Billy Bob

It was a two step jig......

Can you translate that into English....I have always had trouble understanding what you post.

The MAJOR portions of the I-90 NEW YORK STATE THRUWAY has ALWAYS had a toll on it....there is a small FREE section of the I-90 (NYS Thruway) that extends from Lackawanna, NY to Williamsville, NY (about 8-10 miles) but that's it...there is no way you ever drove from the PA line to Utica, NY without paying tolls.....and I'm with you that we shouldn't be paying the tolls as they were suppose to come off in 1996 but as usual the politicians screwed us again. However, the tolls on the NYS Thruway is Pocket Change compared to the 407 in Ontario...and back in the early 70's the exchange rate was not 10% on the Canadian favor but rather 4%....you see I live right near the border and use to live in Crystal Beach for the summer months....my sister still owns a cottage in Pleasant Beach, Ontario which is just down the road from Crystal Beach...but you are correct when you say the exchange rate had been in our favor between 50-60%....most I ever got was 57%....but I still don't see how any of this justifies the Outdoor Card that gives you nothing in return. At least on the NYS Thruway you got to drive FAST without any red lights.. Bob

Yes, things have changed in NYS as well but also NOT for the good...my point is the more they charge us for something that should be a right the LESS we get from them. And that includes Ontario AND NYS...or maybe it's just a view from a Redneck like me...LOL Billy Bob

This is a hard question to answer because the OP didn't give much info on WHERE and what time of the year he is fishing for perch. In LAKE ERIE if you don't have minnows don't even launch your boat AND EMERALD SHINERS are what you really need. If you are fishing some small lake for grass perch, then a small piece of worm works great. If you are ice fishing then you must use a finesse technique, like a spring bobber on the end of your rod and VERY light jigs tipped with grubs. Bob

I have to disagree about a small price to pay to enjoy ourselves....you see I may be older than most here and can remember when there was no "Outdoor Card" (money grab) and the non-resident licenses were about $10 and the residents of Ontario didn't need a fishing license AND the fishing was even better back then before the government got too involved. But hey, that's only me remembering the GOOD 'OLE DAYS... Bob

There is a real good SECRET spot in PA that have produced a LOT of Bass and Walleyes........I could tell you where but then it wouldn't be a Secret spot........well OK, since you have been a faithful member here I will give you a small hint.....tow your boat north until you come to this small pond called LAKE ERIE.... ......if you can't catch fish in this pond, give up fishing and take up golf...

Mine is actually green with what appears to be MAYBE a largemouth.

I hate to admit to it....but now I am more confused than before....so do non-residents pay more or the same as a Ontario Resident for a fishing license after you already posses a "Outdoor Card" Bob

Randy, I don't think that is correct.......I had to purchase a non-resident fishing license that does cost more than the one you purchased. Please correct me if I am wrong. Bob

I also have the same card but did mind paying for it as I recognized just another government money grab. Good for 3 years but I didn't take a Canadian fishing trip this year so it's only good for two years at best...maybe one.. On the bright side of this.......ah, have really thought of one yet...

Actually rivers are much less affected by cold front conditions when it comes to fishing. However, most of the French River is more lake like then any traditional type river.

BL, actually this is a EXCELLENT idea and it's basically how the gill netters were bought out in NYS....we had a special $3 stamp to fish Lake Erie and it was to be for only 3 years. HOWEVER, it was such a big success that after only 2 years the stamp was no longer required to fish Lake Erie. Bob

Actually that is the WORST time to be netting fish especially walleye. This can and will hurt any fishery.

