Old Ironmaker

Anything too good to be true isn't. I would never send anyone $ on the internet before I had something in my hand, never, unless I knew exactly who I was dealing with i.e. Microsoft, EBay.

Ok TJ, first we will deal with the trade, I didn't say how big the bottle would be, can we spell Texas mickey? Good try on a hint on the honey hole. All I can tell you it is one of 5 really big lakes, also referred to as an inland sea .But I swear to God on the lives of Mom and Dad the numbers are true. The weekend after taking possession in 96 I was sitting on the deck having a pop and a shot of Zoom Zoom with a buddy and heard a substantial splash, looked up and saw a good size wake. said must be a Tern diving for a meal. A few seconds latter another bigger splash inside the wake and it couldn't be anything but a fish. We looked at each other and both took off for the shed to get a rod that we just unpacked, must have been a sight to see 2 guys knocking each other about to get there first. First cast, silver and black floating Rap tied from last year and bang, the fish took off and peeled off 20 feet of line before I tightened the drag from zero. Set the hook and at that precise moment I went from a Walleye guy to a Smallmouth guy, go out twice a year for Pics now. Groundy threw out a plastic grub with the hook cut off and landed a 2 pouder one morning, before I got up. I told him next time he was getting citizens arrested! What kills me most is waiting for opening. About 10 years ago some students from Mac biology came out and filmed them actually spawning. I say I'm going to film it every year and never have.. We now sit on the deck and watch them spawn all spring, dear wife calls it the aquarium. Gar is one of the most colour fish you have ever seen underwater, yet to hook one here, plenty in Florida not here, I am going to get 1 this spring if it kills me or die trying. I don't know how many people want to know where the honey hole is, I always tell them bring me a check for a half million and they can own it, probably not. My brother opened his big yap one year at the plant and I found 4 trucks in my laneway one day, they had stopped on their way back from the plant, hint #2. Luckily the Bass had moved out about 100 yards by opening that year. Maybe I should start one of those old treasure hunts where you find the keys to a new car after they give hints in the newspaper everyday, they make sure you buy a paper the next day, haven't seen one of those for a long time. I figured the crepe stove is where you made crepes but you were supposed to win me the argument by saying I was right, some brotherhood this fishing thing is!!!!! Hope that Gibsons doesn't bang you on the noggin in the morning, isn't retirement swell? I switched pages here and found a new background, like it. Easier to read but a bit bright which is good will help with battery life.

We really don't know how good or otherwise the Bills receiving corps are,,, they never had a chance to catch the ball before it was picked off.

Get a passport, an enhanced drivers license may work but it won't get you into Cuba or anywhere else where you need a passport which is everywhere post 9 11. No one can charge you to sign your passport application, I have never heard of such a thing, even at my Dr's where they want to charge you for everything, don't get me going on that. They can simply refuse. If one has had a current passport for so many years and will attest that they have known you for a period of time, can't remember exactly how long, that person can sigh the app. It's clearly explained on the application. Get a passport.

Great report, thems' some nice fish and super photos. Being new again to the site after many years away I can tell you I have seen more fantastic photographs by amateur photographers( I presume most are amateurs ) that a pro would be envious of. Is it a coincidence that all share a love for fishing or are good fisherman good at everything else too? Great balance, colour and composition in all the pics. What camera are you using? Please don't tell me it's a telephone. My college art instructor would roll in his grave, can't get much better with a 2" format Hasselblad that went for $3000.00 in 1972. Quick question, where are you that you still have all that snow and ice? We are all melted out here, a few buds of mine played 9 holes of golf yesterday near the lake, no walking on the greens. Plus 12C and the wind dried a lot of the turf. Good work, hope the sled is feeling better.

Visit the Canadian Centre for Inland Waters website. It is located below the Burlington Skyway bridge. All of my maps came from there before there was such a thing as the internet and people used topographical maps to fish. The facility is a must see place for anyone interested in Canadian fisheries. Great education for kids and adults. If they don't have a map you can bet a detailed map doesn't exist. Most Navionics and other electronic maps come from their resource library.

