Jer

Apparently through the ice, all you need is a tiny teardrop jig with a Gulp minnow head. I got (and immediately released of course) a 3 lb largemouth just yesterday on Chemong. A bunch of perch and a few sunfish also liked the offering. For summertime bassin'. it's hard to beat a senko-type bait, wacky rigged for flippin' under docks. Early morning and in the evening, throw a topwater like a Pop'R out there. Most of the lake holds good largemouth and smallmouth.

I would be very careful modifying a boat in this way. My first boat was a used Grumman 16' aluminum that had been modified just like that. The middle bench had been removed and a full floor & casting decks were added. Within a few years, the entire hull started to split right along the line of the floor and the boat would leak like a sieve. By the time I found the full extent of the damage, the boat was scrap. I was lucky the hull didn't just peel right apart while out on the water one day.

Don't take it personally...I just don't think we have too many members who fish that area regularly. I see very few reports from Muskoka. Always better to play safe, if you don't know...don't go. ]

I've still got my 2001. It's been a great truck, although it did cost be a new tranny at about 123,000 km. The V6 is little bit underpowered (more of a gearing issue I think, likes to come out of OD up a grade) and heavy on fuel, but if yours , like mine, has the 3.9L V6 (pre 2002) rather than the 3.7L, it's a good strong motor that will last for years. I drove a Jeep Liberty with the 3.7 for a while and it was even heavier on fuel than my Dakota. Good luck with the truck.

...oh ya, that makes me feel so much better...as long as Obama has been told...

...as long as we get some snow from now til then, otherwise bring your skates.

It was the only way Brandon could figger to hold up all his fish at once for the picture. They came home in a white bucket of course.

More devastation on Buckhorn today. We musta caught 20 or 30 perch in a few hours. We let them all go just to keep everybody happy . Fished in about 8' of water with a little bit of weed. A heads up for anyone venturing out on Upper Buckhorn. Be careful, we found some pretty wonky ice out there, 12" and then 30' away, only 4"!

Thanks, Lew But I can hardly call it working. Going out to play on Buckhorn shortly, before the rain comes.

I'm sure you know...3 x 0 is still 0...

After another day of fishing Chemong, we finally got to taste the fruit of our labours. We fished deeper early in the day and couldn't buy a bite. We moved to a couple of shallower spots and got into some fish... ...well Brandon got most of them as you can see above. He was fishing as shallow as 4'. We also managed a few sunfish which was a first for me through the ice. And then this... ...miraculously turned into this... ...for a midnight snack.

...or at least put the car into neutral, who cares if the motor blows up at that point. I can understand the panic though, my first car was a '77 Cutlass Salon, and once the pedal stuck on me, scared the crap out of me, all I could think to do was stamp on the pedal a few times and thankfully it released.

I don' t think anybody is saying that only or all Americans take a lot of fish, but the main argument presented by the Rice Lake Tourist Association against a limit on sunfish is that their mainly American clientel would be upset with a limit. I have seen first hand the non-resident affection for Bluegill. I used to deal with the Ennismore Inn & Resort on Pigeon Lake who catered almost exclusively to American anglers. Once, several years ago while making a call in mid-July, I asked how the fishing was and what people were catching. The owner told me everybody in camp was fishing for Bluegill, 15 or 20 cottages worth of anglers. I took a look around at license plates and there were trucks from as far away as Colorado, all fishing for Bluegill.

I've got the same hut, Jocko, and just love it. I've used mine three weekends in a row, we've become quite the pros at set-up and tear down. One tip I can offer is to peg down the corners of the windward side before popping the top and sides, It gives you something to pull against, then peg down the other two corners. We can be set-up and fishing less than five minutes after arriving at a spot. The most time consuming part is drilling the holes, I need a power auger.

If you can find a Costco with some still in stock, they were selling for less than $180.

I think it's the same picture of the same guy...he could be passed out I guess, but he looks pretty damn comfy...

I got one from Costco for Christmas... It's kinda crowded with three, but for two people, it's ideal. The best feature is you can stand fully upright.

...and what about the new regs prevents you from continuing this voluntary program. Nobody says you have to keep 30 big ones. Before the changes, people could keep as many as they want. I'm not really understanding your concerns with the new regs.

I understand that not all non-resident anglers are taking boat-loads of panfish every trip. However, I was at the FMZ-17 meeting last year in Peterborough and there were a couple representatives from the association in question present. There largest concern was that the proposed (at the time) 300 fish limit on sunfish, as well as the size restrictions were going to seriously affect many of their US visitors desire to visit. They just wouldn't be able to take enough fish home. To me 300 fish each is plenty for anyone. The lake isn't meant to be a grocery store to fill the freezer. As far as the ice fishing goes, I don't really understand why they care. They should look at as a long term business opportunity. I've driven around most of the Rice Lake in the last week and, besides around Bewdely where the ice is very safe, there really are hardly any people fishing. Granted, this may change over the years. I've been mostly on Chemong, and although it looks pretty busy, there are probably less than 40 or 50 fisherman on the lake any given Saturday. I live and have fished on Buckhorn a couple times so far, and there is virtually nobody fishing this lake at all. Hardly the raping and pillaging that was feared. As long as everybody follows the rules, and those that don't are dealt with harshly, plays safe on the ice as most do everywhere else in the province, we should all have a good time. The association on Rice Lake had the opportunity to voice their opinion, which they did, and I'm sure the MNR gave their concerns proper consideration. But in the end, with good bio research to validate their decision, they decided the way they did. Now the association has sour grapes. So far, since the new regs came into effect, I've spent almost $700 on ice fishing equipment because now I can do it at home.

I've got my parents old Bon Air 800 parked at my place. It's over 30 years old, and although not road worthy right now (hasn't moved for years, definitely would need at least tires and bearings), we use it all summer long for any extra visitors or kids that want to sleep in it. It sets up in a few minutes, comes down even quicker, and the canvis is still in good shape. I had to do some work on one corner of the roof where it leaked a bit after I whacked it with the boat years ago. If you take care of a trailer like that, you'll get years of service and the resale value can be substantial. I don't think I'll ever take mine camping anymore, I would rather take the boat and sleep in a tent, or sell it. It just comes in too damn handy around here.

75% to the good side so far...

Rob runs a quality operation. I only fished there once several years ago and we had a great time. Been to Snofarti as well, there is no comparison, the place is a joke.

Retarted...when a rich old man dumps his trophy wife for a newer model

You must have missed the channel. The water on the Tri-lakes is down about two feet which is normal for this time of year. They certainly haven't dropped it six feet.

...so what's your point?