Old Ironmaker

Yea Brian, I have done sucking up our Canadian winters I think. The family had a place on the west coast that was sold before the Real Estate crash. I could have bought it outright from my parents but didn't, good move on my part for many, many reasons actually. We have traveled almost every winter but it may be time to settle down. Besides that a week for 2 all inclusive is just ridiculous. When they say 3 or 4 star on any Island don't assume you get AC or edible viddles. I don't know who comes up with this bogus Caribbean rating system but unless you have been or someone you know has it's a crap shoot for 3 to 4 grand per person for 2 weeks. That's a few years of condo fees or taxes for a year in FLA. Talk about cold, nothing like docking an Ore boat on New Years Eve with the 50 KPH winds blowing spray on you. At least I was being paid good coin doing it back then. The dock was an ice rink, don't slip because it will be your last. That there is cold. Just before I retired a worker next door at Dofasco lost control of his pick up in similar conditions if I recall correctly and slid into Hamilton Bay, unfortunately he didn't survive. I was in getting a blood sample yesterday and weather filtered try again please chatted with the tech. She said she was talking with family from her home town, Ft. Francis, something like -32C Christmas day. Turns out it is the main reason she moved south. No palm trees here though, she should have gone a bit south, Windsor maybe. We will be house hunting when my Lady is down and I will continue for a few weeks if we don't find anything after she heads back home. Hopefully we can find something in the budget. A neighbour at the old place called me a few weeks ago and said the same place we had sold for 10 grand less than we sold it for 10 years latter. Please guys take care on the ice and be smart.

Oh man, DJ you can't beat fishing in FLA in January. As much as I used to love ice fishing I would rather fish in 72F weather. Especially in the Keys. I have been going down there since the 70's. The Conch Republic has drastically changed and not for the better. But it beats hanging around here waiting for spring. In Florida even in residential areas all you need to do is pull over a road and toss a line into the Intercostal. You never know what you have on. From a big Peacock Bass to a Shark. If no bite, walk the 25 feet to the house and grab a cervessa.

I saw an episode on The History channel about the Fish and Game Wardens in Maine, of course I can't remember the name of the show. They came across a guy ice fishing from shore. There was some open water on the shore line and the ice started about 15' from the shore. The guy had a 50' long section of about 1/2" PVC pipe. At the end of the pipe he tied a hair rig holding his bait and line to the pole/pipe. He slid it under the ice then pulled his line off. Pulled the pipe out and now he had his line and bait under the ice while standing on shore. I've never seen this set up. Perfect when the ice is iffy or you can't get on it. Has anyone seen this or tried it. Great way to ice fish when you can't get on the ice, and no drilling a hole. I don't see anything illegal. On a side note about this time tomorrow we should be disembarking the plane at the Miami Int. Airport. I won't go fishing until Saturday. I have a charter booked with my new Brother In Law out of Isla Mirada in the Keys for the 2nd with an option for the 3rd. I have more tackle packed than clothing. Everything I need to wear is at Walmart. I'll bring my password with me and hopefully post some reports and pics now that I know how to. You guys ice fishing don't forget the Sunscreen.

Nice spot there Slayer, very nice. About this time tomorrow we should be disembarking the plane at the Miami Int. Airport. I won't go fishing until Saturday. I have a charter booked with my new Brother In Law out of Isla Mirada in the Keys for the 2nd with an option for the 3rd. I have more tackle packed than clothing. Everything I need to wear is at Walmart. You guys ice fishing don't forget the Sunscreen

About this time tomorrow we should be disembarking the plane at the Miami Int. Airport. I won't go fishing until Saturday. I have a charter booked with my new Brother In Law out of Isla Mirada in the Keys for the 2nd with an option for the 3rd. I have more tackle packed than clothing. Everything I need to wear is at Walmart. You guys ice fishing don't forget the Sunscreen.

I have seen it form many times here in the last 21 years, including yesterday and today, I kind of take it for granted. 3 hours since there was a skim along the shore it is all water now with ice further out about a mile. Smooth as a skating rink which isn't common here, slight offshore or no winds and sub zero temps. The coolest thing to see and hear is the giant moguls that form along the shore melt in spring. It sounds like shards of glass sliding into a dumpster. If you watch the hour hand on a clock closely you will see it move too. Brudder, you better get back to work soon before you start watching a clock. Happy New Year to all.

