Old Ironmaker

I haven't gotten into this. I have Smallmouth spawn and bed right in front of my place. They are still on the beds. Grimsbylander, they will not only hit those baits, at times they will hit anything that moves. They were on the beds in 92 for opening and we were having a few pops on the deck. I made a bet they would hit a cigarette butt. Put 1 on a hook with a splitshot, I won the bet. Both males and females are very aggressive at this time of their spawn cycle. The hens are on a post spawn feed and are overly aggressive. What do we do this year when the Bass are still on the beds and legally take them? We are not going to wipe out an entire generation taking a bass off it's bed for the time it takes to land and release it, or even keep it. There are more than a dozen beds within the 75 feet of shore I have here, and those are only the beds I can see from the deck. There are millions of beds on this lake based on those we have right out front. I've fished for many species both fresh and saltwater on more than a few continents. If I was told I could only fish for 1 species for the rest of my life my choice without even thinking twice would be Lake Erie Smallmouth, hands down the best fish pound for pound anywhere in the world. If I want to reel in a log, Walleye, heck Freshwater Water Drum outfight that lazy fish. I don't know about Musky I've never had the pleasure. King Salmon are up there for sure, as well as big Steelhead. But give me a Bass or give me death.

Make a check list of everything you need on that boat, checklist for safety items, back up items for the boat, what you will need if you get a flat, towing it and do a walk around like a preflight check, for trailering, launching including starting, docking, shuting down, and loading onto trailer for trip back. Then a list for parking, like blocking wheels etc. Check lists don't forget, don't get mad, they don't get exited and never get hot and tired. Make a check list and don't forget anything. And don't forget the proof of boat registration, something I never did until last year when the OPP let it slide during an inspection, it's supposed to onboard the vessel, not in the truck with the trailer ownership or at home somewhere. Also while I'm at it the batteries in the water tight flashlight if you don't have flares, something I always forget to check regularly. The flashlight has to actually work.

All electronics direct with an inline fuse. No way to get to my fuse panel and if I did I would never be able to see let alone ID the correct fuse. I hate where my panel is, just hate it. The only thing on the boat that bothers me. If I had have lost my GPS in a gravy type fog 2 weeks ago on Erie I certain we would have been in trouble, even with my good quality compass. I would have ended up on the rocks for sure.

I'm not defending the grits, in fact I have the PC's candidates sign on my lawn. I don't want to start a urination contest and don't even mind that you might be putting words in my beak. We all do things differently, I feel a woman like that can hurt the party with her unsubstantiated ranting than help. I don't want my party associated with anyone like her. She makes us all sound like loonies if one would believe she is attached in any way with the PC's, I hope she isn't. I'll find out. And I've read plenty in order to come to my voting decision.

Twocoda, I looked at Ms. Taylors list, what did she do, make a list of Liberal programs and write the word scandal behind it? Or take news headlines and simply write the word scandal behind it too? I am familiar with many of her so called scandals, she has to be joking, it's a joke isn't it. She writes " Cement company lawsuit (275 million). Hamilton quarry project scuttled for political reasons." It was Lafarge's application to dig into and deface the Niagara Escarpment north of Aldershot (not Hamilton) that was denied during the due process of application, not after application was granted final approval. As a sportsman I can't believe that you would disagree with the Provinces decision here. I would think twice before I would even remotely agree with this woman as you appear to be by printing that ridiculous list. Just because all those lawsuits are filed doesn't mean diddly squat until damages are awarded. I'm being facitious, I know you don't agree with that do you? Read closely what she is ranting about. I googled her, she appears to be a bit unstable.

No his surname should have nothing to do with man. However there are people out there that said when asked why they don't like him reply " cus he's a Muslim". Sad isn't it Chris. The point I am trying to make that in spite of fact he has a Muslin sounding name he still won, twice, because he got 2% of the vote from those that usually never vote, that's all it takes, convince those 2% and you have a win if you lead a major party. Prediction, PC win by 2% or less. Lets see.