How about Flutie or Rob Johnson, I don't think Rob's busy after his shift at Walmart. As far as the multi million dollar long term contract Irishman is concerned I really thought he would work out, too bad, had high hopes for him as one of the most intelligent athletes in any sport. He'll make a good backup if he continues his career. I see him coaching down the road. The positive thing about drafting a kid out of college today is the 2 or more years taking second team snaps and carrying a clipboard on Sundays are over. Teams expect kids to take first team reps on day 1 of OTA's and start on Sundays right off the hop. Ooops, I just said today I don't use acronyms because I don't know what they all mean, meant to say optional team activities.

OK, a few things, Sinker you have far too much Maple syrup for 1 family. I am willing to make you a great trade, you send me a jar of syrup and I'll tell you where my secret honey hole is. How is this for a spot? 30 casts, 27 hits, 22 fish landed is my personal best. Groundy (fishing buddy, call him groundhog because when he and a groundhog stands on their hind legs they are about the same height) his record there is 30 casts 28 hits 27 fish landed, he would have had 28 for 30 but I made sure I tried my best to lip the last one for him but unfortunately he lost it. TJ, you need to settle a difference of opinion between dear wife and myself. when I showed her the picture of the crepe stove (yes the one with your daughter standing next to) she was most impressed with the beautiful stove but she gave me that side ways look she often gives me after she asked why I called it a crepe stove. I told her that's what those stoves are called because that's what TJ called it and he should know it's his grandma's old stove and he should know because after all he has over 10,000 posts and he should know because he's an administrator here to boot. so please post a reply telling her I am correct then you can post again telling me the truth but I won't show her that one. Now folks you all need to know I don't use acronyms or smily faces, I don't know what an acronym is, I thought LOL was short for someones initials and I don't know how to post a smily face without losing the whole text I typed. So if I don't come across right and sound like I'm being stupid I might just be trying to make a funny, or I'm just being stupid.

Thanks all, Dad's 86th birthday, looks like a cake on Sunday instead. Might get a table if available still, will call today. Dave just noticed your Stelco Fishing Club link. I think I recognize you from the plant. Blast Furnaces?

Very nice photos Joey. That other camera must be very nice because these came out very well on this hi def iPad. Love the sun and cloud shot, really nice with the sled below the horizon. Going to copy it if you don't mind, it will go on my list of to do paintings, some day. As well that's a beauty laker.

I read something here about a tackle swap meet in Hamilton coming up. If anyone has any details would you please let me know. Hope I didn't miss it. Thanks in advance. Johnny D

TJ, I showed the pics of the sugar shack to dear wife, she's an interior decorator. She told me to name your price for the crêpe stove. The one your daughter is standing next to. I told her that it was your grand mamas and I bet dollars to pancakes it not for sale. But if it is let me know. I'm no interior decorator but the best decoration I see in the "sugar shack" is the case of Canadian on the shelf!!!!! All you guys keep up the good work, Sinker you are teaching the kids something they will never learn at Harvard, never.

Great stories folks. TJ sorry to hear about your Dad. The video wouldn't open on my Windows8RT pad. The first year we bought our place we here before we moved in full time we came up on a weekend and found a note on the door from a local farmer. He asked if he could tap our trees for syrup, I thought syrup came from Maple Leaves! Sure go ahead. A few weeks later when we were up and there was note asking for us to stop by. Gave us a bottle of liquid gold. I dole out the stuff like it's 100 year old cognac. It's been 17 years now, what a treat. He had an annual pancake breakfast at the farm where everyone could watch how the syrup is made, have a free plate of flapjacks and sample the syrup. Donations were accepted and all the money went to a local charity every year, all the money, he took nothing out for costs. The kids also were taken on a wagon ride pulled by his Belgian horses. This past year I was told the region told him he couldn't do it anymore as the kitchen in his sugar shack wasn't up to code. He wasn't selling anything. A few of us got so incensed we marched into the Mayors office and tore a strip off of his butt. Who ever thought they were protecting the public assumed that he was selling the meal. An apology followed shortly afterwards but we missed a season of flapjacks and syrup.

What the critter or the soccer player?

That's one brave footballer, or stupid or both. I thought it was illegal in soccer to use your hands? And of course they used that magic spray they use in soccer to spray on the bite. Why don't they use that here for football or hockey? Heck no one would need to go to the locker room. A soccer guy is being given his last rites by a Priest because he is rolling around on the ground like some one shot him with a 3030 and they spray that magic spray on and he's back up and playing in seconds. Gotta love that magic spray.

