kickingfrog

Great fishing story Cliff. Thanks. It is nice to get out after the winter isn't it. Getting the boat ready soon?

http://www.nugget.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1478534 Nothin' fishy about this HELPING OUT: Students raise money to adopt lake sturgeon Posted By JENNIFER HAMILTON-MCCHARLES, THE NUGGET Updated 1 day ago Lake sturgeon can't cry for help, so Mackenzie Willis is advocating on their behalf. The 11-year-old suggested the idea to raise enough money to adopt a lake sturgeon and his campaign took off immediately. The Grade 6 class at Vincent Massey Public School jumped on board and started to fundraise. Hundreds of candy-cane-o-grams were sold throughout December for 50 cents each, raising more than $600. Lauren Daniels loves animals so much she gave up her lunch-hour recess for a month to help raise money. Every day we would wrap candy canes. It was a sacrifice, but it was worth it." The 12-year-old said she's never seen the monster fish. We have a chance to go out in a boat this spring. I can't wait to see them up close." Not only were they able to adopt two fish, there was money left over to donate to the Polar Bear Centre in Cochrane. The Greater Nipissing Stewardship Council arrived at the school Friday morning to accept an oversized cheque for $200. The money will be used to monitor lake sturgeon, which have been classified as a species at risk for almost two decades. Scott Kaufman, Ministry of Natural Resources biologist specializing in large lakes, said without the help of schools like Vincent Massey, monitoring the fish wouldn't be as extensive and detailed. He said there are about 400 adult lake sturgeon in Lake Nipissing, which is an improvement from several years ago. He said the season for lake sturgeon has been closed since 1991, which helped increase their numbers. Anyone can adopt a sturgeon for $100. Adopters receive a certificate with a photo of them holding their fish along with biological information and tag number. When a fish is recaptured, they receive an update. Scott Kaufman, a Ministry of Natural Resources biologist specializing in large lakes, demonstrates to the students at Vincent Massey Public School some of the ways lake sturgeon are monitored. The school adopted two sturgeon. - - - About sturgeon Lake sturgeon is the largest freshwater fish in North America. They are an ancient species whose fossils date back more than 65 million years. The largest lake sturgeon on record was 2.4 metres and 140 kilograms. The largest sturgeon caught on Lake Nipissing weighed 88.9 kg near Umbrella Island in 1955. A 94.3 kg sturgeon taken from Lake of Woods in 1953 was estimated to be 154 years old, born in 1799. Ministry of Natural Resources assessments are conducted at Chapman's Chutes in South River and in Sturgeon Falls. Each fish is identified by a microchip. Source: Lake Sturgeon and Adopt a Sturgeon Article ID# 1478534

Great stuff. I know exactly where that last one was taken.

I think I was producing glycerol after having some of Dawg's shine at Lakair last fall.

Great day!!! Nice Buck!!!

I know a little about canoes so I'll offer some advise, how much it's worth. I'm not sure a good all round canoe exists. Everything is a compromise. An a example might be a "cottage" canoe where weight is not a high priority due to the lack of portaging but durability is required. Some things to consider... in no particular order: Budget, a more expensive canoe may not be a more suitable canoe new or used number of people paddling weight of load, if any besides paddlers primary and secondary use will it be portaged? some or a lot How much paddling on rivers vs lakes and the type of said. The skill of the people paddling it. Is this going to be a long term investment, or a first of many where will it be spending the winters what type or style canoe are you familiar with I don't know if you can test paddle at the sportsman show, but I would highly recommend paddling a few different "shapes" of canoe. Someones else's dream boat might be your nightmare. Hope that gets you going a little bit.

If the story fits.

And I love your stories Cliff.

My first though was my wife would be perfect for it, but I don't know if I could handle a cut in her pay.lol Still holding out for her to get a job with a pro sports team. I didn't know Shimano were involved in rowing.

No worries about whitefish and lake trout, they close on Sunday the 15th (Beware the ides of March). All good spots mentioned above, although that spot out from the fountain can be tricky because the outflow from the water treatment plant can/does make the ice thiner.

Dates can be changed to protect the guilty.

And to play on a quote from Rick Mercer on the Mercer Report: "Relax Steven Harper, I said boat flags." I wonder what my potential future grandkids will think of my vintage OFC tackle collection? Hang 'em on the wall? Or sell them at a garage sale in a box of odds and ends... 2 bits for the whole lot?

And on a side note many of the people that were riped off by this guy are now trying to get the tax money they paid on their "profits" back from the government. Dirty thief.

If it is a good knife the edge can be saved by someone who knows their stuff. If it is just a regular "disposable" fillet knife, dispose of it and get another. Wet stone to do the major stuff and steel to keep the edge keen after each session is all a knife should need. A bad knife blade is a pain in the butt, slow, wasteful and dangerous.

I do not and would not. If you need flouro, use it. I feel that the fluro main line stuff is a poor compromise.

Meehhh. This internet thing wil never last.

I bet Lester is still trying to warm up from Lakair. Always nice fishin' with a friend.

Someone once said: "Only a fool thinks they have nothing left to learn".

Nice Terry. Although I don't think anybody would like what you'd "catch" with something like that ... I'll take a couple.

I saw a book today (in a bookstore of all places). The title was 50 Fish to Catch Before You Die. I'm not going to give away the ending, but it got me to thinkin' about some fish I would like to catch before I die. For a guy that grew up in Ontario I have had the fortune to catch some of the more remote Canadian species and a couple from the ocean that were on my list. Here are mine (I may add a few after seeing some of yours), for a few the location and method may be as important as the species: Marlin Peacock bass (on a top-water in South America) Atlantic Salmon (on the fly in Scotland or England) Grouper (just because ever since a kid I wanted to catch what looked like the biggest bass EVER) So? What are yours???

What's with this small time stuff??? Lets go all out. I say we get Super shads with TJ's face on the head of the bait. I'm sure someone could photo shop up a proto-type. ....or not, I'm in for a couple then.

Fluro leader is "better" at being "fluro", in that it is strong and has low visibility but is very stiff so it isn't good for main line and is expensive. Fluro main line is a compromise so that it wraps around the spool better, and costs less. The down side of this is that for a given pound strength or diameter fluro main line is not as strong or "invisible" as fluro leader. I would never use fluro main line, no point in my opinion. Use mono or use braid and then use a few feet (or more) of fluro leader line to suit the situation. Consider how expensive lures are in relation to a few feet of fluro leader line.

It used to be 25 and 12 and still is in some parts of the province. I guess that means I'm getting old. Now it is 12 and 6 with the always present exceptions.

In most places in Ontario 12 is the limit (25 for full). 1 and 2 on Simcoe for numerous reasons, namely habitat issues and over harvest. Whitefish aren't held in very high regard by some, and are not targeted in many waters or are a secondary catch. Maybe the limits will come down in the future.

Do you start wearing water wings near the end? I'm hoping to get out once more on Saturday or Sunday.