Fang

Finally got my prints back from the disposable camera I had to buy in Mexico for Day 2. My normal digital was DOA after taking a drink in salt water at the end of day 1. Started the day in 30+ kph winds and found 1 small school on the flats. I got a couple of shots in and rolled a big boy that took off and parted the 12 lb leader so fast the line coming off the reel could not keep up. After an hour of poling and glassing but seeing no more bonefish in shallow, my guide says it's time to spin fish. The back side of this large lagoon is all 3-4 feet deep and we pull up and head back deeper in the mangroves. Through a small narrows in the trees we emerge to an open bay about the size of 4 or 5 football fields. The bank immediately to our right is overhanging mangroves that can hold snook and tarpon. I pitch a small tube jig along the trees and see a couple of small snook follow the bait but all we catch are these snapper. Caught 1 almost every pitch. I get told these are babies and too small to eat. The wind is howling but we get into the first section and see a massive expanse of muddy water. Alberto smiles and says the bonefish are here feeding and they stir up the bottom. Second cast connects. Hard to see but the water here is pretty muddy from feeding fish. Fishing was good all day moving from muddy water patch to muddy water patch. Small 3/16 natural bucktail and green Trigger X twister took equal amount of fish Nice surprises mixed in with the bonefish. Caught several small jacks and ladyfish and again the one that got away was a nice big jack around 5-6 lbs After my little mishap falling off the front casting deck into the water on day 1, here's where I was planted all of day 2 One fish came back for a visit and Alberto had fun asking me if I wanted to kiss this one. Look closely and you can make out his grin as he's teasing me Day 2 was 5 for 9 on bonefish a few lost jacks and many ladyfish and needlefish came flying off the hook at boatside. I'm already looking at the last minute deals and wanting to go back for April May. That's the best time in Cozumel as the winds are very small and the bigger schools of bonefish and permit come in on the flats. My care package is almost complete for Alberto. I stopped by a few fly shops and gathered up some fur and supplies for them to tie their own flies. I did manage to tie up about a dozen of my flies and slipped them in the box If you are ever looking for a great family vacation do not hesitate to book Cozumel. The fishing is pretty good too!!

Everything I hooked into could be easily played on the 4000 sized reel. Go for capacity more than heavy line. A 15 lb braid with 10-15lb flouro leader should handle everything. Some extra wire on the end for insurance if there are any cudas around. If I was going back down I'd be taking some #4/5 Spinners, 3/4 oz Krocodiles, 4" minnow plugs and some top water poppers that can be worked fast. Also take 3/16-1/2 jig heads and a few plastic tails. The trigger X minnow and twister worked for me and my guide seemed to have pretty much all paddle tail types of plastic. White was predominant colour in plastic. I also stuck a couple bobbers in my bag just in case I could steal any shrimp from the buffet. Unfortunately they didn't have any shrimp.

Cudas and bonefish on the spinning, You can see the bucktail in the bonefish's mouth Also caught ladyfish and small jacks on the same bucktail and 3" twisters Poppers for the cudas

Small bucktails!!!!!

Can't help specifically with Cuba but I just came back from Cozumel and can pass on what I learned. The 7 weight will be just fine. Take a selection of streamer flies, 12 lb flouro leader and for bonefish the bite was on smaller than expected gotchas and shrimp patterns. I had tied size 4 but size 6 and 8 were better. Take a spinning rod suitable for peir casting up here. I brought a 4000 size spinning reel on 9 ft spinning rod with 10 lb. Spons like crocodiles worked the best. Heave them out and reel fast. Stuff like cleos drag too much water. Half ounce jig heads with white twisters got lots of attention casting the shoreline. I ran into a lot of needlefish but they are impossible to get the hooks the stay in. Angling specialty is about the only place I know that had a selection of bonefish flies. Fishing world had some decent streamers. Smaller natural bi krakow were good too

You can use the NY website and print out your license immediately for use the next day. Takes a bit to get your little yellow wallet card

