Jer

...anywhere from 3' - 6'...with the bait only 12" - 18" below the float.

Like what seemed most boats on Buckhorn yesterday, we gave up on the pickerel bite early and decided to see if the crappie might be a bit more cooperative. They certainly were...3 or 4 different spots throughout the day and we caught countless numbers and lotsa keepers for a fish fry. This was probably the best of the bunch... What a beauty day... I'm sure some people did well for pickerel on the Tri-Lakes, but we just don't seem to have the patience...especially with so many tasty crappie to be had...

Geez Ryan, if only you could sell on the street as good as on here...

We were out on Buckhorn last night for a couple hours...only managed five crappie, but all were on the big size (one was a monster). We couldn't seem to find the "spot on the spot" and get into any numbers. We kept all five for a pre-dinner appetizer...yummy 'crappie delights'.

Must have been an oversight by the MNR...referring to a boundary that doesn't really exist anymore since Victoria County amalgamated into the City of Kawartha Lakes.

I had to replace my 'poppin' rod last year after kicking it into Katchawanooka... I like a fairly light spinning rod for most topwater (mostly throw a Pop'R) but it really comes down to the size and action of the bait. I have some bigger poppers and torpedoes that I throw with a baitcaster. I went with a 6'6" Shimano medium action, fast tip (lure weight 1/8 - 1/2 oz). I think it's a Clarus (one step down from the Compre, but it had a softer tip). The comparible Compre was rated 3/16 - 5/8 oz lure weight (same as my Compre baitcaster, now that I think about it).

Sounds like an electrical short somewhere. Rocky's Tackle Repair in Orillia is the man for Minn Kota.

The Trent canal at the lift-locks is stocked with rainbow every year for a kids fishing derby. I guess it's possible for some of these fish to make it down river to Rice Lake.

We found temps on Pigeon & Buckhorn anywhere from 49 to 58 F on Saturday, but couldn't find any crappie. On Sunday, we shore fished from my buddy's marina on Chemong and got into about 100 crappie within 3 hours, mostly smaller ones, barely a keeper in the bunch. Don't know what the water temp was there.

My company car is a 2005 Malibu Maxx with a 3.5L V-6. I'm surprised by some of the poor mileage on some of the smaller cars such as Doug's Mazda. With the warmer weather (and a new air filter), I'm getting about 7.8L/100km with the same approx highway/city split. This is with over 200hp under the hood, a much bigger car and loaded up with my work tools. Don't go running out and buy one though, the car has had too many problems to list (mostly steering related), but I think GM has a winner with this 3.5L V-6 drivetrain engine and tranny have had no work done at almost 135,000 km (and goes like snot, but mileage is definetely related to foot weight).

The level is down a couple inches on the Tri-Lakes, but still about a foot over normal. I saw a bunch of dead carp on the weekend, just off the Chemong causeway, Bridgenorth end on the south side. They were all congregated together and I haven't seen any elsewhere...hopefully just winter kill.

...have you ever noticed where they cinch the big strap to make the broncos and the bulls buck?

The Tri-Lakes are still on the rise...most of my neighbour's docks are under water (along with my firepit), some were re-arranged by the departure of the ice on Wednesday and I have to wait to flip my dock into the water. Apparently the water is still supposed to rise another 6" by Monday and then start to recede...

Lotsa beautiful pups on here (man I hate dial-up). Here's a couple pics of my Bear, He'll be 11 years old this summer...

You gotta be kidding, right? Sounds like communism...how did that work out? The LCBO might not be your best example, since we pay about double for our booze compared to the US.

I don't think they do...Hossa is just a rental. He'll want at least 9 million come summer time, and no way Pittsburgh can afford that under the cap. Makes for a great team short term...make a run at the cup...never a guarantee though. I think all the GM's are still on a steep learning curve...trying to figure out how to build and maintain a good team for more than a year or two (or a few weeks) in a salary cap world.

What draft picks did Fletcher trade away?...I musta missed something.

Obviously staged... ...you can see the cop cars down the street waiting til the robbers got in their car...

I put a stainless prop on when I bought my new motor (Johnson 70 2-stroke) for my old boat and I was instantly impressed, so impressed that I bought the prop. Certainly makes you more careful though, 8 seasons so far and not a ding.

...another vote for Silver Thread Excalibur... I've used it for several years on all my rods in various sizes. Very strong for a mono and I find that it untangles better than many other lines, works well in the winter as well.

I did a lot of driving yesterday in the Haliburton area and must have passed at least fifty lakes between Carnarvon, Haliburton, Wilberforce, Bancroft and back down to Buckhorn...I wouldn't step foot on any of them, really nasty looking ice, lotsa open water, lotsa running water and the shorelines are all broken up. Hardly an ice-hut to be seen anywhere. Boshkung, Maple, Grass, Kashagawigamog, Baptiste, Paudash...you name it...they all looked terrible. Water levels are up to spring run-off levels, higher than I saw all last summer. The main ice may be OK...getting off the shore would be a challenge. Maybe a few days of colder temps will firm things up, but this weekend could be tricky. Play Safe!

I renewed on-line for a new card (what a scam) and 3-year sport license. I was able to print off a temp license (to be kept with my expired card) and I'm good to go. My buddy renewed the same over the phone at about the same time (a few weeks ago) and is still waiting for his new card and isn't supposed to fish until he gets it. We have a trip booked in a couple weeks...I hate to have to tell him "I told you so".

The E-test is good for 6 months I believe. The safety will have expired...

Clear & calm last night with a low of -13C. My bay on Upper Buckhorn is frozen all the way to the open lake. I don't know how thick most of it is, but it looks like more than I would want to break a boat through. The south end of Pigeon is very shallow, I wouldn't be surprised if it froze most the way across last night. No temps above freezing til Sunday.

I also have a 2001 V-6 (3.9L) 4x4 club-cab. It's been a great truck, though it did cost me a new transmission (almost $2500) a few years ago. I've got about 135,000 km on it now. All the mileage is front-end loaded, used it as a work truck for the first couple of years and piled 115,000 km on. Now it's strictly a weekend vehicle, only 20,000 in the last four years. If I can keep the mileage down, I hope to have the truck for a long time to come. As previously noted, the 3.9L loves the gas. I drove a Jeep Liberty for a while with the 3.7L V-6 (now the standard in the Dakota) and it was even worse (even in a much smaller vehicle). My one regret with the purchase...shoulda had a V-8!...more power and better mileage.