Tom McCutcheon

The mechanic where I used to take my truck, made several spud bars last year which he sold. The name is Barry's Auto and Engine repair. 585 Robinson Rd. Ennismore. 705-292-5763. Just west of the Bridgenorth Causeway. Just across the road is a welding shop and school.

Johnny Ray mount. http://www.johnnyraysports.com/home.html

Just a quick reminder about the upcoming Spring Fishing and Boat Show February 12th to the 15th. ​Muskies Canada will once again be hosting a Muskie Sunday event at the show on February 14th. Please join us to learn more about Muskies from an amazing line up of talented speakers. Muskie Canada will have some fantastic items up for bid on the silent auction tables ranging in product from a Shimano Tranx reel, St. Croix Legend Tournament rod, numerous high end custom made baits, guided trips for Muskie, numerous vacation lodge stays. The list is growing daily of donated items to help support MCI's research, conservation and education projects.

Good point...Forgot about that aspect and the reason for changing the rollers as well, two years ago.

One advantage the synthetic rope has over cable I noticed today while re-tying was there were NO small wires from the broken end of a cable to puncture my fingers. I did notice also over the last two years that the rope will stretch a bit under load, which is a good thing if the operator is inattentive

Can't give you any advice on the two products asked about, mine is a WARN winch and it's 12 years old. The cable for the plow blade broke two years ago and on advice from the dealer I replaced it with the synthetic rope. The rope broke today and it took about 20 minutes to fish it out of the winch drum and reattach to the blade. Easy enough to do, but I never needed to do that in the first 10 years of use with cable. I am going to purchase a new cable and when the rope breaks again I'll replace it.

It's your personal preference of which brand you purchase, but I have always used candle wax on the zippers and it keeps them pretty well lubricated and ice free.

Good news on the MRI Cliff...I assume it is at Ross Memorial? I had both knees done on the same day last May at Ross (just scoped and cleaned out) but the pre operation procedure at Ross from the day of the MRI's to the operation was excellent. Nurses and Technicians are very knowledgeable and caring. I did not need to wait long for the MRI's as well. Just over a month if I recall correctly. Hopefully you have only strained it and physio will make it better.

Agree with others that 1/2 price of new is generally a good place to start at for asking price. If it is in great condition, you could up that by perhaps 5% or 10% As for GBW, 46lb and 12 volt for an 18'6" boat is way underpowered. It would work, but you would find it very frustrating after only a few times out.

As Muddler stated, membership in these organizations is way down and the costs of maintaining the buildings upkeep (the one pictured looks in desperate need of some TLC) plus paying the taxes has increased over the years. I am not sure if the next statement is entirely accurate, but membership as well as rentals etc. has decreased since smoking was banned and the impaired driving fines increased. I know that is not politically correct to say, but it is a contributing factor.

We also had good luck with the clicker method until our Aussie Shepherd learned to open the drawer where it was kept, and now she just needs to click for her own supper to be dished out..... Great looking pup.

911 memorial would be something to show the girls....also the new tower.

I hear you Garnet. If was just DNA needed, a scale sample or slime swab would be sufficient. In order to determine the age of the specimen, the Cleithrum bone needs to be taken. This is located just after the edge of the gill plate. This bone shows the growth rate of the fish similar to the growth rings on a tree. The fishes stomach contents also need to be examined.

For Garnet; As much as I appreciate the offer, we know that Pike are in Balsam now and have been for more than 20 years. Our MCI research on Balsam since 2009 has given the MNRF some valuable information regarding spawning sites for both Pike and Muskie. Many of those sites are overlapping. What we wish now is a better handle on the migration of pike throughout the system especially in the lakes such as Pigeon, Chemong, Buckhorn (upper and lower), Lovesick, Stony, Clear and Katchawanooka. If a Pike is harvested in these waters, would you please save me the whole fish? I can assure you it won't be wasted. You have my contact information at the top of this thread. Again please be sure it is a Pike and not a juvenile Muskie Thanks for your help. I probably should have been making this request at the start of the season instead of now when folks are thinking of putting their boats away and digging out the snow shovels... Tom

LOL I'm not preaching to cull the Pike. All I want is some samples for DNA analysis, stomach contents, Cleithrum bones etc. so it can be determined if they actually hatched and matured in Pigeon Lake or migrated from up or downstream. The same goes for a legal length Hybrid. These samples would be turned over to several biologists, the most noteworthy would be Dr. Castleman at Queens University.

