Jer

...I don't think you'll find any pike in Buckhorn, Pigeon or Chemong either. I'm surprised to hear you caught some in Sturgeon & Scugog as well, first I've heard they were there.

Well I think we are done on the hard water this winter. I just walked out from my house on Buckhorn, and where there was 19" of good ice last Thursday, there is now only 13" of very questionable ice. I drilled 6 holes with my hand auger and didn't even break a sweat. We've had a very safe season here on the Kawarthas by all accounts, contrary to what some had predicted before the season began. I don't want to be one of the few to give the naysayers any ammunition, so that's it for me til ice-out. The beauty is, with the new regs, the ice can go out one day and we can be crappie fishing the next. No more missing the early bite waiting for the end of April. Overall, I have to proclaim the inaugural Kawartha winter panfishery a huge success, at least for me personally. I fished more this winter than all previous winters combined. We had a blast. Caught lots of fish, bigger perch than we normally see through the summer, a few crappie, quite a few rock bass, a few bruiser sunfish and I'm amazed at how active the bass can be under the ice. For those that still believe a winter season on the Kawarthas is a bad idea...bend over real close...pucker up...and kiss my That being said, now that the ice is unsafe, I wish it would get the hell out of here so I can drop my boat in.

That'll get you arrested in Switzerland...

Extreme fish porn...I love it!!!

Lotsa people seem to know stuff I don't...

I wonder where they were going? Still almost 18" of ice on my lake...

Have you run a restaurant before? I only ask because I've been selling to the hospitality industry (restaurants, hotels, etc.) for most of my career and the independent restaurant gig (especially located outside of a major centre) is probably the most prone to failure of any small business out there. If you do go ahead, make sure you secure the support of the local year-round population (if there is much of one). You can't make it on the tourist dollar alone (that applies to almost anywhere, not just Rice Lake). Good food at a fair price and a pleasant experience, right from opening day, is paramount. Almost all of your business will come from word of mouth in a small community, make sure it is a good word. Make sure you see the sales numbers for the last couple of years to give you an idea of income that can be expected. Even though you may be putting a much improved product across the table, it will take a while for word to get out. Don't expect to actually make any money the first while, have a decent cash reserve to tide you over. I would recommend signing only a one year lease with options for extending after that. It's a risky enterprise and I have seen many well-meaning operators crash and burn. On the other hand, I have also seen the odd lucky one make a very successful go of it, but luck really has nothing to do with it, it's a lot of hard work. Do your research carefully and good luck if you do proceed.

When I bought my new boat about five years ago, they charged me about $300 to remove my 70hp motor and controls from my old boat and rig on the new one.

I'm with you, Beans. My buddy and I have spent countless hours on the ice this season. We've caught lots of perch of all sizes, only three crappie, a handful of bass, one musky to the hole, one pickeral, the odd rockbass and maybe a dozen sunfish. Certainly haven't seen the sunfish leaving the lake by the cooler-load.

I'm just surprised a Ranger can't handle that weight without squatting. 225 lbs is no more than a large person sitting on your tailgate. What would happen if you ever put a proper payload (700 or 800 lbs) in the box? Are you sure there isn't another issue with the suspension. Last year on our camping trip, I towed a fully loaded 16' boat (with most of our gear in the boat I'm sure the tonque weight was close to 250 lbs), plus a 12 foot tinny and more gear (including a 9.9 motor) in the box. Four of us in the cab and I doubt my Dakota squatted more than a couple of inches, barely noticable... Now I know the Dakota is a slightly bigger truck, but I would think the Ranger suspension shouldn't bottom out so easily. It is a truck afterall.

Hey Ron, that must've been yesterday we were fishing near you. We haven't been doing so well down there lately. Today we stayed north of the causeway. We caught a few nice perch every spot we tried, but the bite was never really on. The lunker was one of the last fish for the day. The cordless doesn't really do as well as we had hoped. Only about 4 holes per battery. We had two batteries so at least that was 8 less holes we had to hand crank both yesterday and today. I think a 5" auger would be much easier on the drill than my 6". Today we fished alot of holes we had been at earlier in the week, we could just break them out with a crowbar. A power auger is definitely in need before next season. Hand cranking holes through 18 or 20 inches is just no fun at all.

My buddy with a monster...12 1/2"!! What a beast!!!

