singingdog

Most folks that I have talked to say that it's impossible to tell a wolf from a large dog just from a print. Size, shape, and relative claw size, are as variable within type as between type.

Great trip, congrats!

Nothing about it makes sense to me. Still using regular PPro.

https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/1325808?hl=en

Just don't get stuck in a nonproductive pattern in cold water. On my favorite lake, I can usually find big smallies and get them to bite with one of a couple of presentations (jigging spoon, small jig). They are usually in specific areas, at specific depths, and can be bunched up. Last Novemeber, I took a couple of other yak fishers to the lake, told them about the pattern, then proceeded to wash lures for the next 1.5 hours. Out of frustration, I tied on a preacher jig and headed into the shallows to look for pike, just to make the rod bend and warm myself up. Bam! Smallie in 3 FOW. The next 45 minutes was some of the best action I had all year, with all the bass hitting softly but consistently in 3-5 FOW, well away from the nearest drop off. Water temp: 52 F.

What are you looking for (weight/style/species)? I may be able to help.

Probably appeals to me because I'm not much of a troller. http://www.northernontario.travel/fishing/destroying-fall-muskie-myths

The rapala swivels, but it rarely gets a chance. I have the gripper tied off to the yak with 1m of strong cord. When a ski decides to spin, I let go. No leverage on the fish's jaws, and it is easy to pull back in with the cord.

I have the rapala gripper, and it has been great...used hard,put away wet, still works fine after 10 years

They were hitting on Friday, following on Saturday, and seemed to have disappeared on Sunday. Dropping water temps? I would have thought Sunday - warm, pre-front - would have been good, but we didn't see a fish. Ah well, lots of time left.

Been out a few evenings this week, and the musky are busting minnows right up in the shallows: 3-5 FOW. Still quite a bit of green vegetation to be found. Could be a good weekend.

If it was a huge issue, then lakes in the Haliburton Highlands would be full of dead, floating musky. I would venture to guess that most musky up here are hooked by folks fishing for bass/walleye. Lots of them - including fish that I lose - break off with cranks, topwater, spinners, jerkbaits in their mouths. Of the hundred or so musky that I have caught over the past few years, I haven't caught one with a lure in it's mouth.

Very nice! I wouldn't worry too much about eyes; I don't find they make that much of a difference.

Trout is still open, and most hike-in back lakes are going to be for stocked fish anyway, so they will be fishable until they freeze up. Otherwise, get a map, start hiking, and be respectful of private property.

Tis the season. I was on GBay last weekend and saw 2 dozen Merlins in one morning. Beauty pics!

If you really want a grub (or any plastic) to last, put a small drop of glue on two spots: where the grub touches the jig head, and where the hook exits the grub body. Pre-rig a few before you hit the water, so you don't get all messy with the glue when the bite is hot.

Best OFC story ever....and a beautiful fish. Congratulations.

It's worth thinking about. A 1/4 oz weight in front of a big, bulky flipping plastic is going to load your rod way more than that same weight with a skinny finesse worm. More importantly, the fall rate - IMHO one of the most important attributes of any soft plastic technique - is going to be completely different. Overweighting a rod also reduces the sensitivity a fair bit.

Glad you guys like the nano. I tried it from 10 right down to 4 lb and it was nothing but trouble. Yes, you get 10% more casting distance, but knot failure and general poor handling - compared to PPro - weren't worth it for me.

Ice is coming out fast in Haliburton. Lakes that were tight and white a week ago are open now. Fished a small section of Kinnesis on the weekend: still ice that far north, but going fast.

Can't for the life of me figure why you would throw that instead of a soft plastic swimbait.

Smaller lakes with no current are still bank-bank here in Halibu

Don't overthink dropshot: it's just a different configuration of weight/hook (there are only 3) that allows for a suspended presentation. If a bait works on a splitshot, Trig, or on a jig, it will work on a dropshot. It doesn't have to be a downsized presentation. I sometimes dropshot full-sized flukes above a 1/2 to 3/4 oz weight as an alternative to pitching/flipping jigs.

Whatever works for the baits you are using. I don't see an advantage to rigging each bait weedless, since the rig itself is prone to hanging up.

I think casting is often more effective than trolling. I have had many days - not on Lake O mind you - where the only hits I was getting were on the drop: killing the retrieve and letting the spoon or swimbait fall vertically.