Darren, I feel for you. Did my neck 6 years ago and I got a slap on the back form other doctors and was told I had a pinched nerve. Finally someone with more brains than diploma's on the wall paid some attention and found I had complete disc ruptures on C5-6 and 7. I was lucky enough to have a guardian angel somewhere and I was fast tracked through oakville hospital with an MRI and was sent on to Dr Eric Marmor in Mississauga. Now I dodged a bullet as the nerve pressure had relaxed a bit and my right arm and leg function came back somewhat and the pain subsided but he was the absolute best. Straight answers and very caring. He seems to be the best around in this field. Make the call and go see him. You'll need to get your GP to refer you but you need someone you can rely on. I was scared going through this back then as I've never had so much a stitches. I still remeber the address 101 Queensway, suite 303 across from Mississauga Hospital Take it easy and watch those white pills

2011 was a very busy year with little time for family. At the beginning of December I still had 13 vacation days to take so my wife decided we would spend the holidays some place warm and started looking through all the last minute deals for an all inclusive. With help from a great travel agent we decided on Cozumel and booked our trip. Now that I knew where I was going, I jumped on the web and started to research what fishing was to be found. The north end of Cozumel is a series of shallow lagoons apparently loaded year round with bonefish with a decent enough shot at also hooking into small tarpon, snook, permit and barracuda. The best information I could find was to search the bonefish and fly fishing forums and search for Cozumel to get other angler reports and feedback. The one guide service that kept coming up with very positive reports and satisfied customers was bonefishcozumel. We landed in Cozumel on the 23rd. I packed my 9.5ft 7 wt fly rod and 2-8ft spinning rods/4000 reel outfits. Lures were limited to a small assortment of minnow baits, spoons, small jigs and an assortment of store bought and hand tied flies. As luck would have it, there was a dive shop in the hotel that highly recommended these guys and told me to search out a particular booking agent who dealt with them. I found Raffeal and booked a 4 hour trip on Monday. Now this was Saturday so I had to kill Sunday as best I could so I headed across the street from the hotel and found a stretch of deep shoreline that I could cast spoons. There were decent sized needlefish (2-3 footers) all over the place but I could not keep any of them on for any more than a minute of 2. They have such bony mouths. I did manage a bunch of these things, something like a big goby, lightening fast out of the rocks and a full set of needle sharp teeth. Monday morning could not come fast enough and I met Nacho and his son Alberto in the hotel parking lot at 6 am. We loaded my rods and tackle bag and headed to the north end of the island. It was a 15 minute car ride to the end of the paved road and then another 20 minutes down a wicked pot hole road to get top the docks. Alberto was to be my guide for the day and we loaded up the boat. I reached in my bag and handed Alberto a Bass Pro neck scruff and said "for you". From that moment it was fishing buddies in the boat and we chatted almost all day about salt water fishing, fly fishing and he had many questions about the type of fishing I did back home. Seems he watches the US fishing channels and likes to see shows on salmon and trout fishing. The ride across to the lagoons was a bit rough but we managed without getting too wet. My perch for the day. This was a fairly new boat for Alberto and they had as yet not fully converted the front deck. The deck in the nose will be removed and a full casting deck about 3x the size is being worked on for installation mid January. We arrive at the lagoon and the cross chop and current is so strong I don't get a chance to take any pictures. My but is glued to the seat as Alberto guns it through an 8 ft wide opening in the coral break. I already have my fly rod rigged with a white/gold Crazy Charlie size 6 and within 100 yards there is a big school of bonefish crossing the sand flat in front of us. Alberto drops the anchor and we slip out of the boat onto the flats. Here's the result of the 4th cast of the day. There is no words to describe how powerful these small fish are. The first fish is about a pound or so and pulls me halfway through 100 yards of backing in the first run. I curse myself for getting over confident as I yell to Alberto " Is it always this easy!" After that things get tough, not the fish but my casting, stripping, placement,.... all seemed to be out of whack. The bonefish gods are giving me a hard time. For the next hour or so we see many schools of bonefish but I missed the next 6 fish in a row and was getting pretty discouraged. The winds were up to around 30 kms/hr and it was getting really