Can you imagine how expensive hydro would be if Dalton had his fingers in the pie. We would probably be subsidizing useless wind farms in Collingwood with our hydro bill. Instead I'm sure we'll be subsidizing them through the HST to some extent, so I guess what's the difference.

We had a premier like that once...Mike Harris. Now fifteen years later, he is apparently all that is wrong with the world. Talk about spin.

I'm certainly no fan of the new tax, believe me! ...but that statement is actually true. Currently there is 5% GST and 5% RST (PST for accommodation tax) for a total of 10% tax charged when renting a hotel/motel room. The HST will raise that to 13%. I agree with you though, the spin that they are putting on this is so transparent, why do they bother.

...and I'm hoping that future generations have the opportunity to enjoy a winter fishery in the Kawarthas. Judging by the numbers of children I've seen out with their parents on the ice enjoying the experience so far, I'm sure they will. I'm glad you visit often and enjoy the area, isn't it great people can now enjoy all year long? Why not plan a winter trip and see what I mean first hand. You can hardly consider yourself a resident if you've only been in the warm summer months.

The fact we enjoy ice-fishing in our own backyard makes you angry? I don't get it, you need to relax and go fishing. I did today, and it was great. We had a beautiful day out on the ice, with virtually no expense. My buddy took home about a dozen nice perch, I hope you don't mind there might be a few less when you come up for your annual trip. Remember we live here all year long. I find it mildly offensive that you would have such a strong opinion on what I might do with my free time, fully within the law of the land. Officials finally came to their senses and opened up a huge part of the province to a winter fishery, it's about time! I think nobody could remember anymore why it wasn't allowed in some form or another in the first place. I've done my part for the local economy as well, having to outfit myself with all the necessary gear to fish regularly on th ice. I've probably spent in excess of $1000 on stuff since Christmas I probably never wouyld have bought otherwise, and guess what? I don't begrudge a penny of it. The winters are long and this has been one of the most enjoyable of my life. I would say I'm sorry for making you angry, but I'm having too much damn fun!

Greg, Do you have the opportunity to ice-fish back home in Ohio? If so, why do you begrudge us the same opportunity? I've lived on the shore of Upper Buckhorn for almost 14 years now, and until this year, was never allowed to drill a hole. Very frustrating at the least to have to travel at least an hour and a half in any direction to be able to fish in the winter when I have countless acres of safe ice right outside my door. I've fished every available day this winter and just love it. In fact I'll be heading out very shortly on Chemong for what could be a T-shirt day on the ice, what could be better? Who are you to deny me this? Even though I've fished probably 20 full days on the ice between Buckhorn & Chemong, I've only brought home a reasonable meal of perch and sunfish (about a dozen fish, Nanna's math is right) for my girlfriend and I 3 times in total. I could have filled buckets, but like the majority of fishermen, I try to be responsible and enjoy the opportunity with out abusing the resource.

A few buddies and I have ice-fished at Birch Hill a couple of times 5 or 6 years ago. We had a great time, the cottages are first rate (the first year, the cottage we had for 4 of us was bigger than my house) and definitely would be considered "Dutch Clean". I know you'll be there summer time, but the ice huts were first class as well. In winter time, the camp is run by Henry, the owner's son, (well, actually mostly by Henry's wife, lol). I don't know if he's around in the summer, but he's great guy, makes sure everyone has a blast. We didn't learn the lake much, just fished where Henry had his huts, but I think there's a good variety of structure to the lake. We caught a few pike, a few pickeral and quite a few perch. Have fun, it's a beautiful area.

...damn Americans...

OK...I did the math... 300 fish...3 - 6 fish each...feeds a family of 50 -100 (that's a big family) Family of five (seems more reasonable)...thats 10 - 20 meals. I couldn't imagine going on a fishing trip and bringing home enough fish to feed my family 20 meals, that's just greedy. It's even worse if you figure the whole family of five came along for the trip, then they could take home as many as 1500 fish, or enough for as many as 50 - 100 meals, once or twice a week for the entire year. If your clients are cancelling their trips because that's not enough fish, maybe it's better they stay home.

If you can't control your car when the power steering fails, you probably shouldn't be driving. What do you think happens when your engine unexpectedly stalls? Seems preferrable to unexpected acceleration anyday.

The walleye season is also now closed on Scugog as well and huts have been removed. You can still go out for panfish on the lake though.

Probably because no one has or probably will be killed by this defect...

Is it available on-line?