholics, porn addicts and gambling addicts. Fatsos either.

Charles

Also there is a $25 for a 1-week non-resident license option.

Gander Mtn's bait shop is open at 5 AM if you're in a crunch and need a license that day.

For bass addicts like me, it is a must, otherwise you can't legally fish for bass until June which is crazy.

Charles

http://www.thestar.com/OntarioElection/article/266163

I think it might be Ontario only Roy.

Charles

Harrison, JP certainly did a lot of work behind the scenes for the anglers. The CPAA certainly had a lot of influence as well.

If it can get guys like you to consider picking the sticks back up in a competitive fashion, then it's clearly a step in the right direction.

It's a great start, but at the same time it's also a work in progress. I'd bet that it will be even bigger and better in 09 and just continue to grow and get better.

I can't wait... I haven't been this excited in the off-season in a long time.

Charles

The extra day is just for the top 10. The Ams and the Pro's that finish from 11th to 50th get their cash and can leave Saturday night.

I like the idea of mid-week 1-day Pro/Ams, I hope it goes well.

I just don't have the time (or moolah) to commit to both so I will be focusing on the WFN Series. If I make a top 10, first $20 gets to have a water soluble tattoo of whatever they want written across my forehead to appear on WFN. haha

Charles

Roy, if you can get to WFN it's in the main navigation bar beside Community. The third one.

Charles

edit: oops, I read your post again and now I think it's probably some sort of plug-in issue. It's working fine for me using Firefox 2.0.0.9

I put it up in the announcements section Bri. Cool news for sure.

Should be a lot of OFNers out there, JPD, Chonger, Kulik and Myself for sure anyways. Maybe more considering all the cash they're putting out there for the taking...

It's gonna be a long winter...

Charles

I've never seen or heard of a musky being caught in Simcoe in recent memory, weird thing is, I've caught several (and seen several more caught) in Cooch without even trying for them. I've fished Simcoe about 20 times as often as Cooch. Maybe they stick north of the narrows.

Is there a moratorium on keeping musky from Simcoe? Maybe there should be while this process is on-going.

Charles

We did this with Insception Bio. An insurance policy is exactly how we looked at it. It's something we're doing in the hopes that we will never need to take advantage of it and if it never is required, it will be money well spent.

Charles

If I were in your dad's position, I would look for a used boat in the states.

The Ranger 620/621 or Triton 215 X would probably be a very nice compromise boat for the whole family.

With the money you save buying in the states, you can maybe get your dad to buy you something like a used Nitro 700/750 DLX with a 115 Opti. Now that would be a sweet rig for the HP-restricted series at a very reasonable cost... If you look around, there are TONNES for sale in the states.

Charles

P.S. I can say without a doubt that my 20' bass boat is not at all a good family boat. The low gunwales and lack of cockpit area is a real concern as my little girl grows up. Will probably need a second boat soon. But at the same time, having competed at various levels in various types of rigs, I can also say without a doubt that if you have a bass boat you will not be handicapping yourself. It's nice to say the boat does not catch the fish, but with the same anglers in a bass boat versus a non-bass boat, well... I've been in that 'boat' and can tell you it does makes a difference.

Taking a nap Brian, I wish, more like comatose.

I learned, the hard way as usual, not to experiment with new drugs in a tourney. I tried Ginger based chewable Gravol instead of the usual double dose of extra-strength Gravol I take before any Simcoe or Erie events. I went to tie a few knots early and was starting to get the "yawns" "burps" and general nausea that comes with seasickness within minutes. By 9:30 AM I was fighting it as best I could, but my heart wasn't in it. It was good to see so many guys out there braving the weather and bringing in big bags. My partner caught a 5.26 on the first drift in the first 5 or so minutes. After that, I had a fish on for about 5 turns of the handle. That was it.

We were too far from the Virginia Beach restaurant for my plan B, so we stuck it out, but I can't say I enjoyed the day too much as it was a rough ride and got cold and wet and generally nasty. It's a lot easier to tolerate though when you're catching fish... lol

Great pictures and congrats to all the prize winners.

Charles

It's open Gregger. Not sure you'd want to go there, but the option is there.

Charles

I'm a non-boater for this one, so I'm just going to sit down, shut up, hold on and fish hard.

But if we're not on 'em by 9 AM or if it is cold, windy or rainy, you'll be able to find me having a nice warm breakfast at the Virginia Beach restaurant til about noon... lol

Will see you boys there, it's going to be fun.

Charles

Yo Kulik,

I'm going in to this as blind as blind could be... So where *we* fishin'? lol

j/k

Should be fun and I just hope nobody breaks a leg this year because it will probably be me!

Charles

Maureen,

Had the surgery in 2000. Had 20/15 vision in each eye for 7 years. This year I started to notice my distance vision was still good, but my close vision was getting worse. E.g. tying knots, reading, etc. So the "older" for me as far as needing reading glasses when I was older (which they did say was a certainty) has already begun at the tender age of 36. lol

Nonetheless, I am thankful and have no regrets at all about the procedure as it definitely helped me catch more fish!

Has mine done for twelve hundred per eye at Gimbels on Yonge near Lawrence.

Charles

Actually following the weights of recent (2006 & 2007) St. Clair tournaments, the weights there are way up. 25+ is very possible. This is St. Clair, not Erie fish we're talking about.

But record wise I still think it will probably be caught on a lesser known, lesser pressured lake. I hear of super giants being caught and or lost up north.

The late fall weights on Simcoe are really ginormous, but not much different than Erie. Those Erie smallies have grown huge on gobies and last year there were several events where 28 and 29 lbs were topped.

I know of an 8-2 (mid-summer!!!!!) landed on Erie in a tournament this year and a 9-1 that was landed prior to the trophy season opener on Erie. That 8-2 in the late fall when they are gorging will be approaching the record weight I'd think.

Lake Ontario's smallies are starting to grow up too. Recent 24 and 23 lb sacks of smallies coming out of relatively untapped Lake O shows that the potential is there for some big sacks and big fish there too.

Charles

Charles,

 

I would say the blame does not fall on enforcement... the Blame falls on the angler to know the rules and to respect our laws (regardless of ethnicity) the excuse of not speaking english no longer washes.. they print the regs in many different languages just for this reason.

 

Blame the law breakers... not the MNR.

 

Gerritt.

Gerritt,

I agree with what you are saying, everyone should know the rules. But there are some that know the rules and will still poach. Is it okay then to be violent against them? Where do we send a 4th or 5th generation Canadian poacher?

I still say the blame falls on enforcement. If they were out there enforcing, then the perpetrators would either stop or continue to pay fines and face further consequences. If they were out there enforcing and paying fines, the ignoramuses trying to take the law into their own hands would not feel the need or urge to do so.

I don't think ignorance of the laws is the only reason these people poach. I think they know the laws, probably better than some of us do, they just feel it is worth the risk. Why would they feel it is worth the risk? Same as jaywalking or littering (how many on this board will smoke a cig and then just throw the butt on the ground). They are subject to fines, but the chances of getting caught are very very minimal to say the least and the punishment is minimal even if caught and convicted.

When I say enforcement I'm not talking about the CO, I'm talking about the entire infrastructure from the Premier or whoever decides the funding and on down.

Charles