Moosebunk

Had the same tires. Carlisle Sport Trail... Wore out all 3 the exact same way within 4 years, rotating each tire through the shoulder-side or outside of the trailer. As eluded to on the tirewall, I ran them at 32psi as well, despite my Pop's saying that's too low a pressure. Anyhow, Princess Auto put Carlisle's on sale and the only difference between these worn out tires and what I replaced them with was the tires width. 1/2 inch less on the new Carlisle tires... and they didn't look as though they were quite as "tough." Running these new Carlisle tires at about 44-45psi, two years later and 4 lead-footed trips Ottawa to Thunder Bay and plenty more time on the road, they're hardly worn looking at all. Tire pressure I'm convinced is your issue here.

Great shooting Rob. Sitting here with my old hunting and trapping buddy Abel who hunts plenty too, he says they're nice ones!

They'd have gotten away with it too if it wasn't for some meddling kids. No way these guys were basket fishing Pros though... Cause them real Pros would have their fish baskets wrapped in Fishoflauge! See!!! Clearly they're not winners, nor very bright.

Lew... you'll have to come fishing with me up on Joe's Lake. Maybe with your luck we can jig up one lost wedding band. Kool find the knife dood!

Late June found this guy hanging around the side of the house... Today... They're crafty rodents. Bren snared the first, the momma. Today we got this one. Still thinking there's one more around. Critter ridder, moth balls, vinegar... nothing like that gets them gone. Even this trap it managed to get in and out of many times without setting off the door. Last fall it was skunks digging up the grubs over the septic tank and bed. Destructive but not as worrisome as a family of groundhogs burrowing around at the side of the house.

Great little 1000th post. Quality pics of perfect times. Thanks.

Just finishing a two week orientation to the hospital in 2000 and beginning a nightshift. Quite green still to nursing with only a little E.R. experience. No significant training at all to Advanced Cardiac Life Support and Trauma practices. Other nurse attending the ward patients... Ambulance drops a 21 year old man on the single stretcher in the E.R. He's been clothes-lined by a telephone pole guy wire doing about 80km/hr on his skidoo. Onto our monitor and checking responsiveness... One pupil reacts, the other doesn't. FTW!!? Check again, neither respond. Monitor shows a heartbeat, patient is pulseless. FTW!!? Call "CODE BLUE." (in Skat this means, security starts phoning on-call RN and anyone available at home and willing to come in and help) Four days of the month an MD comes to town, he happens to be in the Doctor's suite and is called in this time as well. Despite 50 minutes of effort we lose the man... likely to hemothorax.. or cardiac tamponade.. maybe combined with some other sort of hypovolemic shock. When I came out of the ER room the hospital waiting room and reception area was full with people. Probably 100 or more. As many as could fit in the doors. So many crying. The Catholic Priest soon arrived and a long ceremony took place on the spot. All the words he spoke were in Cree. The people sobbing... even howling some of them. The impact of this incredible. A mourning unlike anything I had ever witnessed, and extremely powerful in that moment... Couple days later the town laid that young man to rest. It was my first funeral in Skat. The Stores, School, Offices... EVERYTHING shut down during those hours. The entire community stopped to pay respect. The church exploded with people and the community channel broadcast the entire thing. From the church the Pallbearers carried the casket down the road to the grave site, while so many walked along with. It is always like this. Nearly 10 years later when my wife lost her sister, it was even more cogent... Despite hardships known from isolation, past repression and also, many peoples personal choices and attitudes as well, one thing which I have learned to really quite admire of the northern Cree culture through years spent is, the incredibly deep roots to community and family. My only wish would be that I could see it more often from even more people, and see this more often too from outside of tragedy and loss, and instead in everyday normal life.

That was great Mike. Quite enjoyed.

Yes Steve, the low-end junky seats would be my "only" complaint as well. Any future Lund purchase and the entire deal would be set in stone when I finally add, "and ohhhh yeah, at no extra cost you're going to put in your top of the line seats with an air-ride pedestal for the captain or, my business goes elsewhere." Boats like vehicles, the home, skidoo, trailer, cottage, etc., are big purchases. Just as much an investment as anything else, and unless you're so totally loaded you can throw money away, you protect all your investments. Those screws two or three times a year all get checked and tightened, especially before and after long road trips. The wiring below the splash well gets cleaned out when the bottom of the boat and bilge gets spray cleaned too. The boat inside and outs gets a couple washes a year, with wax. The carpets scrubbed of blood and dirt and extra mats cleaned too. Boots and shoes covered in sand and mud while camping, get washed before stepping in then wiped on the mat, cause who needs that crap getting below the flooring to hold moisture, mildew and cause corrosion. This and more is all simple stuff, simple as covering the boat when not in use. I know too many guys that wouldn't even consider one of these things to do in a years time... For some though, it's second nature and not even a chore at all. Your boat will thank you as it ages gracefully.

