MJL

Just awesome Bill. Nicely done

Congrats Gerritt!

WOW...The size of those hogs is incredible!

Nicely done

A family friend of mine was diagnosed with melanoma quite some time ago. Several surgeries and some various treatments later, he's still alive, From my last contact with him, he's still battling the disease but scans are progressively getting better and better. Don't lose hope.

In my case, after my own cancer treatments last year (for a different type of cancer), the chemotherapy drugs left my skin extremely sensitive to UV light. Sun burns would be permanent for life.

From top to bottom: Baseball hat, polarized sunglasses (100% UV protection), Buff, Simms guide shirt, Simms sun gloves, Simms ultra-lite zip-off pants, Columbia water shoes, polypropylene socks and SPF 55 sunscreen pretty much everywhere. I can wet wade and my outfit will dry within 20-30 minutes.

I wish your friend all the best

For waders, one thing to keep in mind is that the right one for you really depends on what fits you best. Waders that fit poorly can lead to a few problems down the road. Too long and baggy and you can develop severe wear on the inseems. Too tight and your mobility is restricted. If I was in your shoes, I'd probably budget a little more on waders that fit and feel right over a new reel (but that's just me). You could always just use a spinning reel that you already own if you were really strapped for cash.

With that said, I've had my Islander since the 8th grade. It still has the original Abec 3 bearings. I've used it all over the great lakes with the exception of Lake Superior and it made the trip with me to BC a couple years ago. It's a workhorse of a reel that I will probably keep for the rest of my life.

This has to be my all time favourite report. It's just amazing to see how Sean has progressed. I'm speechless

You (and your family, support staff and everyone involved) did a fantastic job on everything

Awesome news Wayne

A few years ago I ended up buying a bug jacket

http://www.bugshirt.com/

One of the best investments I ever made. The trout streams I fish are just swarming with giant mosquitoes. You would have to bathe in DEET to not get swarmed. Hands are still exposed though but it could be a lot worse.

I have a thermacell but I'm still on the fence about its effectiveness (especially out in the open).

Last year I bought a few of the Simms NoFlyZone shirts that were heavily discounted. I haven't really put them to the test yet.

On my next trip to the states, I'm looking to pick up some repellent made with picaridin. Apparently it doesn't melt plastic or synthetic clothing like DEET does and is just as effective. I would be devastated if I saw my camera equipment start to melt.

I've always been a fan of the paper based regulation booklets. I'm one of the few people left on this earth that doesn't own a smart phone.LOL

It sure came in handy last September when some idiot decided to play CO wannabe on me on the last day of Trout season (Sept 30). He stopped by the bridge in his car, picks up a big rock and throws it off the bridge into the water pretty much wrecking my chance of hooking into anymore brookies from that spot. He says trout season closes last Saturday of September. I tell him it's Sept 30. He disagrees. I pull out my regulations booklet and show him. I then rush to his car, jot down his licence plate. He asks why am I doing that? I tell him he is in violation of the Fish & Wildlife Conservation act 1997 for obstructing my fishing by throwing a rock into the water and disturbing the fish (I also had several pages I printed off in my jacket which I did show him). I threatened to report him to the MNR. He apologized profusely.

I always like to have the regulations booklet on me if I can get a copy. It's not just for my own benefit, but also for the stupid people I run into each year who try to enforce the wrong regulations as in the example above.

Not sure if it's still there but there was a place a km or two outside of Lakefield that sold carp gear (it was either called Matt's Bait and Tackle or Nat's Bait and tackle - I can't remember). It's been a number of years since I stopped in so it may no longer be there.

If you're using canned corn or bread for bait, just impale it on the hook. It's the other baits like boilies, maize, tiger nuts that are super tough to stick on a hook and that's where a hair rig is needed. With gobies now infiltrating the Kawarthas, using soft baits like canned corn will be difficult.

If you have swivels, strong hooks and some line, you can literally tie your own hair rigs in under 20 seconds per rig. It's super easy.

^could you suggest a specific rod in my price point in the 11'6" length?

 

I guess one of the reasons i think I need a dedicated steelhead rod is because my fenwick is rated 8-12lb line which seems a bit heavy for the trout... which might be one reason I break off the light line.

 

I love the rod tho for horsing around big salmon on 10 or 12lb line

Not sure how much the 11'6" Streamside goes for these days but it would probably be at the top of my list if I was on a budget. I fished my friend's 11'6" Streamside in BC for bull trout for a bit and it felt like a great rod for the price.

I never found 13' rods (or longer) that useful for fishing those creeks. Perhaps the only time I found the extra length helped was fishing off some of the beaches or off the pier where I'd drift way off into the lake. Personally, if I was looking for a rod purely for fishing out east, I'd look into something 10'6" or 11'6". The shorter length will save you the aggrevation from setting the rod into overhanging trees, into a bridge, into other anglers' rods next to you, etc. The vast majority of drifts you'll do out east are extremely short and line control isn't much of challenge.

