MJL

It's pretty amazing how far salmon can go. In BC, my dad and I stopped by 1 creek to see the sockeyes spawning. To get there they would've swam up the Fraser River from the Pacific ocean through: Vancouver, Hope, Lilloet, Quesnel, Prince George, McBride, Tete Jaune Cache and Valemount, BC.

Chinooks are stocked in the Don River. That fish would've swam up from Lake Ontario to spawn.

Great catch. Nicely done!

They're evolving towards having x-ray vision to see anglers' hooks That's what walleyes of the future will look like

Fall is my favourite time of the year. Picked up a brand new toy from the local shop this past weekend for my birthday. I'm looking forward to Christening it soon

B&H pricing does get a little quirky sometimes especially when they have bundle sales. I scored big earlier this year buying 2 1066x 64GB compact flash cards for the same price as 1 on B&H I saved $265...I can't complain.LOL Similar to Bill, my preferred walk-around type lens on an APS-C type of camera is a 17-50mm f/2.8 lens (it's a Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 without image stabilization). Super sharp and I picked it up for around $425 brand new back in 2010. You kind of have to get used to the noisy buzzy motor noise when it focuses though and if you plan to shoot hand held video a lot, I probably wouldn't recommend it (look for a lens with IS if you plan to shoot a lot of video or low light telephoto shots). I only shoot stills and none of my lenses have image stabilization. There's not many Canon shooters I know who don't have a nifty fifty 50mm f/1.8 II (ie. the plastic fantastic lens) . The build quality is super sketchy but it is incredibly sharp and very affordable. I have its sturdier made predecessor the 50mm f/1.8 mark I (has a metal mount and a distance scale). It does make a great portrait lens however it does get extremely tight as an all-round walk around prime. I normally buy camera bodies used to save $. For lenses, I buy both new and used and never really had an issue. I've bought a lot of used equipment from B&H and Henrys as well as Kijiji and Craigslist. The used stuff from B&H and Henrys does come with a warranty and return policy.

The T3i is an older model. I believe the T5i is the current model. Ironically most places have stopped selling the T4i (successor to the T3i) but have continued on selling the T3i and T5i instead B&H photo is still selling the T3i for $500 USD brand new http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/753760-REG/Canon_5169B001_EOS_Rebel_T3i_Digital.html I buy tons of gear (both new and used) from B&H.

Pretty much all entry-level DSLR cameras are geared towards newbies. They all have an auto-mode.LOL If you're looking for a thin depth of field, the larger sensors of most DSLR cameras will definitely help. Most entry level DSLR cameras (Canon, Nikon, Sony & Pentax) use APS-C sized sensors and should be able to give you a thin depth of field when paired with a fast lens (eg. f/2.8 or faster like f/2.0, f/1.8, f/1.4, f/1.2, etc) or with lenses on the telephoto range (70mm and over). Full-frame sensors can give you an even thinner depth of field but the cameras will be way out of your price range. Keep in mind that the colour saturation and vibrance will vary amongst cameras, camera brands, the lenses you use and the available light you're shooting in (with available light being the most important factor). I find the JPEGs coming out of my Canon T3i are generally more vibrant and punchy than my friend's Nikon D3100 straight out of the camera on similar settings. Even DSLRs can have a tough time in low light conditions but on average they do perform better than your standard cellphone or point-and-shoot cameras with regards to overall image quality. A lot of the entry level cameras come with filter pre-sets. Not my thing, but it gives you the option to change things up with colour if you wish. There are a ton of review sites out online. One recommendation I have is to look at the un-edited jpeg files to get a feeling at what you might get in real world situations. It's one thing to look at someone else's photo, be drawn to it (and the camera) and not know what went into the picture in terms of post-processing. One other thing to take into consideration when buying a lens for most entry-level DSLR is the crop factor due to the APS-C sized sensor (APS-C is smaller than the 35mm full frame sensor). Canon's crop factor on the Rebel line (APS-C) is 1.6 while Nikon is 1.5 for their APS-C. A 50mm lens on a Canon Rebel ends up being equivalent to 80mm. On a Nikon a 50mm would be 75mm. On a full-frame camera, a 50mm would be a 50mm and it's pretty close to the field of view of what the human eye sees. For many people who shoot indoors, on a small boat or you need a wide angle shot of a landscape, 50mm can be a bit too tight on a camera with an APS-C sensor. Conversely, if you plan to shoot a lot of wildlife pictures, that crop factor could give you the extra reach to fill the frame without having to crop later in post...All in all, you can't have enough lenses If it was me, I'd allocate more funds into some better glass VS the camera body. It's pretty amazing what you can do with an entry level camera body today compared to when I first got into digital photography. Perhaps other considerations are: ergonomics, movie mode and movie quality, how intuitive the menu is and the cost and availability of accessories for future purchases (like flashes, remotes, etc). With you're $600 limit, is that body + lens? Or just the body?

