Billy Bob

We run outboards all winter long here in the Lower Niagara River...the river never freezes with it's 12 mph current...after the boat is put back on the trailer, just trim it up and down once or twice ....all the water will drain right out...then trailer her home....

YES.......Pigeon Lake.....and with no fishing boat it would be GREAT to hook up with you again next year..

One is Big Gull Lake.....and BTW I wouldn't miss the season...

If you go on the off season.....we are going the last week in June just before the rates spike for the high season.....then try a mid week 4 day cruise, it's pretty reasonable....taking a mid week (Tues - Fri) over the weekend you get the extra day for FREE (my favorite 4 letter word)....and you get to board the day before (Mon) at 7pm..... Our two other trips were during the high season for a week long cruise....but since this is our 3rd time we decided on only doing 4 days next June....both times before we did tow a fishing boat behind us but not this time.....also now they charge extra for lock fees on both the houseboat and the boat in tow.....but it's only a $10 a day fee for the houseboat thru your rental company, as they have paid for the lock passes for the whole year and try to get it back through renters during the year......in the past it was included in the rental fees....but if you don't lock thru it doesn't make sense renting a houseboat in the Kawarthan's....

They very a lot depending on when you want to go......and how long you want to rent the vessel......and with Happy Day's what size houseboat you want. Egan only has 2 sizes, while Happy Day's has SEVERAL different size and configurations....so it's best to take a good look at this rate sheet... http://www.happydayshouseboats.com/rates.htm

That's good to hear.........Egan does have better rates....but their boats are smaller, I/O's are smaller and a bit run down....but I'm sure they run a good business...we just had bad luck with the fridge the last time with them......the folks that we are teaming up with decided they like the Happy Day's Houseboats MUCH better......We really miss the Three Bouys company......back in the 80's on our first houseboating trip, those 40' boats were BRAND NEW at the time...we had both our boys with us back then....1.5 old and a 2.5 year old.....Happy Day's have purchased some of the 44' boats from Three Bouys and that's actually the boat we reserved.....

Actually the way Egan has their I/O's, they are a lot more like a outboard then a I/O....the Three Bouy's were much more a I/O as they were tuck in and under the boat....so this is something I took a second close look at with Happy Day's House Boats....they are much more a I/O drive then Egan is.....as a matter of fact, everything Happy Day's does except price, is much better then Egan......but Egan did try to fix the frig...but DIDN'T.... So I'm really just looking to see if anyone here has used Happy Day's.....

Sounds good but I'm busy hunting at that time of the year...

CARP.........heard there is a lot of them in that area...........

And you still haven't hit one....................

Planning on doing our third house boating trip on the Kawarthan's.....but this time with "Happy Days Houseboats".......first time with "them"....we did our first house boating trip way back around 1985 with "Three Bouy's Houseboats"........then around 2003 we used Egan "Houseboats".......we were EXTREMELY Happy with Three Bouys but they were no longer in business....when we went with Egan Houseboat's we had nothing but trouble with the fridge....well, actually we didn't have ANY luck with fridge because it never worked for the whole week, even though they tried to fix it 3 times during our trip at the locks they met us at......then at the end of our trip we asked for some compensation and they did a couple hundred dollars for our troubles because they knew we went thru hell with the fridge....we had to purchase ice DAILY.... But anyway's........any one here ever use "Happy Day's Houseboat's" Bob

Damn.....not good........Honey Harbor is under utilized as far as fishing IMHO....

Is that like French kissing a fish......... ... I believe I can catch more walleyes then you and Roy put togeter in any given day....... ....and the bet is COLD Canadian BEER.....you GIRLS on...

That's nice..........

I have to disagree with Roy....I catch a LOT of walleyes, and big ones dragging bottom on Lake Erie.....but these are residentional fish that are working the bottom for bugs, etc..... not roamers chasing schools of bait fish...so it all depends on what fish you are targeting.... But anyway's, I pour my own sinkers but NEVER use anything that large and I'm fishing up to 60' for walleyes......most times I drifting on the bottom with 5/8 oz bait walker sinker 3-3.5' ahead of a #4 Colorado bladed worm harness...this is my go to combo for Lake Erie Walleyes.....if the wind is really blowing I go to a 3/4 oz bait walker sinker....many times if the wind is gentle I go to a 1/2 oz sinker....you don't need a lot of weight in still waters to get down deep for walleyes....of course I'm only using 8# test mono line.

It still forms each time I smoke fish......depending on what kind of fish you use, some have a LOT of slime after brining overnight...Especially any kind of pike/chain pickerel....Eh...

I VERY happy with my Navionics maps.......but someday....SOMEONE needs to map the French River.

I would also take that claim with a LARGE grain of salt....lakes up there produce a TON of fish....but something over 3-4 pounds is rare....to short of a growing season for walleyes IMHO....but I guess you never really know until you try..... Back in the 80's we fish a lake north of Nakina with the nickname "ABA" and we caught over 1000 walleyes between 8 guys during the week stay and less then 5 topped 3 pounds and none over 4 pounds. GOOD LUCK, Bob

Took the wife to the Delawana Inn MANY years ago...we had a GREAT time there......back then, they had a comedy club....GOOD TIME. We even rented a boat next door and she caught her largest pike ever just trolling a #9 gold jointed Rapala....had to land it without a net... GOOD LUCK.....you have a GREAT TIME, Bob

Very pretty area.......GOOD LUCK Bob

I have fished Dry Pine Bay several time out of Sand Beach Lodge.....couple of good spots for walleye and pike are Deer Bay and Eagle Nest....also not to far from the lodge.....a small bay just to the left of the lodge if you just left their dock......several drifts in that area has always produced walleyes, pike and the occasional catfish.

I almost always freeze my fish for a later date to smoke....... Defrost fish on counter or even just put it in the brine if you want to smoke it the next day....but then leave it in the brine on the counter to defrost for a few hours then place it in the frig overnight.... Here's the best and easiest brine I have found........ 1 gallon of water 1/4 cup of Kosher Salt 1 cup of brown sugar (This can be adjusted for a smaller or larger amount of fish) Mix well and place the fish in brine to soak until the next day when your ready to smoke.....then take fish out of the brine and a VERY QUICK rinse with cold water.....now place on paper towels and more paper towels on the top of the fish and dab the fillets/fish dry....smoke until done.......usually 3-5 hours for me.

Yes, but now we want to have a redo..........

For those still interested in maybe going this weekend here's a update of events....... http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120914/CITYANDREGION/120919344/1010

I have used a VERY similar product by Quikrete.....for my driveway and my son's front steps....it hasn't let go in the last 3 years so I'm a HAPPY CAMPER....here's the stuff... http://www.quikrete.com/ProductLines/VinylConcretePatcher.asp