Reef Runner

I'd focus on a smaller Kawartha lake with the kiddos, lots of good fishing and I'm sure finding a family friendly resort is only a google search away. Personally, my favourite camping within two hours of the GTA is the moon river area. https://moonrivercottages.com/ Bill will set you up right; always has a reliable boat on hand - not sure if he does pontoons. Good luck

Stayed here on one occasion for a weekend. Only caught small mouth, nothing big. It was pretty tough with artificials, had more luck using live worms.

Headed to a cottage around Kearney this May 2-4 and was reading they got whitties in there. Never targeted them. Water should still be cold come a few weeks. What depths would they be holding at? Any preferred presentations? I'll be long-line trolling for early season lakers (stocked) so hoping to tie into an incidental whittie. Thanks fellas, Reef

Try using a search bait to find them. I like a rapala J05 in fire-tiger. Fan cast an area and once you've caught one, zero in on the spot with micro jig under a slip-bobber. On my home kawartha lake, they could be anywhere this time of year as much of the vegetation and bottom structure is similar. Warmer bays on the west and north side of a waterbody I feel warm quicker.

Hit opener this weekend. I arrived at my spring run spot as the sun was rising around 5:30am, guys were already there lining the banks. River was high, fast and dirty. My usual bottom bouncing rig with a blown up worm was of no luck, moved to a tied bag...45 min into I land a nice eater sized rainbow. That was it. Nobody else landed anything that I saw, packed up around noon.

Awesome day on the water.

It was many summers ago, but I camped out of Rene Brunelle Provincial Park on Remi lake, which is I think is about 20 min East of Kapuskasing. Out of our canoe we chucked spoons for big pike around the islands and narrows in the Southern end of the lake. Talked to some guy who said good walleye can be found on shoals but we were blind and this was before any of us had the navionics maps (back then I don't think the app existed lol - I had a siemens phone). He also said there was a smaller lake with a creek between there and Kapuskasing that held small brookies but we never ventured out there and I don't recall the name. Never went into town itself so couldn't speak to the river. I imagine it would hold pike and walleye.

Was going to my local Sail to stock up on a few things to get ready for spring run rainbows; sinkers, swivels, gapped hooks, leader material 4-6lbs. I'm usually successful using worms, blowing them up with a little air to make them buoyant, then thought...maybe a floating jig head will work. Asked dude working the counter and, bam, so many ways to rig for rainbows from floats to drop shot to three way swivels. How do you rig up for your spring run rainbows? Thanks, Reef

l was up at Canal over the weekend. Lake still frozen over, trent waterway was wide open. Ice moved around a few stump fields, will have to mark when boating season begins. Water was low...they usually adjust the level in May.

I've done the lugging a battery through the bush many a time...not fun. Word to the wise on the four-strokes: when transporting or even when setting it down be sure to lay it down where the markers indicate. If done improperly oil will leak out of the crank case and can cause problems firing it up. Happens with my 9.9 merc four stroke if not stored upright.

Braid to flouro leader. You could do straight braid but them spring time pikes love splicing braid. Uni-to-uni knot between the two lines, rapala knot to the bait for the extra action. Reef

That was awesome. I've dropped so many things down an ice hole you would think I'd be a great basketball player.

Charged not convicted, so there's a presumption of innocence here on both charges. I can see the argument if you've made the decision to get in the car but if the driver makes a bad/reckless judgment call like says "hey lets try and skip this open patch of water over there" and start gunning for it, what are you going to do? I don't know all the details so don't want to comment more; condolences to the family of the lost

At first I thought one of those fish is flopping into that open hole (my luck); nice it came back the other side

Beauty! Love seeing these boats around GBay, tough for sure. Congrats on the purchase.

My folks are in the Kawartha's closer to Lindsay and also have xplornet. They don't have many complaints maybe during a heavy downpour. Can't speak to it during the winter as they are snow birds, living the dream. We cut the telephone cord for them and got them the Magic Jack that hooks up to your computer, assigned a Toronto area number, saves a ton of $$$ also when they go down South in the winter because its a local call for us. Look into it.

I would also check out Lac Kipawa. There are many lodges to choose from with American plans. The main lake is very big, great laker and walleye fishing. Ask your operator if there are any guided back lake pike options. I went a few years ago with Eastview Cabins (sadly I think they are out of operation as I don't see their site on the www anymore). George, owner of Eastview who was also in his 80s, walked us into back lake chalk full of pike. (Guy was a beast - ran a lodge, walked us through the bush and oared our butts around the lake all day even though we pleaded with him for one of us young guys to take over, more pleading with him just to pick up a rod and catch a few with us, took us out one morning to introduce us to laker fishing and even let us borrow gear for our week stay! Amazing man) I swear it was a pike every cast with a large spoon. Some were giants but the majority were healthy 6-8lbs. Word to the wise, should you choose Kipawa, make sure you get your non-residence license and stay within all size/slot/keep limits. They don't mess around with enforcement up there - they'll board you with a german shepard and measure your catch, happened to us and heard it happens often.

Sweet report.

Good on ya Dave representing the True North Strong and Free! Still looking for my 50 inch Georgian Bay Musky, can never beat the 47 mark. Still trying to get my girlfriend on any sized-ski (for all the hours I put her through with only pike to show lol). 15inch perch do exist, out of all places I got once bass fishing on Canal a few years ago. Had a forehead on it. Agreed, saltwater fish are a different alien...headed down to Florida in December, can't wait! While those silver kings are a hoot I spend my time chasing Spanish mackerel, tasty buggers if you can get in them.

Cool catch. I was up on the Pickerel last year about 3rd week of October and the water was higher than I've experienced too. Also a tough fish, managed one ski that was under 30 inches trolling a 10 Jake.

7 foot Fenwick HMX paired with shimano 2500 ci4 is my main stick for anything from bass to pickerel. 8'6 St. Croix heavy with a Shimano chronarch 7:1 gear ratio for the bigger baits. Some say the chronarch is too lite and I should up it to a round-reel but I just like the feel of it and the storm trooper never let me down.

I've owned a few compres over the years. Still use a jig and worm in medium. That's an older model for sure, later models were black/dark green. in addition to use as others said, I'd believe that would be a good stick for tossing spinner baits.

Beauties

Nice Fish.

Fish the moon quite a bit but haven't been able to go out this fall. Best bet is West of the straight. Rock piles for smallies, I drop shot a leach pattern. Got a few pike this year on husky jerks and blue fox inline spinners in weedy bays. Of the 10-12 or so years regularly fishing the moon only got 3 ski's, all trolling, downsized lures in shallow with deep water within feet. Biggest was a hawg of a 47 on a walleye diver inadvertently caught trolling for fall eyes, so lucky my line didn't break had the drag set really loose and tightened up because I thought I snagged the bottom then came the head shakes along with my knees. Was not wearing a yellow jacket at the time lol. Good luck.