MJL

Used Islander Steelheader Best mass-produced reel IMO. No need to upgrade later on unless you're a tackle junkie like I am.

You can always fish for the resident browns and brookies in the headwaters - They're there year round. When I'm not carping, I spend my time at the Humber or Rouge fishing for late-run suckers, shiners and chub. I also get a few bass too. Keeps the centrepin spinning and float rod lightly bent till the salmon arrive.

If you're a man who's standing in the middle of the Amazon river and needs to take a whizzz, I'd fear the Candiru more than any piranha or stingray in the river. Google it and find out why

Not math but:

Vic you can always go to the Mandarin buffet in Markham and have a go at their koi. The water remains ice free and the fish are a decent size. Test out your new gear while you dine on crab legs.

My mom tells me the same thing My justification equation for buying a new rod (to my mother): "This rod only catches pike, not carp" + ("I got it at a bargain" x perception factor of what I think is a bargain) + "I might need a back up in the future" + "I need a longer rod, I don't have one this long" + "I'm replacing a rod that became obsolete 5yrs ago, it doesn't catch fish anymore" + "I just got an A+ on my accounting exam" + "This will be the last time I buy a new this type of rod" / (guilt and forgetfulness factor) = New rod A usable justification equation for a girlfriend developed by my fishing buddies is Jewelry + chick flick + painting her nails (or massage) = buy what you want, in any quantity you want Or use the equation = Just pay in cash and hide it You can never have too much tackle The only thing I'm missing now is that 22' Lund with GPS/fish finder capability Gore-tex rocks to the MAX! Dad I know you will probably read this but I learned from you. Thanks for the new AngSpec...You can use it to on Tuesdays and Wednesdays

Drop in to Angling Specialties on Kennedy and get George to teach you. He taught me for free after class when I was in high-school. He sells components (blanks, guides, cork, reel seats, etc) and also sells inexpensive rod stands, motors, brushes, epoxy, etc. Tom at the Concord location might also be willing to do it as well. Or if you're near the downtown core, have a talk with Billy at Wilsons. He gives great advice and he might be able to show you if you ask. IMO you learn so much more from a person than you do from an internet web-site. Maybe other board members like Spiel may be able to help.

Here's a review from 2004 http://tackletour.com/reviewshimanocalcuttatedc.html

Merrell Gore-tex XCR hiking shoes (Chameleon II, I think). I bought mine at BPS on sale for $85 but I haven't seen them at that low price since I bought them last fall. They usually retail for around $150 at Coast Mountain. The absolute best pair of shoes I've ever worn in terms of comfort and features. Totally waterproof and highly breathable. Underneath I've got a pair of seal skinz waterproof socks in the event that water does penetrate my shoes. I always have dry feet at the end of the day.

You're not alone with the gridlock I left my house at 3pm to go to school for a mid-term exam downtown scheduled at 6:30. The TTC ride was deadly. From my place near Kennedy & Finch, the ride to Leslie & Finch took roughly 3hrs (Which on average usually takes 20mins). Called a friend and found out that classes were canceled. l ended up waiting for my dad to pick me up at a nearby plaza for an hour - No way was I going for another 3hr bus ride. Took another hour to get home from there. Overall a wasted day spent on the TTC when I could've been surfing OFC.

It's going hard here in Scarborough...I'm dreading the trip downtown tonight for my mid-term exam. Why did it have to snow today?

Wilsons will be moving shop from their current shop at Front and Church to the new location on Queen. I think Jim was planning to have it done by the end March. From a couple posts on other message boards, I think Wilsons may also carry items like float rods in the future. Even with the move, it's still about a 10min walk away from my school which is nice.

Jim Veltman from the Toronto Rock was my gym teacher in high school My friend brought Russell Oliver (cashman!) from Oliver Jewelry to class for his presentation. I saw Global TV's water-cooler mascot in front of Sam the Record Man at Yonge & Gould. He gave me a free coupon to something I can't remember. Jim Bamford Superintendent of 42 division Toronto Police services (retired) is my uncle's neighbour. I moved 100 large concrete slabs into his backyard in the summer of 03. I fished with Steve Davis, snooker God, for carp...Or at least someone who had an AMAZING resemblance to him.

I paid $113 Canadian for a Shimano baitrunner from BassPro in Michigan as opposed to around $165 (before tax) at BassPro in Vaughn. The box even says the warranty center is in Peterborough, On. Go figure Perhaps Canada can't compare with the quantity sold in the US. Hence the prices are higher to maintain a similar profit margin.

Totally awesome flies I've seen the site before but I still get the same feeling of amazement each time. It would be bittersweet to hook a fish on those flies only to have it mangled or snagged on a log. Most of the flies I tie can be done in 5-10 minutes at most. After that I just don't have the patience to tie something that would potentially be destroyed. Thanks for the link

Greg, post your intro into the personal ads section of the papers and see what you get I'm sure there are ladies that dig a 60hp motor Welcome to OFC

The Nikon D40 is a great camera. My dad just got one for himself but I've been going nuts with it on macro mode the last few days - I never had a camera that could take great pics up close before. For image quality, I've been happy with my Canon and Nikon cameras Pics taken with the D40

The Ravens with the custom reel seats have been out for quite some time. Great additions to their product line IMO. I bought my IM9 the first week it came out back in 2001 (I think) and other than guides breaking off, I'm happy with how it has survived some of my stupid wrong doings - Ex: whacking on the Humber bridge hundreds of times; Trees; basement ceiling; yanking on snags; high sticking; chain link fences; subway doors; bus doors; street car doors. I'm currently in the middle of rebuilding it and swapping the guides for Fuji high-framed SICs'. I also use the line and beyond the odd phantom break above the leader, I like how it has performed in 8lb - 6lb is too stretchy for me as a mainline. Their fluorocarbon leaders have also performed well over the years.

I've been told that there's a whole stretch of tackle shops in heaven that sell gear at prices cheaper than Cabelas and carp gear without customs or import tax on them

There's fish in heaven. Which fish wouldn't want to be caught by great anglers like Izaak Walton, Lee Wulff, Ted Knot and countless numbers of great anglers and people from the past? To the fish, it would be a privilege.

I never got to meet either of my grandfathers. They died long before I was born. If anything, they lived in tropical places with great fishing (Guyana and Mauritius) which probably explains my facination with deep sea fishing, coconut water, bug sprays and sunscreen. I do fish with my dad quite a lot. He was the one who bought me my first rod, Was there when I caught my first fish and drove thousands of miles to my fishing spots over the years (before I got my licence). He was my camera man in some of the harshest weather known to man. And he paid for lunches, bait, Fishing Show entrance fees and most recently the fishing reel of my dreams (we are hiding the bill from my mom). Here is my dad Leaning into a nice carp Father and son

I just stick my plano boxes into an old school backpack or a hiking pack depending on what I'm carrying. If it gets dirty, I spray it down with a hose and hang it in the yard to dry.

Totally agree. I haven't used a tackle box in quite a number of years. The only thing they were good for was for sitting on. Beyond that, Planos all the way. Way more versatile than any box.

The spit is a piece of land that juts out into lake Ontario. Pack light because it's a long hike end to end. Better yet, hire DSN for the day as that's around his home turf. He accepts donuts and cookies as payment for a half a day trip and dinner for a full days guiding...Of which I have yet to pay for last seasons adventures...

Double post