Got the day off work tomorrow...I should be there

I'll be unleashing the inner loogan within by netting fish...In a sanctuary

All kidding aside, I'm hoping the water will be gin clear...I'll also be probing the pool with my camera too.LOL

I used the ProCure shrimp scent on a few of the rivers in BC (with no bait ban). It kept the lures stinky for a long time and I did notice I was able to catch a few more fish compared to unscented lures. That ProCure stuff is very potent...A little goes a long way - don't get it on your hands like I did

I bought the GULP herring spray last season with the intension of sweetening up my ice fishing lures for lakers...When I bought it, I didn't think that it would solidify in the cold...trying to spray my lures in -10 degrees was an exercise in futility.LOL

Fantastic report Joey

I'm really diggin' the look of those lakers. So dark. Is Lake O bays tea stained?

Can I set up my rod pod and bite alarms in the kitchen to catch my dinner?

My basement had a leak for a number of years that went from the window down to the floor It was a minor seep that happened during heavy thaws or rain storms. Last September my dad and I dug a hole outside that had to be a little over 5ft deep, 3ft wide and 8ft in length. I believe my dad patched it with cement and tarred over it all. Thank God it worked...We had to dig out a ton of rocks and the clay was super tough to dig out.LOL

A number of years ago, my parents hired someone to patch the wall from the inside...That worked for only a few years and it started to leak again.

I have a 1000 Sedona and it's an OK reel. The Sedona would probably be my choice out of that list.

I have a 2000 sized Daiwa Legalis and I just don't like the reel at all. I bought it purely for ice fishing lake trout but it doesn't see much use. I like to have 3-4 rods pre-rigged when I ice fish for lakers and it would've been on my 4th rod. The retrieve is smooth but I'm not a fan of the drag (At least for bigger fish) or the line lay on the spool. Given the choice again, I would just save up and buy a higher model Shimano or Daiwa reel (like a Saros or a Procyon or similar).

Thanks guys. Glad you liked the pics

They were the most challenging pics I've ever tried to take.

Too much lake trout in these pics. Needs whitefish.... and ling

And where was my invite when you went for ling? LOL

All I remember is Vic pulling the ling out from the cooler and seeing a trail of snotty goo attached to the beer

so many concern themselves with wide angle lenses, hiding hands, and sticking fish directly infront of the camera - oh, and of course looking at the "fish" instead of the "camera". Internet photography 101.

 

you on the other hand don't concern yourself with inflated hero shots....rather, the nature and beauty of fishing becomes primary...

 

as such, the way you approach a photo puts you in a league of your own.

When perch and bluegills look bigger than 6lb smallies in pictures, it just doesn't look right.LOL

Thanks Steve

Nicely done Drew

You've inspired me and given me some ideas on a few videos and pictures I'd like to take in the future

Great Pics everybody

Only wish I didn't have to work Saturday...The weather looked awesome for such an event

It's trips like these that are the most memorable. Adventure indeed!

Nick, that last picture with the auger might be one of my favourite ice fishing pictures of all time

Winter - It's a love or hate affair for most. There's not many people who enjoy fishing outside in negative 20 degrees, or braving 60km/hr winds on the open ice. You can tell non-anglers or fair weather anglers you walk kilometres out onto a frozen lake, pulling a heavy sled full of gear and they won't understand why. You drill holes through ice a couple feet thick and continue till you find the promise land.

At work, my co-workers think I'm crazy for ice fishing without a hut in -25 degrees (even though I own a portable flip over). My fishing buddies think I'm crazy for lugging all my camera gear with me. When you do what you love, you'll love what you do even when the conditions suck - Especially when you gotta work 6 days a week during winter

For those in the know, "chasing lakers" has 2 meanings...It's what I do in winter. And it's what I search for in winter...

Seek & ye shall find...

Breaking the ice (notice the 1ft auger extension)

Breaking the ice by MJLeung, on Flickr

First one of the season

Ready for the grab

Ready for the grab by MJLeung, on Flickr

Some fine denistry

Thrusters

Thrusters by MJLeung, on Flickr

Grey Ghost below the ice

Grey Ghost by MJLeung, on Flickr

Get in the hole!

Get into the hole! by MJLeung, on Flickr

Get in the hole again!

Icy Laker by MJLeung, on Flickr

Soul Therapy

Below the ice by MJLeung, on Flickr

Still a few more weeks left to chase the grey ghosts of the lake.

Tightlines & Happy Fishing

Mike

Nicely done

Congrats to your daughter on catching her first walleye

40/40 yay!

I still haven't caught a lake whitefish or arctic grayling though