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MJL

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  1. The Laker Chase

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Thanks Guys :)

     

    .... and mine. ;)

     

    Good going guys. thumbsup_anim.gif

     

    You have to ask Brook for permission.LOL

     

    Content Aware in Photoshop can do some amazing things! Trust me, there were probably 300 people out that day, lol.

     

    I figured no one wanted to see Canada's bikini ice fishing team testing their new ultra-lite "ice armour" outfits 15ft away from us :whistling:

     

    I wanna know why all these pictures with the background shows NO ONE ELSE on the ice. I really felt uncomfortably close to other people that other day...

     

    That's because you were in a hut and didn't move away from them.LOL

     

    Hopefully this weekend I'll bring out the new Clam and test its mobility on the ice :D

  2. The Laker Chase

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    After an incredible fall of steelhead fishing, there was one itch that needed to be scratched...Ice fishing Lakers!

     

    This weekend I made my first trip onto the ice for the elusive char (at least for me). The last 2 yrs I’ll admit that I really did want to bash my head in for all those times I skunked :wallbash: – When you skunk 10 times in a row, or battle the elements sitting on a bucket outside, or wonder why are all those hundreds of fish on the fish finder won’t bite my bait? It really makes you think, “why the heck am I out here?” :dunno:

     

    As sick (and sad) as it may sound, the past month when I wasn’t fishing, at work, or studying for one small financial exam, it was spent with an ice rod in hand on the couch in front of the TV (mostly watching the food network). I was visualizing the laker chase and practicing my ‘twitch’ and ‘craaaaaaank’ techniques. It definitely paid off :D

     

    Saturday morning 4am, with ice tackle packed in the car, EC1, Frozen-Fire and I made our way to the frozen hunting grounds of the lake trout. The early departure time was mostly for a hearty breakfast and some strategizing at Timmy’s.LOL

     

    During a beautiful sunrise, EC1 got into the first fish of the morning (didn’t take any pics – it was a big one). 10 minutes later, I see a line on the fish finder racing almost vertically towards my bait. I crank the reel and the chase ensues...The ending was very sweet. I got my first laker of 2012 – I also Christened my new Daiwa spinning reel too :thumbsup_anim:

     

    IMG_0714a.jpg

     

    After I release that fish down the hole, I drop my bait down and see another line on the sonar rocket up from 110ft to meet my lure at 40ft...The 2 lines on the fish finder met and for a few seconds the one line was just suspended there not really doing anything :dunno: ...Not knowing what happened, I just reeled up and low and behold, there was a fish!

     

    Back to back lakers – Never in my life would I ever expect that. I never caught more than 2 big lakers in one season...My expectations for success when it comes to ice fishing are extremely low.LOL

     

    IMG_0715a.jpg

     

    Action was fairly consistent despite the growing number of people congregating around me. I saw plenty of fish on the fish finder and lost a few too. Out of everything, dealing with the sonar interference from other units was my only complaint which was easily solved my just moving away from the crowd.

     

    Got into some smaller fish with missing fins (pectoral or adipose).

    IMG_0719a.jpg

     

    IMG_0717a.jpg

     

    At the end of the day, EC1 packed up his Clam popup hut along with his stove and fishing tackle...Frozen-Fire was helping him...I asked how long it would take to pack up. EC1 said it might take 15mins. Since they didn’t need my help, I grabbed a rod and found an open hole Frozen-Fire made earlier in the day. Dropped my bait down, jigged it a bit, saw a fish racing up to it and I cranked my reel like mad...The fish took it and I hooked it! So far, that was the only time I wish I had a more powerful rod...The fish ran like a demon possessed in all directions under the ice. It’s amazing (and somewhat scary) to see a huge fish gyrating beneath your feet through the ice :w00t:

     

    Turned out to be my PB laker through the ice...Possibly my biggest lake trout ever :thumbsup_anim:. Took a couple quick pics and slid it back down the hole...The people in the surrounding area may have heard a small celebration from us :lol:

     

    IMG_0723a.jpg

     

    With the action I had on Saturday, I was willing to go back for another round on Sunday...Frozen-Fire wanted some redemption for skunking on Saturday...Victor wanted redemption for skunking on lakers all of last season.