tough to control the cast and fly placement. Alberto seeing my frustration and a few choice swear words after I miss a fish that was easily approaching the 4 lb mark, goes back to the boat and brings me a cold beer and sandwich. I get the beer and sandwich down and I ask him to start over with me. I'm not sure what did me more good, the cold beer or the 10 minute refressher on the fly rod. Around the corner we see another big school of about 30 fish actively feeding. There's tails everywhere and they're heading straight for us. Alberto says cast 11 oclock - 40 feet and the fly drops in right on target. Strip-Strip, pause and again Alberto reminds me to keep my rod tip in the water when stripping the fly. I get a clear, front row seat to about a half dozen bonefish charging in after the fly. Most important thing I learned is you don't set the hook on bonefish here. You just keep stripping the fly and when they take you hold on. patience rewarded, fish #2 Things start falling in place as we see more and more bonefish and I start to get the cast and retrieve down a nicer one that took out 100 yards of backing twice We ended up back at spot number 1 and the school was still there, Fish number 5 Fish #5 As we leave the lagoon, I see 2 big permit about 10lbs in the channel and Alberto hands me my spinning rod that I rigged with an 3/16 jig and Trigger X shrimp. I get several cast in on them and watch as they react to the shrimp but wouldn't hit. What a rush to see them charge up to the jig in less than a foot of water and then freeze on it. We try for about 15 minutes and switch up different baits and flies but to no avail. One last stop on the way back to the marina added another bonefish on the spinning outfit but also a better fish story. On the very next cast after releasing the bonefish, I have a "baby tarpon' follow the jig right back to the boat. Baby in their terms is anything from 2 lbs to 20. This one was closer to 20. I almost scream like a little girl. Grab my other spin rod with a topwater popper and start casting. After several cast I get a big hit and I'm frozen thinking did I actually catch that tarpon. I can't wind the reel! There's weight on the line but not what I was expecting. Turns out to be a smaller barracuda Now here's the fish story part. I'm still thinking about that tarpon and standing at the front of the boat not paying attention. On a long cast with the popper the water explodes and the line goes tight in an instant. All I can think of is tarpon and I lift the rod high to set the hook - tooooo high!!! I loose my balance on the front of the boat and fall straight back in the water with my camera still in my front shirt pocket. I go right under but still manage to keep the rod tip up and fight the fish. The water is about chest deep here and I throw the camera in the boat to Alberto and turn to keep fighting the fish. Interesting I thought, no jumps but a strong fighter as line keeps peeling off the reel. Alberto is trying to get me back in the boat as I learn later this part of the lagoon has black tip and bull sharks up to 6 ft long. The fish comes up face to face with me and turns out to be a barracuda over 2 ft long with a mouthful of treble hooks. At this point all I can do is grab it behind the head and hold it up so Alberto can flip it into the boat. That takes about 3 seconds and then another 3 seconds for me to get my arse out of that deeper water and back in the boat. Camera dead - no pictures but I don't think I'll ever forget that image of the barracuda face on about 1 ft in front of me with a mouth full of trebles. In the end I think the count was 7-15 in bonefish. 2-2 on barracuda with 1 tarpon and 2 permit sighted. Alberto and I laugh and joke all the way back to the dock. His dad, Nacho see me all wet and Alberto tells him the story in spanish. Nacho laughs and slaps me on the back. Pretty good day for a fly fishing novice. Day 2 was just as good and when I get the disposable camera shots back I'll post up those pics. Alberto gave me his personal email and asked for a few of the pictures and video. If any of you are thinking about a family vacation with fishing send me a note. Cozumel has got to be one of the safest and funnest spots I've been too

I got it right away when I read it. one of my favs laziest possum ever My link

Geez, I get 17 L/100 KM in my out of tune 2003 Ford Expedition (small V8) I think I need to go test drive a F150 or maybe even the 250

If you're close to an Autopark Krawler, drop by and test drive a few to get a feel for size and comfort. I've bought my last several vehicles from them (gently used). When we bought my wife's SUV (GMC Envoy) we test drove a Toureg, Murano, Cadillac SUV, Ford Edge and a few other I can't recall all in one afternoon. I wanted to drive a Hummer H3 and the Ford 250 but my wife wouldn't let me. I've got a Ford expedition and love it. Been looking at the Honda Pilot as a possible replacement in the next year or so

Surface area!

