wildeye rainbow

Great! I'll have to allow for an extra travel day for our next year's fall fishing trip. It's going to take at least a day to go from Vaughn to Barrie (via BPS, Sail and now Cabellas) WR

They're all the same. The longer they stay in power, the more inept or complacent they are with tax dollars. We need to hit the "refresh" button both provincially and federally (and perhaps even municipally). WR

I have the same story. Used to fish some headwater stream for browns and used to walk through the stuff with no problem. Then, I go camping one year at the Pinery and wammo poison ivy. After that camping trip, every time I would go back to the stream - Bam, poison ivy. I haven't been back at that stream for decades now - there were some real nice fish up there,..., oh well. Lots and lots of calamine lotion is what I used - perhaps a antihistamine might also help. Good luck. WR

nice brown! I was out on a brown stream today. water was low and gin clear. Tried a few deep holes with worms - just chubs. had 2 small brown flash at my spinner but no hookups. Nice day to be bushwacking. WR

I use worm harnesses and troll along weed beds when I'm at the French (usually in July); I'll be up in the Port Loring area the last week in September fishing back lakes - I ll be targeting walleyes with the harnesses then. I rely on my fishfinder to put me on the fish and then I try the harnesses and rapalas as well. Good luck and have a good trip (no bugs!! - that's what I like about late Sept). WR

Ethanol - what a crock of an idea. What's it take to grow a bushel of corn and then transport it to the processing plant and then from the plant to the refinery to blend it with gasoline. Probably burning way more energy to get ethanol than what we get out of it. Plus it gums up small gas engines like my 2hp Yamaha or lawnmowers. WR

Lots of lightning, gusty winds and a bit of rain (that we really need) - nothing too severe here in St Thomas

Nice pics, nice fish! I've got to put this river on my "to do" list. WR

Beautiful Ski! I hope to get one that size on the French,...., one day..... WR

Unfortunately, all man-made lakes/reservoirs change/die over time. They accumulate silt that otherwise would travel downstream; they stagnate the stream water and heat it beyond that it would be if it were just a stream or river. We used to have a nice reservoir here in St Thomas at the Dalewood Dam. As a kid, I would catch pike, bass, crappie, perch etc. Now, it is silted in and is chock full of stunted carp and bullheads. Sad, but it happens. WR

Nice carp! And nice looking pads on that pond. WR

Nice hawg! I got my largemouth PB in September in the Loring area during the remnants of Hurricane Andrew - it was a great day for bass and for a rain suit. One of these days, I'll get another PB.... WR

have fun F_ast. And don't miss Harald's Friday night buffet. Never seen a turkey on a buffet table look so good... WR

I don't think so Craig. I was there and his government was anything but "very good to MNR". He blitzed the few hands-on things that MNR used to do - aggregates, lands program, forestry nurseries, etc. But to be fair, the downward slide happened with earlier governments - Mike just did the cutting more fervently. There was always talk about merging with the MOE - perhaps it's time to take any relevant parts and merge and eliminate the extra management.

The MNR is only a fractional shadow of what it was in the 70's and 80's when I entered the MNR workforce as a young smolt. The MNR used to be a hands-on outdoor organization, rehabbing and stocking watercourses, wildlife transplants (like the wild turkey), etc. It used to be a great place to work. Since the early 90's, a process the suits called "Change Management" started the pruning process. MNR starting getting out of the hands-on stuff and was involved in monitoring and auditing and trying to secure partners to do their former work (ie. downloading). The term "core business" was used to devolve the many things MNR did to just a few "core" jobs. The Liberals were not the only ones that have scavenged the MNR - it started with the PC government of Mike Harris and a layoff of over one-third of staff in 1996. And it carried on from there. I was lucky as I found a new work when Mike handed me the pink slip. I feel for the people that are losing their jobs - they all have families, mortgages, loans, etc. and it will be a tough adjustment. It's a shame what has happened to MNR over the years. WR

Very nice pics. I haven't been down that stretch of the French - it's a great river. WR

I believe there is also a back lake off Caribou that may be worth a day trip for pike and walleye (if you have a canoe or small boat). It's nice country for back lakes and canoes. WR

Dang! Another stop on the way up north..... WR

Nice pics Aaron. Looking forward to the show. WR

Never been to Loon's Landing but I usually motor by it from our lodge located further north on Dry Pine Bay. Looks like another good option. WR

Thanks for the report. I'll be up on the French in the Dry Pine area in 2 weeks and am sooooooo looking forward to dragging some worm harnesses. I've been going to the French since 1989, and I agree with you on the walleyes. It looks like the slot size restrictions, supplementary walleye stocking, etc. is working. WR

Nice video! They certainly are fun to catch and they are more than willing on most days. WR

Nice report. It brings back memories when I took the kids down to Pinafore for panfish. WR

Congrats Aaron. Looking forward to seeing you again on the tube. WR

Nice ones! I've been targetting them on my local erie tribs with a cornmeal mix. Lots of fun on light tackle. WR