Meegwetch! Wa-chay or Wah-chay Just on the James Bay coast alone are three different dialects of Mushkego Cree. The R, L & N dialects. R is more east where the language changes most. Skat is N, Albany/Moose more L. My name in Cree in Skat is "Andano." Down in the Moose it's "Andalo." Money as an example too, shooneeyan or shooleeyan. Outside of the four in the healing cirlce (sage, sweetgrass, etc) feathers I find have a significant place in many ceremonies, as do other things from the land itself. One example of something my brother-in-law did for our Uncle Stan's burial, eagle feather in the casket, as well as bringing hockey bag loads of sand and earth from Lake River (north of Attawapiskat) several 100 miles south to Moose Factory so his uncle could be laid to rest first on this soil and sand of his favorite place on earth, before his grave was filled. That sort of ceremonial practice isn't just tradition to some, it's very cultural. Before 12 months is up since last fall, I'll have been back six times for work. Looking forward to working in Nunavut this fall or winter as well. Plenty people come and go from the north only staying short periods, it's easy to walk away that way. A decade and family later, time is too invested and I can't stay away. These places have their issues, but they are better natural worlds, often without the different issues more urban places have elsewhere. It's cool your path Rick keeps one foot on each side...

Seriously... Hmph!!! My Rebel is a 2010... good thing it made that cut off I guess as I'd be hard pressed to find one person I personally know that's trailered their boat more days and further than I have mine in the past 6 years. Let alone, put in the hours on the water in pretty well every kind of situation. Not a leak, original paint and pin-striping still looks great, all flooring vinyl and carpet still fully intact, bilge and livewell are the original, never have replaced a fuse, wire, or anything. Even all but one of the snaps for the cover are original and still holding strong in the track. Here it is looking perfect last week on it's second trip to Nipigon this year. Many boats can and will last, more often than not it's the thought and care they're given that keeps them living longer.

Love everything about this thread bud!

Haha!! Southern issues eh!!. However, it's still totally disgusting "angler" (should I say, people) behavior. My vote, shut it down a couple years while coming up with a serious plan to police any trash littering the shores, but don't shut it down for good. There's anglers not fortunate enough to fish the lake, who still pay into fishing, who should have a share in enjoying salmon their way.

We've got yotes across the road and a pack of eastern wolves that do frequent this area. Up north it was mainly timberwolves that weren't around in the Moose as much, but always around up in Skat. I get what you did Rick. Letting the dogs run them out of town, especially with your large, young family, is understandable. I'm sure you're a pet owner who loves your dogs as much as the next person, but this said, not all pet owners make the same choices, have the same expectations, or even love their pets the same. A long story from winter 2001... one of my first experiences with wolves. Back and forth with quitting smoking then, one day taking the cig break right out front the hospital doors I stepped into a crowd of about 40 people. My buddy Mike among them was furthest away, an off duty paramedic who lived next door, was leaning on his fence in tears. "What's going on," I asked a co-worker? "They're putting Mike's dog down." About two weeks prior to this my bother-in-law Joe knocked on my door during one March blizzard of an evening. He was tracking a wolf that had come into town, had already killed six dogs and fought numerous others. It was only just last seen fighting one of the biggest huskies in town, the next door dog, Niche. The two had it out inside the porch of my friends place, and when Mel opened her door to see this, she kicked the other "dog" in the arse and it took off. That dog was of course the wolf. Not 15 minutes after Joe left my place there were gunshots from the riverside, just down in front of the church, He caught up to the wolf and killed it. That wolf's head was sent south and a little over a week later it was reported back to Joe with NAPS that it been rabid. A big timberwolf, it slaughtered on it's own 10 or 12 dogs in town and was presumed to have come in contact or squabbled with 30 or more in total. With no way to control the pet population in Skat the number of strays or dogs loosely looked-after in the community was at a peak. Many communities in the north see cycles of dog populations that peak, until they are culled. And I've heard of some interesting ways that dog populations have been culled over the years... Because of this one wolf in Skat, the strays and any owned dogs that had contact with it, were to be destroyed. So I took two cigarettes on that break at work. Mike leaning on his fence balling while the NAPS officer chucked a dish of meat scraps down in front of his dog Spotty. On the chain, Spotty may have thought he was getting a treat, or maybe he thought little; as Mike later explained that his dog was in fact acting abnormal and it had been in contact with the wolf. Spotty leaned in for the food and was shot in the face. The bullet a little off the mark it got the dogs snout. The height that dog jumped into the air, the squeal like a pig noise it made while doing so, and then watching the animal try to bury it's own head into the ground is an image still as vivid in memory as the day it happened. It was over in a moment though, as the second bullet put the dog down immediately. I watched on, as the officer picked the dog up, hurled it over chain-link fence, clearing a ditch, and landing in the back of a pick-up truck with a box full of piled up dead dogs. 64 dogs were put down, some pets. Only a few owners paid the money to quarantine their animals properly, one of them my neighbor Mel who's big husky Niche survived that wolf unscathed. It doesn't take much in some places for things to get out of hand. In this case, just one wolf alone gone rabid wreaked havoc, and who knows what could have happened had it encountered any people that evening. Imagine too, the dogs not being culled afterwards, many turning rabid themselves. It's a no-win any way you slice it. It's not the first time nor will it be the last time for this kind of thing either, as wolves will hang close by some communities, to pick off stray dogs or anything else they can. Some will come in and take-out easy meals that are chained up too. And it could happen too outside any rural home or farm as well. Wonder what would have been said about this had I taken that smoke break outside the hospitals doors at Mt. Sinai, C.H.E.O. or some city place like that?