My spring latches on my S hooks broke off years ago. I just put a few wraps of electrical tape around the S hooks, donezo.

Yes Chris, his name is Barack Hussein Obama, and he was a 1 term Jr. Senator from Illinois when elected President, can't get much more of Muslim sounding, I should have said sounding name, you're right. A Jr. Senator has zero experience in the scheme of national politics in the US.

Go ahead, be my guest. Dr. J not Phil. As far as charging for bags they always have. Also for lights, heat, A/C, labour, the list goes on. Those that don't add it to your bill may be charging for bags you never get and for those that give you a bag there isn't something called free in retail.

What happened there? Sorry another question. Just get out and vote. Almost every time there is a democratic election here or down south the margin is 2% or less between victory and defeat. The most important vote for these politicos is from the person that doesn't vote by many means, declined ballot, spoiled ballot or not showing up at all. Like I always say a black man won a US election that had a Muslim name and zero political experience compared to both those he beat, not once but twice! How? By getting 2% of those that don't vote to vote for him. There is no way 2% of Republicans suddenly thought it was time for a Black President, and a Democrat at that! It was the 2% made up as first time voters, students and those that felt they were always too stupid, frightened or poor to make a difference.

Very interesting reads folks. We have heard from those voicing their opinions on who to vote for, who not to vote for, why not to vote at all and the list of opinions goes on. I embarked on this as a small test in sociology. Ask a question on a very volatile topic, usually politics or religion, and see who actually answers the question. The question was, WILL YOU BE CHANGING YOUR VOTE BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU HAVE HEARD OR SEEN DURING THE CAMPAIGN? 2 individuals of 33 posts actually answered the question, actually the first 2, as soon as the 3rd thread went off topic everyone else followed suit.

Very interesting reads folks. We have heard from those voicing their opinions on who to vote for, who not to vote for, why not to vote at all and the list of opinions goes on. I embarked on this as a small test in sociology. Ask a question on a very volatile topic, usually politics or religion, and see who actually answers the question. The question was, WILL YOU BE CHANGING YOUR VOTE BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU HAVE HEARD OR SEEN DURING THE CAMPAIGN? 2 individuals of 33 posts actually answered the question, actually the first 2, as soon as the 3rd thread went off topic everyone else followed suit.

ONTARIO VOTERS It's only 2 days before our voices are heard. The question, has anything been done or said during this campaign for the Ontario provincial election that has made you think differently now than before this provincial campaign? I believe many may be interested to know. Do they spend many dollars of theirs and our money to campaign for no good reason? I personally think it's a complete waste of time and money. Nothing has changed my mind, maybe reinforced my choice if anything.

On a trip south we decided to tow with my cuz's Envoy rather than my Black Beater that had 600K on it. It banged stop and start all the way to the lake. I looked at it the next day and the drop wasn't right from the ball to the hitch. It wasn't out by much but made a heck of a noise. Put a few washers below the ball and voila noise gone.

We need to get like L.A. county when it comes to sentencing, was watching a thing on TLC, the channel for the learning impaired, and saw a guy doing 3 years for not paying his parking fines. Not 3 months or 3 days, 3 years. Probably would give the chair to this duffus.

You won't forget that day throughout your life. Whether scoring a goal to win the series or your first Sturgeon. An old timer that fished for Sturgeon on the Fraser tried to explain to us what it was like. He said it was like tying a cable to a fridge on one side of the house and trying to reel it up and over the house onto the other side, but the fridge is in the bed of a pickup and someone is trying to drive away.

What area were you wormdunker, nothing specific just general area.? Also were the gobies stealing minnows? The reason I ask is they have been getting limits of jumbos past Long Point but we are catching 4 gobies for every perch. Going through minnows like mad, had to go back one morning and get more minnows, nothing else seems to work including identical colour and sized Gulp Emerald Shinners.

