The Urban Fisherman

Hey Guys! Short and sweet. I won't bore you with the details but I haven't had ANY time this summer so I figured I better just drop a thread and get some talking started about this year's 2nd Annual Fish-A-Thon for Cancer. I threw last years event together at the last minute when I found out we were going to lose Ginny's grandmother to Cancer. After losing to many friends and family members I decided I had enough and wanted to contribute in some way. So I started a Fish-A-Thon for Cancer event. With help from many OFC members as well as from new friends that I made from a local board it was a complete success! Here's a shot of last year's group that Grandma cut from the paper. Death was on her doorstep, but she managed a smile from ear to ear when she saw this. Granda and the kids.... Many have already contacted me and offered to help, mostly guys from last year - you know who you are and I thank you for staying on me. Let's try to plan a day to put some things together. For those who participated last year, what did you like, dislike? What would you like to see happen this year? Are you willing to fish in it again, and most importantly let's work on setting a date. For the new members of OFC who are curious to see what it's all about check out my final report from last year here. http://www.ofncommunity.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=35222&st=0&p=373535&hl=cancer&fromsearch=1entry373535 In Point Form: - Just like a walk-a-thon except we fish non-stop for a set amount of time - You get forms and collect pledges for your "fish-a-thon" It can be as little as a 25 cent pledge! Every bit helps. - We get prizes from various members and other sources. - Last year we did "most pledges", "big fish", and a Draw for pledgers to have a chance to win something. - Post fish-a-thon BBQ So get talking, give me some ideas, if you are able to donate something, or make a pledge, please let me know and we'll set something up. If you're interested in being a fish-a-thon'er shoot me a PM. It's all going to happen real quick just as it did last year, and with the exception of some more advertising and promotion through News Paper and Radio we'll be relying on women and men like you to spread the word! You really can make a difference, even if it's something as small as making a cancer victim smile. Thanks OFC - As always. Cheers, Ryan

lol frankie I'd be to scared to have "supervisor" added to my title!!

wow that's awesome Lew - cool how he dropped them just right. I'm looking at a house that needs a few beat up old cedar's removed... to bad I live so far away! Seems to me that you've been reporting a heck of a lot more since moving out there... Hope you're enjoying country living to it's fullest! Cheers, Ryan

you didn't seriously just bring up the tiller versus console debate did you? haha just kidding dude. I have no input on these boats, but good luck!

Hey gang! I haven't been out on the water "fun fishing" since hitting the bay with John F two weeks ago, BUT I have been out on the water shooting new episodes of Facts of Fishing THE SHOW. Most regulars here know that I work on the show, but what most probably don't know is that I met Dave through OFC and have T.J. and this great site to thank for my current fishing related career. Prior to taking this job I worked on high end commercials @ Technicolor in Toronto. I actually worked a few floors up from another board member ( FishnSled ) who works on movies and TV shows. This was one of my favorite moments from Season 3 and I didn't even have a rod in my hand! It's always nice being part of somebodies "personal best" moment! The weather made for tough shooting conditions but we still pulled off a good show in my mind! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Myl_KcYZVaE So, this thread came up some 4 years ago which is how I got connected with Dave, so I figured it's been long enough... What pays your bills, and funds your obsession with fishing? Cheers, Ryan

I second deer creek not letting you.... no chance at all. I was able to wrangle up permission last year for my fish-a-thon for cancer and people who have trailers at the reservoir were complaining about it....

Good work! My summertime pattern for crappie is micro twitch baits over weed flats. They're in pretty thick right now over weed flats that are in about 15 FOW, but the top of the weeds are only 3 feet or so down from the surface. Cheers, Ryan

LOL Mike that was a great way to start my day! Hope your pops is alright, as well as your motor. My dad's got the same thing going on with gout. Enjoy your day bud! cheers, Ryan

lol right in front of the dam dude! It was crazy!

So we talk about what size of bait to use. Well, today I was out on the lake, and we accidentally spooked a mom duck and her two young ones. These ducklings weren't babies by any means, but couldn't get off the water just yet. They went a good 30 feet before there was an explosion in the water and 2 ducklings became one.... about a minute or so later 1 of them pops up and is obviously injured... we caught up and there was a big giant largie circling around under the injured ducking... we followed it to shore... it struggled to make it there, but mom eventually came back and we can only hope the juvenile duck will be ok... I still just can't believe a largemouth bass would try to eat a duck! lol I mean this thing was half the size of it's mom and was BOOKIN' it across the lake... anyways, never second guess big, fast moving top water baits. I know after witnessing this first hand that I'll be trying some big top waters for lagies in the near future. Cheers, Ryan

LFW - I live in sort of a different area out in the country. 90% of the families that have called so far are Mexican Mennonite families with 10+ kids! Very nice, but quiet group from what I've experienced... We've had 1 showing and though they seemed to like the house very much, they haven't phoned us back... which could have something to do with the fact that they have 9 kids and the house only has 4 bedrooms... We've also had a few phone calls that haven't really amounted to much. Keep in mind we haven't listed with real estate as of yet because we'd like to put that money to use and our home is a week or so away from being 100% finished inside. Of course our house was cleaner than it's ever been for our first showing, and will be again in the future. I know exactly what you mean about looking at other houses though. Most of what we've looked at so far have been total dives, one of which might as well be bulldozed! lol One house is a rental house, and the current tenant was ashing his smokes on the rug the whole time we were there. The ceilings were completely yellow from smoke, basement window's broken, the list goes on. The one I like most needs some serious clean up, and updating, but the current owners ( Estate Sale ) realize this and it is obviously reflected in their asking price. If the house was in prime condition it'd be a $200,000 home but they're only asking $144,000 which is what it's worth. Of course I'm still going to low-ball them a little as the house needs about $10,000 worth of new window's. Anyways, good luck with the sale and purchase! Keep us posted! Cheers, Ryan