The Canadian "do not call" thing is a private endeavor, not a Gov. mandated thing like the US. It has been talked about here before. And they know that. I am constantly bombarded by someone with a thick accent that says his name is Bob telling me I have a problem with my computer. I tell him I don't own one, I have fun with these people. If you waste enough of their time they will put you on their "No call list."

I have a stand up camper top too. Beware, some wind and you have yourself a sailboat. Can anyone tell me if auto tires vs. trailer tires make a difference? I was told trailer tires only on a trailer, sidewalls are stronger for the weight of both boat and trailer on only 2 tires unlike 4 tires on a car or truck. Makes sence.

A piece of sand paper and a can of Tremclad and you have some toonies left over to buy more tackle pics.

Don't eat any foods that starts out or ends up white. Don't eat anything that grows underground. Stick to those simple rules and you might be fine. Get a chart of foods with high and low glycemic response and eat those foods with low glycemic response. Long strands of spaghetti is much better then short pastas like Penne or elbows. A small serving of carrots or beets can be worse than a nice big juicy steak. I went from 235 to 185 following some simple rules. 2 pieces of breaded Walleye or similar size anything can be equal to 1/3 a loaf or more of bread. No need to starve. Educate yourself. Knowledge is power.

They work, on a sharp auger, maybe not in The Yukon where Big Dave is where you need a 15' auger, or more.

More outhouse than ice fishing shelter, Yea what about the feet? Silly really and people buy them.

A few years back I bought a bag of thighs and legs on sale cheap from Food Basic to make stock. When I opened the bag the smell made me step back. Nothing worse than bad chicken smell. Never again. And I'm not driving 30 minutes to take back 10 bucks of meat. The frozen wings are fine so far. They do have the best frozen Pizza dough anywhere, Molinari brand, 1/2 the price of Fortino's, An ignorant 20 something I worked for 15 minutes at a Golf course called it Forgino's only to me, she called a First Nations employee Wagon Burner. She got reamed and started crying when I hauled her into the owners office . She got the best education in 10 minutes she could never get in her 2 year Management course in Community College. I think she managed a Tim Hortons on nights after that. Even Superstore. I only bought fish there once, they had Grouper and it is rare to get here so I was excited to get some. When I put it in the car the smell was bad, really bad, I took it back in and stunk up the entire customer service desk. They asked if I wanted to replace it, no way. 1 bad fish can contaminate the entire fish counter. Never bought fish there again, actually never shop there at all as the prices at the Simcoe store is ridiculously high.

I don't know if it's on my end or the site, I can't send open to send a PM and the page goes fuzzy and there is no interaction when I tap or use the moose, I have to re open the site to get in. Weird.

Tom send me a PM. for some reason I can't send PM's.

A great series concerning a young woman that was trapped in her car underwater for more than 27 minutes in a icy culvert when an ice storm sent her spinning off the 401 outside London. It was last winter and the article is from The London Free Press. The heroics off our brave first responders, in this case a few special OPP officers and a citizen outside London. It is a must read all. It explains what a person goes through when submerged in icy waters and that miracles happen. I don't see the authors name but will find it, he or she deserves accolades for their writing. http://special.lfpress.com/27-minutes/chapter-01

I'd flog women's underwear if someone paid me to fish all day all over Canada and the Caribean. Actually that gig doesn't generate as much money for the host as one might think.

Fantastic report Kri. You sure slammed them this year. All species too. My first time at PAB area was a few springs ago, now you can't keep me away. The flies!!! I have never had to eat dinner or play cards with a net on, always a first for everything. At least they weren't biters.

Charlie Wray of the show Fishfull Thinking swears by Crestliner he had a 1950 and now the 2150 Fish Hawk. I run into him once in a while at Proctor's in Simcoe where he services his. That boat is wet from ice out to freeze up and on the Niagara in winter. It must be killing you having to wait until next year to put her in. I'm sure you will love it.

Good for you Mr. Fishburn. I'm jealous. If there is such a thing as giving yourself Type 2 Diabetes I think I may have. We won a bread maker at a Christmas party years ago and I was whacking out a loaf a day with butter. 25 or more pounds that winter later we gave it away. That same year I was diagnosed with Type 2. No more bread making for me. A loaf now may turn green before we eat it. A treat now is a few good Portuguese buns fresh from the bakery on James. St. North in Hamilton. Maybe once a month. It is at James and Robert St. north of the Armories, wonderful place full of baked treats, I highly recommend it if anyone gets down to that part of Hamilton.