Spincast, I just noticed your unique (I've never seen this) way you hold the Walleye. Tail and head cradle. You mentioned something about G wanting to hold it by the gills. I've always held them not by the gills bit in the gill slot. I don't like the way you are teaching young G to hold them. Too much contact with the surface area of the fish by your hand. I've been taught to minimize hand contact as it results in sloughing off of slime that is the fishes protective coating, from a seasoned sportsman and scientist from North Bay many, many years ago. I'm not saying I'm right, I might be saying your wrong. This is not to be taken as an invitation for an argument, it is a difference in procedure. I sure missed more than a few years of my Biology Degree. Cradle a lunker bass under the belly and they will never move, but I was told to lip it properly to minimize hand contact.

It's strange Lick Pit, same lake, same water temps, same structure, same forage???? But come to think of it Port Maitland hasn't been good to us the last few years. That includes the Walleye in summer. We don't even consider Maitland unless we are golfing, that's where my club is. Question? Did Albert stay in the boat the entire trip while on the water? Sorry, couldn't help myself.

What did you put on the wheels that caused the tearing? Before I would be testing acid products or abrasives on them you might want to see your Beemer dealer. You could try a new product or home remedy on the inside of the rim if it is finished as the outer rim is. Then if it goes bad you really will never see it. Beware not to let any liquid drip onto the good side. Refinishing them is a costly venture. We can get into the metallurgy of the metal and that will tell you what is a compatible product, or ask the dealer. I'd go to the dealer first. edit, Looked closer at your pic, looks to be a powder coat or similar finish, do not use an abrasive like SOS even a nylon scrubbie on those beauties. Never in my opinion, oops professional opinion. We had a detailing business back when I cared more for my car then my date. Things have changed, honey are you reading this?

Port Maitland, oh my. No reports of anything coming out of there yet. That's why we make the 4 hour return trip to Bruce. Haven't tried Abino this year, have spotty reports coming out of there, it may be hot but I haven't heard that. All this week windfinder.com is calling for east winds here, looks like a good week to keep the boat dry. East wind + Lake Erie= golf.

The simplest, quickest and least labour intensive that I've found is Maguires Marine deoxidizer. Really don't even need to apply it with a buffer. It comes in a blue bottle and runs around 20 bucks each. A very small amount goes a long way. We did a 30 foot Grew over the winter and it came out fantastic. Applied a good coat of Mothers, but it really doesn't look like it needs it but really is required. We use Mothers paste wax on all the Vettes and any glass cars or anything with gel coat. The boat sat for 6 years with all the glass exposed to the elements. We were turned on to it by a friends son that works at a local Marina and swears by it. I can look for the bottle in the shop when I go there Monday and will give you the exact I.D. for it. Try it before you get into a 3 step process and see what you think, it will cost you 20 bucks to try it.

G did well. You both did. Better to drive 1/2 the day than wash tackle and burn fuel close to home. There were about 40 boats off Nanticoke today and the final tally was, ready, 1 Pic. The smaller (for Erie) wally look to be local fish or a typical Detroit River fish. The larger guy is more typical of the huge migratory fish that head to Niagara and then back to the west end every year. I asked the question last week, where are those Lake O fish? A few responces of none yet. We did get a few Lakers and Coho early last month not far offshore of Grimsby in 25 feet of water. Of course it's slow because I set up my Starcraft this winter for longlineing and couldn't wait to try out those new downrigging set ups. Sorry about that all. Like Joey said, a mixed bag, here on Erie you never know what you are reeling in at anytime, could be a nice Walleye, a farm animal, a silver, a huge smallie, jumbo Perch, heck could be a Sturgeon, the list goes on. Good on you guys.

Cleanest compared to what benchmark? Is there any lake in those regions one would consider drinking straight from it? I know I wouldn't if I didn't have to. Educate me. Oh yea, I'm originally from Hamilton, we used to go up north to Wasaga Beach for May 24. Orillia was near the Artic Circle we thought. Maps hadn't been invented yet you must understand.