I am well aware of the MNR studies done in the past. Don't get me wrong....There is nothing like a 8 or 10 lb pike hitting your lure like a freight train. The concern is that the Kawartha Muskies have never had to defend their spawning sites from another predator and a lot of that structure is located in the shallower portions of all the Kawartha Lakes. It is what Pike consider to be prime real estate also. Some of the areas in the North end of Pigeon will continue to produce Muskies similar to what is happening on Balsam. However what we don't want to see happen is a situation like Mitchel and Canal or the Crowe River system where the Pike have displaced the Muskies. I don't believe we are ever going to stop the Pike migration. They are hear to stay. What needs to happen is further research to identify and protect the prime Muskie spawning habitat or we will lose the natural reproduction of the Kawartha Muskie and then it becomes a stocking situation. I don't think we want to go there.

The reference to an MNR creel survey done more than a decade ago in the mid 90's may not be that accurate. When the MNR boys pull up to a boat and ask what has been caught, some folks may have inadvertently identified a small juvenile muskie as a pike. Very difficult to tell apart unless you take your time to look for the differences. The reference stands in the MNR literature to this day. If by chance someone were to catch a Pike on Pigeon, Buckhorn or Chemong and they were positive it was a Pike, I would be very interested in having that fish harvested for DNA analysis. The same holds for a Hybrid (if they are positive it is a Hybrid and of legal length of 44 inches). Obviously these specimens need to be bonked and I'm sorry, there is no other way to do a proper autopsy. You may contact me either through pm here or Tom McCutcheon Vice President Muskies Canada Inc. [email protected]

Answer for Captpierre: One confirmed angler caught Pike in Sturgeon in 2013. At the time it was believed that this fish may have migrated from Balsam or Cameron Lakes. There may have been more since, but I haven't heard of them. The MNRF does not net Sturgeon Lake as often as Balsam, Scugog and Rice Lakes so I am not sure how much MNRF data is available since. Tom. Edit: to the OP, sorry the post got off track a bit. As I said congratulations are in order.

I said Hybrids Captain....which also could have migrated from Cameron and Balsam. I would have to check my records, but I do believe there is a confirmed Pike from Sturgeon. I will get back to you with my answer. Tom

Pete is correct. Looking at the picture it sure looks like a Hybrid but more likely a Barred Muskie. As has already been mentioned by others the real definitive identifiers are the pointed fins and number of pores on the lower jaw (6 to 9) of a Muskie as opposed to rounded fins and less than 5 pores of a Pike. A Hybrid will have rounded fins and 5 to 8 pores At this time there are no confirmed reports of Pike in Pigeon. Having said that, it is probably only a matter of time when we will see them throughout the Kawartha Lakes. Without positive identification it's tough to tell. If it is a Hybrid, it's entirely possible it has migrated from Balsam, Cameron and or Sturgeon where Hybrids have been confirmed. Muskies Canada is still working diligently to see if Northern Pike and the unique DNA strain of Kawartha Muskies can learn to cohabitate. All in all a great day on the water. Congrats are in order.

Just a question about the heater...Is this needed for bait minnows? I thought a heater in an aquarium was more for pet shop or tropical fish. All the minnows I have ever bought have come out of a tank that has either refrigerated recycled aerated water or fresh pumped lake water in it. When they get transferred to the minnow bucket, it gets lowered over the side of the boat or dock in order to have fresh aerated and cold/cool water running through it.

Getting back on topic... I think we all have had at some point in our lives, something which has caused us to believe a situation is repeating on us, or we have just done something for the second time. The ones who can control this thought process are considered Clairvoyant and for those who believe in that stuff, can command a lot of money or "donations" for telling fortunes.

Did you see that answer coming Brian????

Don't hunt, and that never entered my mind, but it makes sense. What would it raise your butt by? Maybe 3 inches max? Is that too much?

What about a clamp on swivel seat that can be removed and dried out when not in use?