johnnyb

I'd be very surprised if Vernon has any safe ice. Fair bit of current in there. No clue on the other 2 lakes you named....but for sure there will be some small lakes with ice if you do a bit of driving around. Or check in at a bait shop....

Simply a fantastic post.....gotta hand it to you, that is impressive

Yep...plenty of ice if you are willing to drive. Made it from Brampton to North Bay in 3.5 hrs with a stop for gas and no excessive speeding...and that was over a week ago. Smaller lakes in Muskoka icing up too....heck I know a guy who was on Rice. Simcoe isn't your only option

Welcome aboard sir....great place to hang out and talk fishin

Awesome little hangout there, Randy! When's the swill happenin?

That's just awesome!

Very nice sir....nothin wrong with a bit of bassin....love the way you break this stuff down and hit so many lakes. I'm inspired

Fantastic Wayne, as usual. Rarely a dull moment, and certainly none that go unappreciated by you. You guys really do it up right, and really have the right outlook. Was great to have breakfast with you...maybe a redo is in order this winter as part of an engine recovery mission

Awesome trip...you fished with one of the best, in my books. One day maybe I will do the same. Congrats and thanks for the great write-up

Thanks for the kind words....already looking forward to the next time I can get my son in the boat

Well I have had a couple successful outings for bass over the last few weeks, but have just been too busy to come online and post about them. Heck, I've been too busy to even come online and look at what the rest of you are all up to these days. So, here's the rundown: After about 20 years, I finally started using the flippin rod I bought for actual flippin! I was surprised at how sensitive it was and handled fish great....for a long time I used the rod as a pike/muskie stick before putting it away. I'm super glad I brushed off the dust and figured out the joys of dragging a jig through heavy cover These pics are from 2 quick outings on a Saturday/Sunday in Muskoka....only got out for about 2 hours each time....but definitely feel like I have confidence in the new technique Excuse the pics....a lot of them were taken by me, on the phone. All fish were released healthy...hopefully to be found even bigger at a later date. Not too shabby....but still not the highlight of my recent bass outings This past weekend, I was at the cottage and was delighted to be out fishing with my son more than once. He has really been down on fishing over the last few years, to the point where I had kind of given up on trying to get him out. He would come along occasionally....and on our family vacation discovered dropshotting. Since then, he's been picking a rod up on his own, and a lot more eager to come with me. In fact, when he's not dropshotting, he's asking to use what is now his "favourite" reel....my curado 201 E. And the kid is GOOD with it...amazing. We did a bit of scouting on Gull Lake this past Saturday, as my cousin Bicephalic was going to come up for the day on Sunday for some long awaited fishing together. Well....the scouting trip was our best day for QUALITY as I ran into a bass I've been searching for for many years...my PB! The following Sunday was full of decent smallies, but nothing insane....and on the Monday, my son outfished me! I'm just so proud of him!!! Here are the pics: My big bad bass.....personal best for me at 5lbs 11oz: (Yes I'm posting a weight. No, I don't care if you don't believe me ) My son, deep in concentration on his dropshot setup And the payoff! Bicephalic showin that he can still throw down....we caught quite a few of these on the Sunday....and watched fish twice their size chasing them....couldn't get those tanks to commit though. Biggest bass of the day goes to the new superstar Sorry for my absence on the board as of late....hope you all are doing well! See you on the water

Thanks for the great comments guys....glad you enjoyed the read. Been SO busy with work now....I haven't been online in forever!

What a little comedian...good times indeed

Geeeeeze buddy what a trip! Those kids are phenomenal....I can't get over the massive grin on Mano's face Thanks for sharing what was obviously a super special trip

You made it clear it you weren't complaining...no need to apologize. I mean if it were ME...and I had to wait TWELVE MINUTES between fish....well I would be right ticked off....but you are a far more patient man than I