Any idea the main reasons you'd like to get a DSLR? Is there something you'd like in a camera that you can't get with your current camera? That would be the best place to start and we can work from there

I'm pretty sure I still have some of Brook's hair on my fleece jacket from the last time we fished together.LOL I also have nightmares of sharing the same room with Cliff and having a black lab licking my feet at 2am in the morning. Great to see you finally got out

Yes that's the only way around it. Fishing around street or dock lights is fine. Bringing your own flashlights and shining it into the water for the purposes of attracting fish - Not so fine.LOL

If it's pink you're after, the Islander is pretty much the only factory reel readily available in that colour. Other options - Re-anodizing something like a used G. Loomis or Tourney drifter reel or an un-anodized Stanton. In the past I've seen guys try to re-anodize their reels to be a red colour which ended up turning pink There's probably a more accurate way to do it though.LOL - You can always ask other custom reel builders like Rob Marquette, Adam Demarco, Ron Gardiner, or Edwin (spinnerdoc here on OFC) to see what they can do for you. Although it may cost you a lot more than what you were thinking to spend and you may have to wait a lot longer to get it.

You got the Midas touch man...Nicely done!

Well done Brian. Bravo! Loving the vids from both you and Terry. I've been thinking long and hard about getting a pontoon for both my steelhead and softwater fishing as well as for my underwater photography. Maybe next season.LOL

Be forewarned that using artificial lights to attract fish is prohibited according to the Ontario fishing regulations. The only exceptions would be if the light was part of the lure or while dip-netting smelt, herring and whitefish (pg 8 of the 2014 Ontario Fishing Regulations book)

The Islander VS Kingpin threads never end well.LOL It all really comes down to what feels best in your hands. Both seem like great performing reels. I have limited experience with the Imperial but can say that it felt and performed great the few times I've used it. The Islander is a great workhorse of a reel. I've had my Islander Steelheader since the 1997 or 1998. I used to have the Islander Pacific Steelheader before that and it was great too. I've used the Islander Steelheader on rivers ranging from the Eastern Lake O ditches to Niagara to the rivers on the West Coast. It's a reel that has never let me down. I still have the original Abec 3 bearings in mine. My only gripe would be on newer reels, you probably need to degrease the stock bearings that come with it or you can spend a month spinning it in front of the TV after work to break it in a little. Also not a fan of the clicker either but it's not bad. Islander customer service is also great. My friend lost his reel pouch and they mailed him one for free. I've gone through a number of reels over the years and the Islander has always been with me.

The last few days I've been dreaming of sonar screens and 'chases'.LOL Nicely done Bill

Thanks Bill & Dave. Not sure what place she will try but I gave her links to the places Cheers Mike

Worst? Gotta agree that a hook to the eye is probably the next worst thing after death. But in the past (in no particular order): - I've left rods & reels behind at the river only to realize the mistake 2hrs later when I finally got home - I Hit the river only to realize that I left my wading jacket, lures and bait at home - I Tumbled down a muddy hill into a giant patch of poison ivy a few times - I got a hook in my hand while trying to unhook a pike. I was attached to the lure, which was attached to the fish, which was thrashing around and biting me at the same time. - A couple years ago I tried strapping some remote camera equipment to a tree at 4am one cold morning. I fell from the branch and into the river. I got some sweet shots though.LOL - My Islander float reel took a long tumble down the path to the Whirlpool...One of the sliding rings came loose on the rod handle. That was before the stairs were put in.

