JohnF

Adding to my confusion, I noticed today at the store that some new Rapalas come with split rings in the line eye. So I came home to the pool, took two identical Rapala minnows that were one with, one without split ring, and tied 'em onto matching rod setups. The I set about doing a comparison test. It's hardly good scientific method, or exhaustive research, but the one sans ring and tied with a rapala knot definitely had more wiggle action than the one tied firmly to the split ring, and looked more realistic with a reasonably steady retrieve. FYI JF

That would suck. Neither team deserves to lose. It should be a helluva game with the best team winning. I'd like to see both teams and all players leave the game with heads high. I don't often feel like this about a series but I find myself kinda admiring what both teams have accomplished, the Wings for consistency and the Pens for coming back, and I'm not just talking about the series. JF

Here's a for-instance. How many of you have heard of the old towpath allowance? This was a narrow band of shoreline that was kept open for the horses drawing barges along a navigable waterway. The problem now is that obviously no one uses horses to pull barges these days. They seldom even use barges other than in the largest waterways. So is that towpath still necessary? Should there be public access along a shoreline of any navigable waterway? We have a battle over that going on in our park area. Periodically some landowners along the river block off the public pathway that has been used by walkers for years. Then the fuss starts. I don't think the municipality knows how to apply the archaic laws that really don't make sense any longer but are still in existance. Should a waterway that rises from a spring on a private property be considered a navigable waterway just because a small canoe or kayak can get up it? It goes nowhere and is of no value to commerce or meaningful travel. As much as I'd like to see fishermen have access to these fishing opps I can understand why a landowner might feel he has a claim to the riverbed. It's probably counted as part of the land he owns and taxed accordingly. Different situation for two properties on opposing shores of a river passing through and past their property boundaries, or a substantial navigable waterway passing through a private property. Then it should not be private and closed. YMMV. JF

I've tried to make this point before. A lot of folks don't distinguish between navigable and non-navigable waterways, but then I think there's enuf confusion as to the definition of navigable in this context given modern conditions and methods of transport to make it a tricky point to apply. JF

I do. Of course I never catch fish so who knows if it works. It feels right casting though. By the time the lure is nearing the landing point I've rolled back to the upright position anyway. JF

You explained it better on the boat in person. JF

Staal, Kennedy et al might turn out to be the key. Guerin has had some good moments too. If they can either draw some of the attention from the other two or just step up when they don't have Zetterberg and friends checking them, then the Pens might do it. But Crosby and Malkin have gotta do their thing right. Detroit won't know who to check. Of course that presupposes the Pens' defence & Fleury keep the rest of the Wings at bay. I hope both teams are at the top of their game in every position cuz then this could be one for the ages. I'm really looking forward to it. JF

My heart says Pens but my head says Wings. JF

Besides, you'd have an awful lot of knots to tie to fill a spool with leader material, or can you buy it in bulk? JF

I remember my Dad always called 'em pickerel back in the 50's and 60's. I never heard of Walleye until I stayed at a spot on Lake Erie (Pt.Clinton) that called itself the Walleye capital of the world, or somesuch. Their walleye looked a whole bunch like my Dad's pickerel. JF

Mine has worked flawlessly for a couple of summers now. The anti-reverse has been rock solid. I think the bail may have closed accidentally once but I assumed I was just rushing my cast and hadn't opened it firmly. In fact I'm thinking about picking up another one. It's also tough. I fell whilst clambering up a gravelly bank and landed with my not unsubstantial weight on the reel. I don't think it was even scratched. It's been on the bottom of the creek several times with no after effects. A friend tried mine and compared it to his admittedly cheaper but favoured Shakespeare reels as being like driving a BMW and an old clunker. My only moment of concern was the time the crank unwound itself in mid fish landing and fell to the bottom of the creek. Still have no clue how that happened. It wasn't a heavy fish and I'm sure I'd have noticed if the anti-reverse had let go and the handle was unwinding against my grip pressure. I was able to gather it up and wind it back on while still keeping a reasonably tight line and safely land the bass. Good anti-reverse test. I've been watching ever since and there's been no sign of the same problem. JF

And don't use leader flouro as main line even if you can afford it. JF

I was assuming it's tomorrow but it's Friday. JF

I'll bet you own a parrot, right? JF

You have to climb the mountain, Grasshopper, and sit at the Great One's (Garry, not Wayne) feet to learn his secret. And pray that he's changed his sox before you squat to pay obeisance. JF

One word - scotch. Get well soon, dude. Think how much better it'll feel after yer done hurtin'. JF

You sure that "blue" walleye wasn't just cold? Did you do a colour inventory of all yer extremities when you dove in for your daily ablutions? Betchoo had blue parts too. JF

Of course, but that's so ya don't carve up yer ears when ya start wearing the new sporty earrings ya made. It's getting evermore dangerous to be a he-man fisherjock, isn't it? JF

That's the belly button lint from a mature left-handed snapping turtle that does that. Don't ask me how I know. JF

If you turn a spinning reel upside down does it become a baitcaster? JF

Does that make 'em an automatic? But I don't think the MNR allows more than one line per licence, and we're just rednecks, not lawbreakers. Some of these boys would figger they had to unspool all but one reel. JF

Stoopid is good. Even fisherpersons need to relax. JF

It's just harder to identify Canuckian rednecks cuz they can't hang the guns in the rear window of the pickup. JF

Easton could hardly refuse the hockey jocks after making left handed bats for the ball players all those years. JF

But ya gotta admire how they get their thumb on the spool. JF