In last night from a real quick trip on and off the Nipigon and now catching up during a morning veg. Thanks Gordy! Your absolutely right, those pics are priceless to a gar and fish-nut like me. This fall it's planned they all get some more time out. The non edible part Joe I've heard the same. Believe that their eggs are toxic to other fish too. Millions of years of adaptation perhaps? But it'd be an interesting history to know exactly what uses the fish did have to our First Nations... Those scales could slice a few heads off. lol. Think so bud! Love me my girls. Thanks all.

Jiggin' skies is something I usually have to wait ti'll November for... Living on the Detroit and doing it all year round would be a blast. Nice little vid dood! Get's me itching to maybe road trip that way next month.

Thanks doods! Appreciated. Natural History Museum of Gar... I like that! That'd be sweet! You're welcome up here anytime. Never heard of anyone trying them. Ever! I'd have to wonder..? It's a totally different experience Chris. You're welcome to come up and try it sometime. Thanks Art. It's always the hope. Happy after the years you're still enjoying them. We're a little delayed on that phone call Mike. Apologies. We gotta fish and catch up bud.

There was one more in all of us to close out the season. The girls hadn't fished back-to-back or anything, even though the report might make ya think it. There was a contest with the Ottawa Sun to win a boat. The entry was simply a family fishing picture. My thinking, take the family out for a day of fun fishing gar and make something happen. Well, we did just that. Bren got on the board early with a long and lean gar, before the sun spent the next two hours behind the clouds. Fish shut down, we waited out the slow noon hours with lunch and laziness until finally the sky offered some windows of light. Back at it awhile, upon sighting a big silhouette in deeper water, I crept the boat up to the gar, presenting Bren good position for some casts. Several attempts before she made one count, her MMA training gives this woman vicious reflexes for hooksets, she KO'd it. And wanting it in the boat badly, still green I went for it fast and hoisted it to the deck. What an awesome way to finish the gar season. What a great day to remember. Gar definitely have a place in the annual fishing cycle. A favorite fish of mine to chase, the short season is one to look forward to each year. Around home there's an excellent population of these fish willing to smash and grab lures, and be that so, I'll happily reel in them big, gnarly, toothy, grinning, wily, beauty gar with attitude, any day of the week. Until next year... Bunk.