LOL Hey John should I fire up the fireplace mid-august on a 30 degree saturday afternoon? While running the Central Air full force to keep the house at 76 degrees? Good luck with your house hunt! I've found one that I like, my wife likes another, but the biggest problem we're facing is trying to sell our current home without an agent! Cheers, Ryan

Hey buddy! Great report! I love the reports with the kids seeing as I'm in the same boat sort of speak...haha getting out with the wee ones makes it tough to run around in search of giants but it sure is worn it man! Cheers, Ryan

Look at the size of the head/shoulders on those things! my god! Thanks for the report and pix guys.. good work!

Nice pix John - how'd the fish pictures from your camera turn out? Pic 1 - Dan if you're reading this I dunno how the heck the bay managed to lay down like that overnight. It was brutal on Saturday. Pic 2 - I think it was more-so a case of me trying to hide my stogy in the event that Ginny saw this thread... Pic 3 - Up until the day before we went out John, my partners had to sit on the metal bench! I got that bad boy just for you! Pic 4 - That's my patented, find the tree ninja move. Drive the boat, watch the GPS and look into the water for my big tree all at once... Thanks again JF! Cheers, Ryan

my god you make me want to delete my most recent largie thread! haha I miss those northern ontario/quebec lakes... your lakes and reports remind me of the water I grew up fishing... thanks for the report dude! Always enjoy the read and the pix cheers, Ryan

Glad to see you finished your project Mike... I have some finishing touches to get done to the house this week and have ZERO ambition to do it because I'm selling the house... also don't really have the money to do it but John told me to get my rear in gear and get it done if I want to sell the place! cheers, Ryan

John - Funny and well written report as usual! That's why I figured I'd let you do the talkin' - One last time, thanks again for the company and the real estate tips! You're a cool dude! Fish-Meister - I honestly don't know if I have any pix of the boat from the outside... most of my pix are from the inside with a fish in my hand! Dano - I could never just sit there anchored waiting for fish to come to me! I don't know how the local guys do it... I just don't have the patience! We toyed with going out to EC1 etc. but decided to stick with largies on the inner bay which may have been our demise but what're you gonna do. Smally21 - Thanks for the heads up! I prefer fishin' smallies in the deeper water but with my little jon boat there aren't many days I can get out to them. I've only fished the bay a half dozen times or so and have been frustrated with it but have a couple of spots to call my own and hopefully with time I'll put a seasonal pattern together for what will soon be my "home" body of water. Keep your eyes peeled for me as well and hopefully we'll bump into each other on the water soon. JB - No lost fingers, John made sure of that by wearing his shark gloves! but let me tell you we came damn near close to a skunkin' We likely would have been better off staying on spot #1 because we were seeing fish all over but they were lock-jawed. So we figured the right thing to do would be to leave the fish? lol oh well - we eliminated some water on the bay which is part of learning a new lake. Lukily I was sleeping at the wheel on that last good bass and he was willing to eat Johns follow up bait...made up for a tough day on the water.

Dude! Did I miss something or is there a picture of that beast anywhere? I keep checking back but all I can see is that 32 lber

Hey guys! I'll let John do the talkin' as I've got grass to cut and house projects to get finished so I can sell this joint! Thanks for comin' out with me John! It was a great time out on the water and I'm looking forward to hitting the lake with you once again soon! runnin out decent fish but skinny... fish water? johns first of the day big fish of the day! Cheers, Ryan

I couldn't agree more aboutthe ugly sticks but I have used a few different actions of voltaeus rods and found them to be much better than the old ugly stick noodles. They do have some fast action models with soft tips and some decent backbone. Again they're no compre or crucial but I definitely prefer them over ugly stick rods if you get the right model. Don't worry I have some shimano freak friends who tell me the same thing you do but I really don't mind them. It's all what you can afford.

lol you guys are killin me with this thread! Hope you enjoyed the kawarthas John!!! Lake Erie in my 15 foot duck boat is just a tad more bumpy! Great report guys!

Beaty small man! I wish you didn't need such a big damn boat to get out to the toads we have out here on Erie! You guys are killin me with the small reports!

Drifter.... Lol I was looking at a salt chlorinator that was regular 299.00 on sale for 249.00.... Decided to wait as we weren't setting up the pool yet and all of a sudden I see it advertised regular 249.00 on sale for 199.00!!!! lol maybe if I wait another month it'll be regular 199.00 on sale for 149.00

Reall? Obviously I'd rather a compre or something but I don't really mind them! I also have a couple of those quantum resource cheapo's and don't mind them either. It'd be nice to have a boat load of cumaras but I don't think that'll ever be in the budget and I really don't mind the voltaeus rods for the money....