I'm a old fart compared to some of you young wipper snappers so I have several memories of storms starting with the Bizzard of '77 all the way through the Oct storm of '06. Blizzard of '77 hit on January 28th my birthday.....in my small town we were hit VERY hard and back then I owned a 1977 4X4 Chevy Blazer. That was when SUV's were not a big hit and almost nobody had four wheel drive trucks. So being a firefighter even way back then I reported to our police department and volunteered my services, Blazer and all with my brother in-law riding shotgun. We pulled many vehicles out of snow banks that with my Warn Winch I had mounted on the front bumper. But the biggest thing we did is when the police captain asked me if we could get to a certain street in town as a lady was in labor and need to get to the hospital (6-7 miles away)....so with brother in-law and my trusty beast of a 4X4 Blazer we made it to her house and helped her into the vehicle taking about 1 hour to go the 6-7 miles to the hospital. Never did hear if it was a boy or girl. In 1985 we also had a BIG STORM and I was still working on the railroad at the time. But it was my day off, actually 2 days off. However, I called into work and asked if I should come into work (trying to find some overtime at their expense of course). The goofy boss I talked to didn't realize it was my day off so said, Yes I guess we can't stop you thinking it was my regular day to work....you see when a storm first hits on the railroad everything stops until they can catch up on cleaning the switch points, etc.... so I knew it would be a easy day at time and half and I just got the OK from the big boss. So I reported to work at the west end of the yard that was my work location at the time but of course NOTHING was moving so I settled in drinking coffee and playing cards at time and a half until a foremen showed up and ask if anyone would interested in being the cook on the wreck train that was parked near the repair shop to feed everyone who was stuck at work and trying to dig out of this storm. Since I enjoy cooking I volunteer and ended up cooking for 4 days around the clock making a TON of money in the process... We also had a VERY BIG snow storm on that started on Christmas Eve I believe around 1999-2001.....the lake effect storm just sat on us the whole weekend and dumped 7 feet of snow in three days...YES, SEVEN FEET of wet heavy snow to the point people's roofs were caving in. I started to get a crack in my ceiling dry wall near the front door so my sons and I went up on the roof and shoveled it off as MANY people were doing the same. Now that brings us to the Surprise October storm of 2006...I remember when it started snowing and calling my sons who both were going to college in Central NY and telling them we are getting some snow and it's actually starting to stick which was VERY unusual for this early in the year.......bottom line look at my pictures below...BTW we had no power for 7 days and had to have the electric service redone coming into the house and a new main fuse box because water dripped into it from the damage.

Andy, I know you intentions are good here but most if not all is all hearsay. Don't believe anything you hear and only half of what you see and nobody will make a fool out of you. With that said, you seem very concerned with the sportsman slot limit on the walleyes....now that is a joke.... think about it. You and me are out fishing on the Big Nip for walleyes and all we catch is slot fish so we continue to release said fish. Some are injured but still returned to the water. Some will die and be wasted unless you are cormorant or sea gull. The rest very well may be caught in the native's gill nets and be sold for profit. But you and I have nothing to show for a family dinner at the end of the weekend unless on the way home we purchase some from the natives which may be the very fish we let go. So instead of keeping say 4 fish each we may have killed many more than that and they were eaten by the birds while the natives pounced on every walleye they could gather for $$$$$ with NO CONCERN of the fishery. It the train of thought by the powers to be (Ontario Fisheries) is that a lot limit is a MUST to maintain or improve fishing on the Big Nip by sportsmen who are very limited to fishing with one rod/reel, then how can the same powers to be allow every walleye to be netted for a profit. BELIEVE ME, it's not the sportsman's fault that the walleye fishing on the Big Nip is at a all time low and may even be near collapsing. A lake of that size should NOT be gill netted for commercial use. The same thing happened to Lake Erie with the Blue Pike (now extinct) and almost with the walleye until all gill netters on the USA side were bought out and banned. Now Lake Erie is one of the best walleye fisheries in the world. Bob Bob

The problem is NOT those who are fishing with a rod & reel but those who are fishing with nets......