By the time I get home, my wife may have booked to PV. Taking down 2 heavy spinning outfits for beach casting. Will definitely be doing a 6 hour deep sea trip or 2.

A 350 pulled my buddies 400, both our sleighs and him off Simcoe. If you don't buy it send me the details. I'm in the market for something just that size for ice fishing

Thanks Lew. I drank my coffee this morning with your pic.

My son had a radio controlled toy that had the same spiral drive and layout. We used to fly that thing over the snow in the backyard and honestly I used to think wow could that be scaled up to pull my portable ice hut. Surely somebody could McGiver a lawn mower or snowblower to do something similar

Wow bit of a chill here. Just finished hacking around on the guitar and did 2 John Lennon tunes. Imagine and working class hero. Big fan of Lennon

A 2007 test would be as valid as using 1980 emission data to rate today's engines. Flouro line has it's place bit it's not the end all and be all. I've seen enough side by side comparison to know that this stuff works. Took a few of my buddies a year to figure out why I'd catch 15 trout ice fishing when they caught 4. I'm a believer in flouro and please try the P line products. There is no better line out there than the Halo. Pricey it be but worth it

After a year or so tied to my desk I've got some holiday time in the new year planned. My wife is hot on the travel website looking for a place with the following warm weather nice beach clean rooms and friendly staff and enough stuff to occupy a 13 and 18 year old I'm not one to sit on the beach all day and any of the extreme sports stuff like zip lining or para sailing is out I'll be planning 1 day for some offshore fishing and would love to hear from any members about resorts they've stayed at that had any do-it yourself fishing. Planning to take down a few rods to cast from shore or wade some flats or do whatever. Thanks guys!

Been in lots of different huts over the years - Simcoe, Temagami, portables, bungalows, ...... As stated the store bought fire logs are just too easy to use and make hauling wood a thing of the past. We used to break them in half to make them last longer and it throws just enough heat to keep the chill out I'm not a fan of propane for a big enclosed hut for again reasons stated before. It throws too much moisture in the air and when I helped run the huts up north on temagami some mornings the inside walls would have a glaze of ice left on them from the evening before. Even had doors frozen shut. Good insulation will keep the amount of heat you need in check. Mind you it is fun to fish in shorts and a t shirt!!!!

Well with all the posts with center pin reels I just couldn't help myself. Was talking with a long time fishing buddy this week and he tells me he found this old float reel in a box in his basement. He won it back in the 80's in the Toronto Salmon Derby. It's never seen any line and he offered it to me for the cost of a couple cases of beer. Now the last time I picked up a float reel was probably 1984-5 when I worked at a fishing store and had several invites to fish some private water out east. The customer who invited me set me up with one for the day. I'll wander down to the rivermouth tomorrow and see if I can figure out this casting thing. I'll be sure to also bring my spinning reel in case it gets a little frustrating as I'm sure it will be! Anyone have any info on these reels. Not sure if this is the same as the Streamside drifter but it sure looks the same.

My wife had a cat when I met her. It hated me. Since it's passed now we have another cat that is much friendlier to me. On thing I have learned over these years is you only need to feed and clean the litter box. You don't actually take care of a cat. It's the cat that decides to stay with you and allow you to do those 2 jobs. It'll grow on you Vin and soon it'll be your cat

keep it old school Daiwa Whiskers in 1300 or light action 700 series. These are tanks, virtually indestructible and have the smoothest drag I've ever fished with.

That thing looks like it just ate a small dog

Oh so neat. That aquarium shot just hit me with deja vu. I had one about 1/3 that size in my fish tank many many years ago. I found it in a batch of minnows I bought at the old Dixie Sports and brought it home with me after a days fishing. It sure was the coolest fish I ever had next to peacock bass. A little flighty in the tank but after I filled in some of the tank with more wood and fake plants it was right at home. Fed it feeder guppies and trout worms.