Wow has it ever been a while since I've been online. Worked really hard at the new position this past week, and the week prior, we were on vacation. Which is what this report is alllll about! Laker Jessy and I, along with our kids (son, 12 and daughter, almost 3) were lucky enough to be handed the keys to the cottage at Gull Lake, near Minden. We did this last year as well, and had a great time. As we often do, we used this free time to make up for missed visits with friends and family. This meant that I had some time alone to fish, plenty of time taking others with me, and lots and lots of quality time with the family The highlights: Got my son to stop riding the kneeboard on his stomach and get up on it properly...which he loved. (He's dabbled with waterskiing, but perhaps now has the confidence to try it next time we're up) Fishing in the boat with the WHOLE family, two nights in a row! Our little girl was quite happy to eat all the snacks we could give her, and caused no trouble in the boat. My son figured out the magic of dropshotting with the sonar in front of him, and of course, Laker Jessy nailed a chunky 3.5lb smallie Finding an insane walleye hole just down the road....although I only hooked one decent fish and lost it, I guided (gotta take credit somehow) Laker Jessy and a visiting pal to some PB's. Delicious, nutritious PB's! Getting our daughter comfortable in the water to the point where she didn't want to come out....low water levels gave us an actual beach beside the dock. They also killed my dock fishing....but I improvised. Finding out that my son (who has not been big on fishing for the last 5 or 6 years) grabbed my dropshot rig, nailed a little smallie off the dock and unhooked it barehanded all on his own. Grandparents were at the dock, I was running to town for supplies. He was pretty pleased with himself when I got back Ok...on to the pics!!!! Why don't we start with a PB....visited this little walleye hole I'd heard about down the road with my pal Scott who was visiting. Told him to try the big Rapala DT16 in Bluegill that I suggested he buy before he came up. 26.5 inches and 6lbs, 12oz. Not bad! Sadly, the lure was lost on a snag shortly after. Straight to the tackle shop for him A few bass from Gull lake I finally got the dropshotting thing figured out, and it was on fire at the beginning of the week. If we were in 19 FOW...no fish. Move to 21FOW...fish on! Even if we drifted off into the 50 and 80' depths...the bass were still chasing bait at 20-25 feet....and dropping the slammers down to them worked like a charm! Just a short one here, but his gut was PACKED...and it's only the beginning of August! I really wanted to find some big largies that week....never really did find the hawgs...but at least found a few decent fish. The best day I had for largies was after a thunderstorm had moved on, in the rain, before the airtemp plummeted. No camera of course, but I recall going 7 for 8 on the frog in a 2 hr period. AWESOME! Speaking of awesome, here are a few shots of the family in the boat...such a treat! Mama's rod is cranked on a big smallie I always seem to catch small ones when I wear this shirt..... Caleb is getting pretty good at handling the boat J We were about halfway through the week at this point, and my folks came over for a long overdue visit. My mother, bless her heart, suggests that Jessy and I need some alone time, and why don't we go fishing together. Has been a while since just the two of us got some time on the water...and she says "I really wanna catch a walleye! Take me to where you took Scott!" Ok Honey....I don't know if it's that simple, but ok. "What lure was he using?" Well I just happen to have the same one, so here you go. "Where do I cast?" Uhh...like I said....it's not THAT simple, but, cast over there. Reel in just fast enough to make the lure wobble. "How long did it take for him to catch it?" I don't know, Honey....you gotta take a few casts and see what happens... "GOT ONE!!!!" Ummm....well done, Honey! 23inches and 4.5lbs. Not bad at all! Not really sure how to top that....the rest of the pics just don't compare. But, it wouldn't be right to hold out....so here are a few more. This is my "I'm not a morning person, unless I'm fishing" face I really need to make this my new job....nobody minds if I put my feet up Amazing how much quieter the lakes are during the week Jessy's parents came up for the end of the week, and sure enough, she sweet talks her way into more babysitting. Hitch up the boat and down the road we go to her new favourite spot. No instructions required this time.... Just a little ol' 21 incher this time. SHEEESH! On our next outing, running to check out a new spot, we just happened to come across this guy at the right moment....he was taking a rather large sailboat solo, and got into the wind....no chance. Boat went over real quick. Of course we did the right thing... And....that's pretty much all the pics from the fishing album. Sorry for the poor quality....I just use the phone. Here are a few of our cottage-fun pics....hope you've enjoyed reading....we sure enjoyed living it I watched one of these loons bring a 12-14" herring over and share it with the others. Probably explains what I was marking hordes of at 25-30 feet that would just nip away at the slammer without getting hooked.