Hi Guys I took an underwater pool picture of my neice this summer and my cousin is looking to get the picture blown up and printed to put on her wall. She's wondering if there are any decent places to get it done in the GTA. She lives in Markham and is willing to drive within the GTA to get it done. She said she's tried Costco in the past but she's not a fan. I have no experience with printing pictures so I thought I'd ask around to see who to try. Thanks Mike

Back in the day when the trout hatchery at Frenchman's bay was still operating, I saw a guy land a 6lb steelhead on a buzzbait (I also seen carp caught on buzz-baits there as well but that's another story.LOL). In winter, the area around the bridge would remain ice free and the one angler was fishing for pike trying everything from Spinnerbaits, rapalas, in-line spinners, soft-plastics and buzz-baits. The only fish that I saw caught that day was that steelhead on the buzz-bait. It blew my mind.LOL

When it comes to wading (any water), you gotta know your limits and play within it. Just tragic Condolences to the friends and family. On the west coast, some guides are now encouraging their clients to wear inflatable life jackets for walk and wade fishing.

I realize that it is your opinion. I'm just saying (with reference to the original thread), that perhaps in the future, to avoid the unnecessary commentary that you might receive, you could provide additional information on the product and your experiences to support your opinion. As with any opinion that you share to the public, a lot of people are going to wonder and ask why? People also don't know who you are, what your experiences are, where you fish, what you fish for, etc to gauge whether the product is right for them. Even great, perfectly made products when used in an environment/conditions for which they weren't designed for can make a product seem like crap. That's when the people who are pimping the products start to lose credibility. If your experiences are primarily from the Credit River, the guys fishing Niagara, Saugeen, Maitland, west coast rivers or any of the bigger rivers with a lot of flow might not share the same experiences because the conditions are different. As an example: A 30lb chinook in the Credit can be landed on 6lb leaders and size 10 hooks with standard 4-8lb float rods. Standard tackle on the west coast for steelhead 1/3 that size is 12lb leaders, hooks no smaller than size 4 (size 1 is average) and rods rated 8-17lb because the steelhead there fight a lot harder, longer and the rivers are generally of higher gradient. For me, I only gauge quality after I (or the people whose opinions I trust) used the product over an extended period of time through a variety of conditions and it comes out unscathed. Hope this helps to clarify my views on the subject Mike

The original post included "Better than Gamakatsu?" and a lot of guys were probably questioning that (including myself)...In what way were they better? Perhaps in the future it might be advisable to give a more detailed review before recommending or hyping-up a product to the masses: How long did you use the product for? What models did you use? Under what conditions were they put under (ie. where did you use them)? What type of fish did you catch with them? Were they sharp straight out of the package? How did it hold up to bigger fish. How did the point of the hook hold up to rocks. Did you have any issues? What qualities do you think makes these hooks good or better than Gamakatsu? For me, after being diagnosed with cancer twice in 4yrs and spending months in intensive chemo and recovering from surgeries, I now put a greater emphasis on maximizing the value of my time and overall experience on the water. When I'm blessed to have time on the water (which has been far less in recent years), I don't want to have any doubt that my tackle isn't up for the job and I don't want to waste my time on having to deal with crappy tackle and the problems that come with it. I also don't want to waste my time to be a guinea pig on the water when I don't have to (that's the conscious choice I've made at the risk to losing out on some great deals). For those who don't think about it, consider how valuable your time and experience on the water are worth and make a judgement for yourself. This of course does not mean that amazing deals cannot be had (because they can - in this case with these hooks, it could be an amazing deal). I felt really stupid in 2007 for group buying 6000 Gamakatsu knock-offs online only to have a number of them break on some larger fish...No I have not recommended those particular hooks.LOL

Head shot! That's quite possibly the most epic hunting picture I've ever seen Simon.LOL Nice walleye too!