I also use the OLD style "round" galvanized minnow bucket but for a very good reason....it fits VERY nice in my live well upright.....I keep most of my minnow in it with the live well pump on cycle (comes on for 30 seconds every 3 minutes)...this works fantastic while fishing or if I'm staying overnight at a dock. BUT here's a little bit of advice........DON'T use this bucket while buying bait because it's so small I really believe you get less minnows as there looks like a lot in that small bucket....instead I have a large 5 gallon bucket in the boat to purchase the minnows and then transfer them into the strainer part that will remain in my live well while fishing or as long as the boat is in the water. Bob

Yes, I have also heard there are some cottage owners financing to have the French River stocked with walleye and I have to wonder...WHY....so the Indians can net even more....what a waste of resources.

OK, let's do the math....100 x $75 is only $7,500.00 per year...with this amount you will not get much for your dollars.....I am not saying that firefighters should stand by but SOMEONE has to foot the bill BEFORE the fire starts....the cost are enormous when it comes to supplying the firefighters with the proper equipment and training not to mention the amount it takes to MAINTAIN the equipment....OSHA has MANY different demands that we as a fire department must maintain...just recently we have to furnish BAILOUT equipment to all interior firefighters at a cost of $30,000.00 for our small department. Each truck cost $250,000 or MORE....turn out gear, helmets, new boots, radios, batteries, thermal image camera's, ropes, ladders, hazmat response equipment, ladders, fuel, tires, ropes, life of jaws, first aid equipment, safety cones...the list goes on and on....not to mention even if this equipment has NEVER been used it expires because of the date on it....and this is all mandated by the federal or state government.....we haven't even covered the cost of the buildings or insurance or utilities....Scott Packs, refills.....for those that have been involved in fire departments, then they realize what I am referring to. This is the last time I will post here and here is WHY the fire department was not able to respond........they were not under contract to protect that building.....if they HAD and someone got hurt or worse the CHIEF would had been in BIG TROUBLE as he violated his agreement with the city/town/village he worked under....would YOU risk everything you owned including the well being of your family AGAINST orders ?!?!?!?

BUT things have to change NOW.....the well is almost dry...but I don't think it will happen...

Boy Johnny, you know a LOT about EVERYTHING......how long it takes to put out a trailer fire that you were NOT at... Do you have any firefighting experience ? ? ? You know the percentage of Americans who agree that the fire should of been put out.......tell me, WHO did the polling, YOU.... You know how fast they arrived and how bad the fire was without even being there.... And the most important fact....you know the ratifications of the volunteer fire department involved when it comes to fighting fires when they are NOT legally contracted to do so in case someone was injured or worse while doing so.....YOU are one smart man when it comes to fighting fires. Have you ever thought about becoming a fire chief ? ? ? It usually only takes about 15-20 years of experience as a firefighter and assistance chief but with all your firefighting knowledge you might be ready now....

In a working house fire you are way off on how long a fire truck would spend from "out" to "in" service time...that means from the time the truck left the fire hall until it's back in service in the hall ready for another fire call. Even a routine garage fire would take 2-3 hours for out to in service time.....a big working house fire where you might knock it down and save, let's say half the structure, you could be there 4 hours or more easily......don't forget, even after the fire is out their is a lot of hose and equipment to be put away. Then the rest of the structure has to be check with the thermal imaging camera to make sure there are no hidden hot spots between the existing walls that could restart the fire once we leave. And don't forget, it has to be investigated for possible arson. In order to do so at least one truck with one line (hose) will remain in the house so the fire department hasn't relinquishment control of the building back over to the owner. This is a legal move because once the fire department leaves the scene it will take a court order to return and investigate if arson is suspected. You don't want a bunch of arsonist running around your neighborhood do you ? Yep, just keep beating up on the volunteers and someday (and it's coming) nobody will want to volunteer anymore. We are at about 55% strength because of all the time it takes to VOLUNTEER.... Bob

I concur as I am the same way.....hell I even let you buy the cold Canadian beer while we argue non-sense we have no control over.... Bob

WOW, I'm impressed with your NFL knowledge.....