Saw this elsewhere and commented on it. But to not post about how amaaaaaze-balls it is would be criminal. Once again.....NICE WORK!!!!

Hopefully you get the help you need.....I'll be fishing in a friendly tournament so can't make it...thanks for all the great work you and CRAA do!

Awesome pics, Jigster. I remember Canadave as well....rumour has it he still checks in from time to time. I also miss Andy K's weekly reports

I dunno Ben.....I think I'd still roll the dice whether you've fished the lake or not

I believe there is still a bait shop just before the corner of 118 and 169...Captain John's I think.

Thanks for posting Marc.....passion, experience and a lot of acquired knowledge clearly shine through in your words....I understand why you have the reputation that you do

In a couple of days, I take off for a week of glorious relaxation and fun with friends and family at Gull Lake. Getting to this point has been kind of crazy though. In a nutshell….the wife got a new job with more pay, which was great. Lots of weekend hours though, which was horrible. At the very least, the new job allowed her to keep our vacation week intact. With about a week to go before her 3 month probation, the store manager let her go…and it seemed to be very personal, as my wife had been really well received by that manager's boss, the District manager. We are a bit stunned, the wife emails the DM to at least tell her side of things, and we hear nothing back. This is over the course of last weekend. Tuesday rolls around and my boss pulls me aside. He is very upset to tell me that my position is going away, as the company is being restructured. Like, one partner is being bought out, lots of things changing, he will set me up with a decent severance plan, but, that's it, I'm done. WOW. Hold on….it gets better. By Wednesday morning, I have a better offer from my employer. Instead of managing my crews from the office, manage them from the trucks. Punch the clock, make more $$, and get AZ license training. For some reason, they thought I would view that as a demotion…but someone in management was perceptive enough to realize that I'm kind of an outdoorsy guy, and why would I mind working outside? Now there's no point in having the wife work, because I will more than make up the extra money she netted after paying for daycare. More time for her with our daughter. Weekends back in place. Cha-CHING! The icing on the cake was Wednesday night, when the head office of HER former employer called her to say that she never should have been let go, is absolutely re-hireable, and the DM would personally ensure she gets into a store if she wants. WOW AGAIN. Sufficed to say, it has been a bit of a whirlwind week. So much so, that when our phones beeped simultaneously just before midnight last night, we both said "Oh look….it's our anniversary tomorrow!" Both of us would have completely forgotten. So, with that in mind, this week of vacation will be perfectly timed to take a few deep breaths before starting out on a new routine. It should also yield quite a few fish pictures, because I have some time to make up for. I haven't been on the water in over 3 weeks! And in the past couple of years, I've been able to go almost every weekend….so it has been a struggle. I figured I'd share what little fishing I have accomplished this season….from the week before bass opener where I had a great time on Rice lake, to a couple outings on Gull Lake for bass. Hope you enjoy the pics….I felt like I had to get them out of the way before posting more My buddie's boat….not mine…really nice Nitro Z-7 First Rice Lake 'eye If you fish Rice, you are never lonely Second or third Rice 'eye….limited out that morning Dang I love me a fast bass boat! Me and buddy's limit Bass opener with Bicephalic….he couldn't be bothered to wait until we were in the boat….pulled this one out from under the dock Booyeah! Pad Crasher, that is… Bert and I caught quite a few more on opener….nothing terribly pic worthy, sadly. I got back up a week or two later and found this chunk Dock smallies by moonlight My last outing….3.5 weeks ago Gave the LiveTarget some love

I would work any deeper shorelines and points....get your lures down past the 10 foot mark as the water is sure to be pretty warm. A steep rockface on shore usually translates to deep water. The pickerel rig is a great idea....if the action is slow, swap out for worms to at least pick up the small bass and panfish for some action. If you can get out early, fish should be more active in shallow....and if you can get out on a calm night...a slow retrieve with a surface lure is pretty deadly on those Lake Muskoka smallies.

Very nice!