Bruce, Hey even Mom and Dad stopped making the Salsa as you call it, we still say Succo from the cans about 40 years ago. There was no one at home to fill the garage with bushel baskets of Romas, let alone carry them downstairs and help with the canning. Was that stuff any better? You bet your bottom Lira it was. I would commit a crime if I could get my hands on a few Mason jars or the old glass pop bottles of it. It was called conserva pronounced con-sair-va. Do the math, a minimum of 5 jars a week X 52 just for Sunday succo, minimum 260 jars a year. Now at 90 and 86 they don't own a frying pan or a pot in the little apartment at the retirement residence and it doesn't bother them a bit. They have been out to dinner more in the last 4 years than in the previous 60, for sure. They ask." Nice here, how long has this place been here?" "Oh I don't know Mom, I've been coming here for more than 40 years." Going out to dinner was just not part of life for them. Time to relax now, they earned it.

Doug I don't recall ever eating or cooking Placenta. Not too appetizing. Maybe Putanesca Doug, tomato. anchovy, garlic, capers and spaghetti ? Tom S, Margaret said it will be country cooking with some Italian twists. I don't know about that concept. I do know she can cook and runs a tight ship. Consistancy for any food sold is the key to success. When I had guys in for ISO training I would ask "Who sells the worst burgers in the world?" Mc Donalds they all agreed. "Who sells the most?" McDonalds, why if they are so bad. Simply because whether in Toronto or Tokyo, Russia or Rainham Centre they are all exactly the same, down to the number of sesame seeds on each and every bun. I know what I am going to get each and every time, simple as that. Hansen's isn't cheap like I said but if we are having special guests I don't mind paying for quality. It was Hogeterp's when we bought here, before he became a multi millionaire real estate magnate! I knew him when he was a butcher. Maybe not multi but Peter has done very well for himself and his family. The only reason I will go to T.O. now is if I need to catch a flight or I'm driving by it to get somewhere else. Dave my go to places now are Food Basics and The Banana Store. Best value all under 1 roof. The problem out it here is they are about an hours drive apart. So usually it's one or the other or I plan my week so I will be going by one or the other while the sale is on. However meats can be suspect, like chicken at Food Basic, not grade A often but you can't beat the 10 buck a bag or less for wings, works out to 2 bucks a pound when 30% off. Food Basics had Gallo EVO on for $5.99 a few weeks back, I bought no less than 36 bottles. It's $9.99 or more elsewhere. When Unico canned Tomatoes are on for 99 cents I buy 5 cases. They are good deep red Ont. tomatoes. Right there I saved clos to $300.00.

You know Tom 20 years ago they had some of the best Italian style bread anywhere. Dad would come out here and s tock up on it before heading back to Hamilton. Then they changed bakers and that good bread stopped. They have some sales occasionally but then No frills or Food Basic has the same sale. With all the good local Beef, Pork and Poultry we have around here you would think they would carry some. I stare at that disgusting meat display and shake my head then head to Hanson's. Not cheap but the best. A few years ago I said to the meat mgr. "You need to put in another dept. in here next to your meat." What dept? he asked. "A loans department." Ridiculous, and the veggie and fruit isn't much better. I bought a bag of taters there last week and they had 2" eyes growing on them. No competition sucks. Their canned goods are fresh!!!!! I miss the poultry farm on Kohler Rd. I supplied many a Hamilton restaurant with their wings at a great price, and could still make some money. If I were 20 years younger I would open a deli in town and make money at it. Now that the Brown Water is closed you can't buy anything in town worth eating. Margaret from the radio station is opening a restaurant across #3 from Haldimand Motors, soon I hope. Where and what is Pusateri's Tom S.?

Speaking of Rabbit there is a farm here and the woman raises Rabbits to sell. The only Rabbit I have ever seen that has fat on it. They are good my fellow foodies. The farm is about 50 minutes south of Hamilton. Near Toronto Motorsports Park, about 2 hours from T.O. with zero traffic, don't ask me why they named it that. If anyone wants some fantastic fat bunny PM me and I will hook you up with her, to buy a rabbit.

Nice boat you have there tizfun. I had bias and when I replaced them I went with a good radial "trailer tire". I don't tow much. Once a year to Point Au Barril or Nippising and a few times west of here 5 hours round trip. POB is 6 hrs one way with good traffic. I know many guys that run regular auto tires on the trailer but I was told that trailer tires on a trailer is a must, I'm not clear on that issue.