muskymatt

Murphy point is a beautiful provincial park, Big Rideau lake is awesome. Clear water with lots of structure it offers great laker fishing along with excellent bass and good pike fishing, walleye can also be found in the shallower end of the lake. Lots of privacy at the park and a great launch and nice beaches, canoe rentals and night time activities. They also offer boat in camp sites and have a museum and a store. I have been to the Rideau the last 13yrs in a row either camping or, more recently, renting a cottage on an island. Good fishing, nice scenery, clear water....you can't go wrong.

I have a 2005 Trailblazer, with 4x4 and have never in my life owned such a piece of complete total garbage. It has cost me over $10k in the last 18 months and now my A/C is kaput and also my 4x4 transfer case is broken. I have maintained this truck well since I got it in 2006, and now on top of the amount I paid for it, and the over $10k I have already put out(not even including the warranty work of over $7200)< now I could possibly be hit for another $4000. Has anyone else had issues like this, I'm not sure I can afford to keep it, and it's paid off.... People...stay away from Chevy Trailblazers...they suck you dry.....complete total garbage product.....be forwarned

My condolences.....looks like a great dog.

Fishing that area hardly qualifies you to comment on the Arnprior area. Better spend another 20yrs fishing it before giving advice lad.

The Ottawa above the Fitzroy dam is closer to Oligotrophic waters than the lower, which watersheds include low lying farmlands. The rocky shores and deeper cooler water above the dam tend to be clearer than below the dam. The waters can be stained after rough weather and lots of rain but not nearly like the lower. It is usually pretty clear. Pike fishing can be good above the Bonnechere river and Pickeral are typically found in the usual haunts...deeper water during the day and off current areas pretty much all the time. Where abouts is your friends cottage? I might be able to be more specific

great report an sweet pictures!!!! thanks M.

Soon Mike.....soon

More pics, and I'm getting close to actually start putting it all back together, made some great progress this weekend, next weekend is the re-assembly. Part of the aluminum transom sandwich (inner wall) was too thin for my liking and was pretty much like swiss cheese, and was even 3pcs instead of one solid one.....it was rebuilt....nice piece of aluminum! Clean, prime with aluminum primer and then paint Blue to match the console I rebuilt last year!! The old one.... Very expensive marine ply...not to be screwed up,,,,measure twice cut once Clamp, clamp and clamp some more......2 part epoxy to glue together and seal coat the whole new transom Ready to be installed, nice solid piece of wood.... Next week, the finished product

Make sure it's stamped marine plywood, mine has 13 layers per 3/4", it's heavy and very solid

Marine plywood, it'll match the 1.5" thickness when epoxied together, and yes, hopefully it'll be like new!

Yes it will be...the bottom part will give me a start and I'll trace the back end onto a template and test fit until it's right. Nothing has been easy so far and I don't expect that to change Can't imagine the potential complete failure from it being so bad. Being a 1985 boat it was due.

Well I'm almost ready to start rebuilding, over 20hrs into it, a couple bandaids, beers and plenty of $#@&$#@ing.... Amazing how much you have to dismantle to change a transom, hopefully it'll outlast the boat when I'm done. Here are a few pics in reverse order Finally out, some aluminum work needed to be done and I'll be replacing the inside aluminun part of the transom wall, it was too thin for my liking, the outside is still in great shape...boy did it need this though Rotted, soft, stinky and water logged....brutal to get out....what a mess Some pics of the old transom still in place, motors off and ready to take the bolts out

Braid for all Muskie fishing, 80lb for casting, 100 lb for trolling, powerpro is my choice. 150lb fluorocarbon leaders for all baits except topwater walk the dog or glide baits, then I use 12" single strand wire

Great info...thanks I now have my certified marine 3/4" plywood, I took the 9.9merc kicker off and have it stored away until the refit is possible. Lot's of screws and bolts in the transom, all are going to be replaced with new ones. Once I got the cap off the transom....wow...was it bad, good thing I decided to do this now, especially with the new 115 etech going on next month. Wood was pretty spongy and had very little structural integrity, all the makings of a disaster. I'll post some pics soon of the step by step, getting the spray foam out is going to be fun, a must with the location of the nuts that have to go back in.....looks like a bigger job than I though, but no probs it'll be worth it when done.

I'm replacing the transom wood on my boat, it is a 20', 1988 center console springbok and has a 1-1/2" marine plywood (holy crap not cheap!!!) transom sandwiched by aluminum. So far the removal is going good and I'll have to template it to get the proper replacement to fit back in. My question is, what is the best way to treat the new transom wood? I figured it would be best to give it a scealant or some kind of coating , the edges are going to be cut wood so I was thinking of either wax or epoxy....any help would be welcomed. thanks Matt

The lineups are definitly testament to that Lew, which (line ups) are another of my reasons to bugger about tim's...nothing worse that having to put down my cup of home brew to negotiate around the line ups which extend out on the busy street, rush hour traffic at 7am....should be a law abgainst that. But their apple fritters are delicious..can't argue there.

Tim's coffee is garbage and their food is even worse. If you're going to be a Timiot you'll undoubtedly pay in more ways than one.

Losing a member of the family is a heart wrenching experience, we've had our chocolate lab (copper) for almost ten years and he is my boy, he is starting to show signs of his age. My condolences on your loss, I'm sure you have enough memories to last a lifetime, a very beautiful dog.

Not enough imo....should have been the rest of this year plus playoffs and 25 games next year...

Habs fan no doubt! That said I'm not getting into that debate again .....good luck with it.

I have a great contact, heated, indoors with security, less than$70 per month

What????? Are you kidding, Chara's hit was only bad because of bad rink design. Cookes hit was a deliberate elbow to the head, premeditated, intentional, and a complete example of goon hockey. Comments like yours are whats going to have hitting banned from hockey.

To catch my first on the fly rod. Having done much practice casting and attended casting clinics, seminars, symposiums and read a couple books, I am ready for the water and have fies, leaders, tippets and a 5wt, 6wt and 8wt rods I hope to be able to get one of each of these this year Gar pike Rainbow trout LM bass SM bass Walleye Pike Brookies Striper (going to NB this summer for a tournament) Crappie and a few other salmonoids if possible And.....to increase my pb muskie on the Ottawa to a legal fish of 54"

I'll have plenty of the hands on experience before the first launch of the season. As soon as I get it out of storage, I have to take the kicker off, rebuild the transom wood with marine ply and then take it in for the new etech 115 to be installed, then it's repair the carpet, install a new center console seat, all the electronics and then fishy time.... lots of work but it'll be like new so it's worth it...