Doctrt, Have been up to Barnard many times to a close friends cottage, great deep water fishing. Giving us an idea with what kind of help you need will certainly get you some responses, this is a great forum but a little more info would help.

By the way great job restoring your weapon, great job, congrats.

I invite all you hunters out to Haldimand county for some varmint riddin'. We have been here since 96' and no one including life long residents has seen as many Coyotes and bushwolves than this winter. Someone said they are being driven out of their habitat by the construction of the wind turbines. I don't know the reason but they seem to be everywhere this year, and they are bold to say the least. Last Sunday night I saw at least 4 routing through garbage bags set out on the lakeshore for pick up. When I drove up to them they didn't seem to care at all. Hunger is a huge motivator. I didn't think they would scavenge, guess I'm wrong. Come on out. Someone told me there is a bounty on them here, haven't hunted since after my 4th knee operation and am not up on the latest regs.

ouch

Hey Ron, your a beauty for sure. good on you, now if you have the time you might want to show me how. The first and last time I tried to throw a line with my fishing partners flyrod I caught a willow tree, a birch ( heck had to go 40 feet or so) a dock and a canoe. unfortunately the canoe was not within the slot size.

OK folks I'm going to attempt to write a fish soup recipe here for all to share, not give a cooking lesson. It' late and well,,,,, it's late. And I have a tendency to digress I'll try to stay on point, my wife is howling right now. I hope it turns out, I think I'm set up for members to email me or just ask a question here and I'll try and answer it as best that I can. Before we start the first thing I learned from my Italian Noni when she started teaching me to cook around the age of 5 was you can always add salt but it's difficult to remove it once it's in there. Even harder to remove hot pepper. This should serve 6 to 8 for sure, or 2 bowls for one of my buddys referred to as "Sun Don't Shine", played CFL and he's called that because where ever he walks the sun don' shine behind him. before we make our " Brodetto " the consistency can be from a thinner soup to a thicker stew, cook longer and I've used it on anything from Angel hair to Fettuccine pasta. It can be served on a large 3x5 foot board of plywood with 2" thick polenta (cornmeal). The first time I had it with polenta was when Mrs. Trevisani served it to Mario and I and it was a out of body experience. Just remember the freshwater fish can't go in too early. I started using freshwater fish and substituted less expensive shellfish. Everything thing listed here is best fresh. sometimes it is just impossible to find fresh or the cost is too high. Fresh if possible, Things we will need; large cooking onion (minced finely) 1 shallot (minced finely) 4 large cloves minced garlic sea salt course black pepper 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, chefs call it EVO. If you see Light it doesn't mean less calories it means light tasting it's watered down with cheap vegetable oil, a rip off. tomato paste smoked Hungarian paprika Franks Redhot sauce to taste (actually in Nani's recipe, used to be Durkees Redhot, Buffalo NY) crushed dry chile flakes handful fresh basil leaves 12 New Zealand green muscles ( always found frozen)or common east coast black muscles beards removed 12 cherrystone clams 18-20 littleneck clams 1lb fresh calamari cut into rings and use tentacles ( this is where you stop reading if you don't like seafood!) 12 med size scallop's 12 /20-30 size shrimp, peel clean and save shells, if its alreadyvclean ask fish monger if he/she has any shells., stick with me here. 3/4 lb pike or white fish cut into approx.3 inch squares (substitute is fresh cod) walleye and perch as above 1/2 cup white wine ( if you wouldn't drink it you don't cook with it, cabernet sauvignon is a good choice for me. Fazzi Battaglia Verdiccio for under 20 bucks is best) If alcohol is a concern the alcohol burns off at 212F. 32 oz.of cannedf plumb tomatoes, whole. More if you want iti thinner. Let me check, yes that's it. put on a small pot boil 1 cup water add shrimp shells bring back to boil simmer for 10 minutes. Need a good quality large pot Heat pot med high heat, once hot add 1/8 cup EVO once oil hot add onions and shallots, sweat for 3 mins add garlic and 1/4 teaspoon crushed chiles, add pinch sea salt and cracked black peppe add all clams, cover, once clams all open check to ensure all are open, if not open chuck it, dead before cooking, not good. add calamari add shrimp stock taste for salt and heat, add salt if needed (seafood lives in saltwater has natural salt in the critters) if required add more chiles crush the can off tomatoes I use a blender to ensure all the seeds are emaciated, no one tells you they are allergic to seeds. Add crushed tomatoes. Tomatoes that come crushed have puree in them and are higher in acid content as well as other additives, whole plum are as close to fresh as you can get. bring to rolling boil turn down to simmer taste for salt and heat, add some hot sauce, ready, now! simmer for a bit and taste for salt and heat, add 1/2 teaspoon paprika continue to simmer and check for thickness, add tablespoon tomato paste if thicker is want you want, taste for salt. I didn't mention it before but you could add potatoes cut and peeled into small 3/4 inch or larger now. It adds thickness to the Brodetto and a depth of texture as well. once you have the consistency you want add the pike, carefully. Get it just below the stock to cook, only takes 10 mins or so on a rolling simmer, covered, after the Pike has been in for 10 mins. check carefully for fork tenderness, if done lay the walleye in. 10 minutes covered, also add scallops. Taste for salt heat. now we add the perch and shrimp, maybe 10 mins once shrimp is pink check for fork flakiness of the perch. taste for salt and heat. to serve carefully remove the freshwater fish with 2 spatullas, set aside in a separate plate. Dole out a bowl of soup and place a piece of each species of each fish on top of each bowl. make sure every bowl has at least 2 cherrystone clams and 2 muscles etc. Then drizzle some olive oil on the top of the soup. again it can be served on top of any long strand pasta with the fish set on top last. Toast thinly sliced Calabrese bread or chibatta buns, drizzle olive oil on the crustini also known as bruschetta which are all fancy words for, are you ready, toast. I think that's it, if there are any ingredients left over I guess we didn't need it. Almost forgot, chop Basil lay on Brodetto and drink the rest of the wine and enjoy. Johnny D

