wildeye rainbow

Are the sub-zeros worth getting? I could use one for next season. WR

I like the detail on the Koppers lures. I started out with a couple of the original smelt. They worked nicely on walleye and SM bass on the French River last summer. I saw one of the fishing shows where the swimbait herring were being used. I liked the action. I went to my local tackle store in St T to see if they had any & they had the whole line of the new Koppers. I bought a swimbait herring & I can't wait to use it on the French and the Pickeral R systems in a few months. I'm going to get a frog or two as well.

The first round pick that they got from Boston was Boston's not the one that the Leafs gave up..., so it's at the back end of the first round. It gives a chance for some of the farmhands to show their stuff. WR

I bought a sit-on-top kayak last year. An Ocean Kayak big game prowler. I'm 6'2" and 260#. It is quite stable. I've been out on Lake Erie (on a calm day) with this yak and it handles boat wakes super. I'm going to outfit it with a fishfinder this year & will give yak fishing more effort this year.

In St T, Canadian Tire beats Walmart, hands down. however, I would look at Dixie Dairy Bar in St T for tackle & equipment 'cause they have lots of good quality stuff - at good prices too. WR

I'm glad that I can still remember (but barely) the last time that the Leafs won the Stanley Cup. I was in Grade 7 and in a month and a half I am retiring. Hmmm,..., nuff said. The Leafs did a lot better with Pat Quinn as coach and GM - wasn't that the last time that they were in the playoffs?? Losing to the Oilers 5-0 - boy that is a real low point!

There is a small bay off the main Wolsley Bay were we used to catch loads of bass and pike. While you're in the Wolsley area, try Harald's friday night buffet (@Wolsley Lodge). If the fish aren't biting, the buffet is always there - excellent! WR

I came back from a vacation in Europe last summer. I had a homemade salami chub and 2 bottles of home-made hooch from my Slovenian cousins. Customs took the salami but left me with the hooch (whew!!) The hooch was pretty good - the salami a bit tough and fatty (sorry cuz). I'm not sure what you could bring across from within North America. But I know guys in the Windsor area that go across to the US and bring back turkeys, eggs, etc. Should be something on a customs website. WR

I've got 3. I primarily use a 6' medium action for throwing spinnerbaits for pike and bass in back lakes. They can take the abuse of portaging & hold up well over time. And, the price is right. WR

Wayne, Good luck with your battle with Tracker. Your experience and those of others who post about their experiences with boats such as Tracker will help others in their decision making when it comes to making a boat purchase. I also had a miserable consumer experience with a Ford Winstar & trying to deal with Ford. I did eventually get some money back from them after perservering and complainig for 2 years. Customer service is something these companies really need to work on. When I was going through my Windstar battle, I posted on as many car sites as I could find & was I surprised, I wasn't alone. WR

Nice bows! I was out doing my traditional opener on a local brown trib. Water was real low & super clear. I did get one 8 lb. golden fish though,..., unfortunately, it was a carp. Great fight on my light tackle. Although I did get graced with the skunk, it was still nice just being out walking the stream. WR

Fantastic!! There should be some real thought into the value of some of these dams & whether they should be maintained or decommissioned. There are numerous dams that have outlived their original purpose but have done immeasurable damage to fisheries. In London, there is the Springbank Dam that in my opinion, should have been decommissioned. However, the federal, provincial and City of London decided to rebuild the gates & refurbish the dam at a cost of $7 million dollars++. And when they tried to operate the gates of the reburbished dam, the hinge bolts on one gate sheared and snapped. It is now sitting idle with the gates lying flat on the Thames R bottom & the lawyers are involved trying to blame whomever. Of course, the cost to get this dam functioning again will probably match the costs to date. Could you imagine what $14 mil could do for fisheries restoration? Anyway, the function of this dam is to provide a headpond for canoeists and the rowing club. It should have been decommissioned. So seeing stories like this in the Grand R watershed is quite positive. WR

This sounds like a contravention of the federal Fisheries Act (section 35 or 36); the Department of Fisheries and Oceans should be interested in a case like this - destruction of fisheries habitat. So should the CA and MNR. The CA/MNR should be in touch with DFO.

Ton's of Tackle is closed. If you're in St T, the Dixie Dairy Bar on St Catherine's Street has fishing licences - I got mine this morning there & btw, they have more variety of GULP than I've ever seen around here (even 1" minnow imitations).

The variety store in St T mentioned earlier is called Dixie Lee. There also is a tackle store in St T, called Tons o Tackle on Welington St. Both stores have licences as well as quality fishing tackle & bait. I'll have to head out and get my annual license & I may try a local pond for some ice fishing this aft.

Angling Outfitters is a top notch store & Joc. and his staff are always willing to give you advice & support. For example, I bought a pair of hip waders from him at the old location back in the mid 80's. I remember him telling me that this may be the last set of waders that I would need. I still use them in 2009 on the tribs & they don't leak. I always enjoy going to his shop - he has a lot of quality stuff. WR

I stayed at Bryers when it was called Waverly Lodge ('90); last year stayed at Wolsley Lodge. comfortable cabins, a real super Friday night buffet. Have been taking the fam to Dry Pine Camp near Alban for the last 10 or so years. Nice clean cabins and good value for your buck. We always get a 3 bedroom cabin and a 16' lund with a 20hp (incl gas) for a reasonable cost. Fishing has been pretty good in July for me. Many nice fish have been caught right off the dock. Walleye fishing has improved dramatically over the years that I've been there. WR

Totally agree with Ford sentiments. I was a former "proud" owner of a 95 Windstar - it was the vehicle from hell. Blown head gaskets, blown motor, 2 blown transmissions, brakes, torque converter. The only reason Winstar would get a 5 star safety is because it's never on the road - its always on the hoist. Windstar, Freestar, or Deathstar -call it what you will. but L-E-M-O-N is what it should be called. WR

Super news. A few more impediments to go on that creek & it'll open her right up for bows, browns, etc. Need to look at the head difference at the railway trestle in Tillsonburg to get the fish past there to the decommissioned Rocks Mills, then Otterville. Boy, could things open up without those two obstructions. Fish on! I'd like to see more dams decommissioned particularly if they're old and serve little purpose - might be a few more in the London area. WR

he was even featured on a fishing show - move over Henry, we need some more room. WR

You never know till you ask. Some lodge owners in the French River area have had cancellations (when Iwas up there in early June) - with the price of gas,etc. some may rethink their tripand cancel. Wolsley Lodge on the upper French has clean cabins, good fishing boats and a superb Friday night buffet. Totem Point, Breyers, Fishtail also have cottages & boats. Closer to Hwy 69, Dry Pine Camp has nice affordable cabins & boats & you can grab a heavenly ice cream sundae at the lodge These are only a few sugestions but there are many more; give them a call,..., cause you never know unless you ask. WR

You've gotta luv those pink worms. How do you hook w/ them? I hook them wacky style with a sz 12 red hook. I hit 2 steelheads that way 2 weeks ago on a southern trib WR