     

    Sunday morning it was the same deal of an early, but very filling breakfast. It didn’t take too long to hook up once we were set up...I hooked up first and within seconds, so did Vic :w00t:. Ended up with a double header :D. Big congrats to Vic on his first ever laker :thumbsup_anim:

     

    P2056251-2a.jpg

     

    Frozen-Fire did manage to catch one laker as well, finding some solace that he didn't totally suck this weekend. He however was not impressed when I hooked a laker from his hole with his rod and lure.LOL

     

    Sunday was nothing like Saturday. The fish finder screen was mostly blank with only some fish showing minor interest (possibly whitefish?). I moved around a lot and even ran a 2nd line with a live minnow on the end but nothing came to fruition. We spent the afternoon fishing for small anorexic perch close to shore before packing it in.LOL

     

    Still one of the most amazing weekends I’ve ever had since I started ice fishing...If you had asked me what I thought about ice fishing 2yrs ago, I probably wouldn’t have given it a 2nd thought...I have to thank fellow OFNer, JET for getting me into it and teaching me the ways of the laker chase before he moved to BC :worthy:

     

    Hope you enjoyed

     

    Mike

  8. Got out with some friends

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I thought I saw a steelhead like pose out on the ice!

     

    Funny thing is I’m hoping to buy or build a new ice rod to stick my 4” centrepin on just for fun. I wonder how it’s going to be like to retrieve the lure from 100+ feet with a 1:1 ratio...

     

    Think about the drag free descent the bait will have going through the water column.LOL

  9. Got out with some friends

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Mike, I saw a very similar conversation like that as well. I wouldn't doubt we were listening to the same guys.. Was the loud mouth in a black two piece? Any chance one of your buddies was fishing out of a Clam? (Not flip over) I heard the name 'Mike' mentioned a few times, was wondering if it was you, lol.

     

    That may have been me.LOL

     

    I was trying to learn the ways of the laker chase...A few times when people started to get close with their sonars, I got trigger happy and prematurely started cranking on their interference.LOL

  12. Got out with some friends

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Sweet Brian :thumbsup_anim:

     

    Despite the crowds, it was a nice day to get out. Even witnessed my first on-ice argument amongst the crowds (no gloves were dropped) - From what I gathered, parking yourself right next to someone else you don't know and switching on a Marcum LX-5 is not so good for other people's sonars :w00t: It was entertaining nonetheless.

     

    The Williams is 1 lure I have yet to catch anything on...I'm probably doing something wrong :dunno:

  13. Ice at Lefroy

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    So theoretically speaking, when I head out tomorrow, the probability of catching larger ones will increase because all the smaller ones have already been caught...SWEET :thumbsup_anim:

     

    Thanks for report...Definitely itchin to get out on the ice just for about anything

  20. Misconceptions for the Nonfisherman

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Very cool Edwin…Glad you liked the pics :)

     

    I often get asked repeatedly by people why I fish…More often than not, I ask why they golf and there usually is a mutual understanding.

     

    First and foremost, I fish to catch fish. Sure I enjoy the scenery and the sound of water, but I certainly could enjoy all that a couple mins away from home in the small ravine by my house and without a fishing rod in hand. To me fishing is another form of science that allows for the opportunity to study, observe and interact with things of another world. Similarly, fishing is an outlet for other sciences as well: Physics, chemistry, biology, political science, computer science, and more…I’ve used them all to become a better angler. I also enjoy the opportunity to enjoy the art in fishing. Through rod building, fly tying, photography.

     

    I tell most people that I do 70% of my fishing at home before I leave the house, 10% of the fishing on the water and the other 20% of the time I’m catching fish. Being able to look at a flow chart, topographic map, weather report, regulation booklet, stocking records, soil composition report, piece it all together and know exactly where in that river fish will be holding, at this time of year, on this day, at this time of day, and predict it all, is something I’m always striving to do.

  24. 2011 recap - HHCA

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Nice vid Shawn...That Buffalo that Mark caught was awesome...Great to see they're in there.

     

    nice recap...

     

    looks like a very nice carp community your in there...

     

    lots of people able to fish together...

     

    little different in my area... most swims can only fish a couple people... its nice to have a bit of a private area for you and your buddies... we only have a couple locations that can hold a group of anglers...

     

    mike

     

    Mike, it’s totally different in Hamilton compared to the St. Lawrence. Hamilton is very developed with miles upon miles of easily accessible public shoreline to fish (which nobody other than carp anglers really uses) – This summer I was on my rollerblades helping to weigh and take pics of fish during one tourney.LOL Can’t say the same for your neck of the woods when in spring time, it’s often a 2-3am race to rocky and treacherous swims to beat the other carp anglers.

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