In my opinion a mix of shellfish and freshwater makes the best fish soup. I make an Italian " Brodetto" which loosely translated simply means stew. A bit tricky when the freshwater fish is added. The softer the flesh the later you add the fish, otherwise you end up with a consistency like boiled canned tuna, not good. The white flesh freshwater fish seems to work best for me. I never use any of the salmonoid species in the Brodetto, comes out very strong for me. Pike is a good quality flesh to start then walleye and perch last. Don't forget the crusty bread toasted and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil to dip. Gee thanks for bringing it up, now I'm hungry and could miss a meal or 2 after this long winter. If you guys and gals want I'll post a recipe.

Ok you got me on the average size diminishing over the years all across most fisheries. And those were the days if you wanted to teach yourself to fish you watched Red Fisher, cherry red nose and all. Then a couple of brothers from Chicago showed up on TV fishing Minnesota lakes. The Linders. Then came Bobby Izzumi with a full head of hair, sorry Bob I know you read this forum, and brother Wayne, then before you know it there are 24 hour fishing channels. Now you can't swing a cat without hitting a fisherperson. Pressure certainly has changed things, big time, yes I agree with that. I had my boat docked at Hoovers Marina up to 2011, but didn't put it in there last year because the action really died off at the outflow. Only saw a few boats there last season. Didn't fish it once. Did you have any luck last year Rich? And oh was that you, I never figured out why someone would camp the top of a boat, fish can only see the bottom of the hull! Urban, Don't blink because before you know it that 40 years are gone and your kids are picking you up to take you fishing. Life isn't a countdown, I remember guys Xing out days on the calendar years ahead of their last day. What a waste of time and life. Enjoy everyday and keep up the CPP payments for us retirees. Thanks, and work well and safe.

Rich, No it sure isn't what it was just 3 years ago, I have to disagree though that fishing pressure is the reason. I believe it is the lack of a 65°F water ledge. Just 3 years ago we kept many 12 to 15 inchers. Need to find those pics, best day ever there mid April in 2010, and that's going back to 1991.

Urban fisherman, Your most welcome, one reason I rejoined here after many years without high speed internet here is all the good folks and lack of Bull. I have always wanted to hit your end after ice out but never had the time or boat. I have both now, retirement really is a blessing. Have heard about the crappie fishing around the docks at Turkey Point, any suggestions, that's one big bay. Thanks in advance. Non fishing related but Normandale had the first Blast Furnace in Canada. I bet you knew that.