The weather turned to crap for a week and I was chomping at the bit to get back on the gar horse. Mike wanted to come along too. This dood is a natural and seriously always on fish, but not usually gar... though he should be! Since the first time he came out ti'll this time, he's caught great gar. Wind made it a tough outing overall yet of course Mike nailed a beauty neither of us could fully keep up with nor even really see at times while on our chase. This gar took dozens of casts before finally snapping. Simon and I met a decade ago when he had me aboard his boat to fish Christmas lakers on the Niagara Bar. Since then, we've stayed in touch and fished a number of other times including sturgeon together on the Fraser River in B.C. For the third season now, Simon's arrived at my doorstep after driving 8-hours to spend a day fishing gar. This year, he actually came for two days, but a gnarly cold front and big winds put the ki-bosh on any extra toothy fun. So instead, he got treated to some local crappie fishing. That cold front was wicked chilly. Immediately after the crappie with Simon, I took a second and last solo day of gar fishing for the season, and it was a good thing I went alone. The shallows were emptied right out. During prime season I had never witnessed this kind of desolation, no one would want to experience this shiznit. There were a few fish, maybe at most a dozen, but nothing I bothered to cast to. For the first time since 2010 and in well over 50 outings, I took my first skunk. In highschool with my friends Fraser and Steve, we would drive up to a shore spot during the late summer, catch a bucketload of leopard frogs in the short grass at the parking area, and proceed to chuck the kicking bait and bobbers out by the weeds for bass. It worked well. Between us we could expect anywhere from 20 to 60 largies in an evening, most fish 2 to 3 1/2 pounds. With those guys over the years we'd all do much more fishing, until eventually life slowed them down some. Not in a long while had we fished together but when it happened for gar this summer, these two surely beat the heck out of my gear and the fish. A day of gong and certainly overdue fun, bigguns did get caught. Lifelong friends it was awesome seeing these two. This guy "Skok" is wired. Living the good life as a hunting and fishing booking agent, guide and writer, Adrian is always busy on the go somewhere. His trophy book of fish and game at his young age would have many anglers and hunters drooling. Pinning him down for a days fishing is like chasing a rabbit. Offer up a carrot like a gar though; some exotic new specie, and he's feeding in no time. Our day was spent talking much about guiding, the NWT, hunting, fishing and plenty gar. He was fascinated and excited by the fish and experience, no question about that. And why wouldn't he be when the first gar he cast to smashed the lure, ripped him a new one, then weighed in super heavy. Yeah, Adrian is living a good life.... and check out on the shoulders busting out on his fish!!! ... and more gar pics. Some while talking to me. Managed eleven outings during the four weeks available for gar this spring and four different trips with the girls were most enjoyed. As I had said, Leah loves gar fishing now and one day just her and I escaped together. It wasn't planned, but the evening before she spiked a fever along with a few bouts of vomiting. Medicated, a good night sleep, she woke tired and kinda ify sick. The sun's vitamin D, lotsa water, Tylenol every 4-hours and some gar I figured would fix her, and it did. Bags under the eyes, she came around and fished like a champ during a day off from school. Could almost have wondered if she'd been faking sick just to play hooky, except little girls don't puke with fevers just for gar..? Do they? Fishing must have been the cure. My babies together it took some coaxing but Summer was willing to come along with Leah and I. My oldest is a girly girl now, and things like gar, slime, dirt, the outdoors, don't really interest her as much as friends, shopping, movies and Starbucks. Hopefully she comes around some eh!? Anyhow, it was in part a fish day, chill day, eat out day, swim day, and it appeared for Summer it was also a catch up on some sleep day too. Teenagers! Her smile is meant to be photographed though, so I was happy she made me happy reeling one in. Continued....

Where did summer go? Sitting down today just kinda sorta wiped right out, this sunny season has been a blur. It's hard to believe my girls are starting school again next week for it seemed like just yesterday I watched on as the youngest graduated into Junior High. Spring into summer fishing has flown by too, and having been away up north the past couple months for work, it's only really now there is this one short window to begin catching up on reports. Lagging furthest behind is the annual gar write-up. The pics had been uploaded to PhotoBucket for weeks with an intent to type away sometime soon but, some days soon kept bleeding into one another and now the barren trees in a few of the below pictures just won't quite fit with the changing reds beginning to brush upon our maples. Initially, I had wondered if there might be one or two later than usual fishing opps for these toothy dinosaurs, but travels and time wouldn't permit anything more after June. What could have been? This summer it has also been sung through the local gar gospel that a new Ontario Record has been caught close to home here in the valley. I'll be looking quite forward to reading about that. Since one of my earliest days in the Lund chasing these beasts, I have always considered past records and even my own PB's as merely stepping stones to bigger fish I knew to be swimming out there. Now I am left wondering just how big this new record will be? Life is not slowing down anytime soon. Been missing much while away, often without reliable internet and even phone. Some big choices this past year have lead to a life sorta changed, and in a coming report there might be time to elaborate more on that. For now, best get this going, for two more reports are waiting in the wings, one of them absolutely mammoth. Enjoy the read and pics. First outing this year the gar were found absolutely jam-pack-stacked in one area. The river level lower than I had ever seen for that early in a season, alongside the gar were largemouth, pike, carp, bullhead and panfish, pretty well everything already staging at prespawn. Swimming lethargically through these same frigid waters, schools of gar spread out and around as the boat crept slowly over the shallows. Spotting bigger fish was the goal. Many, many gar found were mid and up to high 40-inch range, though not among these main schools were the really big 50+ females which lurked outside and deeper. The hunt began. Breaking in a Terrova with a new-to-me pedal and remote, this first day was spent fumbling around too much. Overshooting good casting positions, over-steering, over-thinking, over and over opportunities were lost. Ten feet left off the bow an enormous gar appeared out of nowhere and I got it to snap on the lure before almost running it over. Couple headshakes, it gave my offering right back. But, this fish seemingly oblivious to the moment, staying on it with casts it snapped and took the lure again. Crazy mad fight, it jumped several times from the water, rolling on the line and reel-peeling away before again managing to free itself from the clutch. It sucked. The fish was PB range or better, hooked first day too, but from the time of first spotting it the boat never really had what felt like the optimal position for the best cast. Plenty of gar still around the day continued. For kicks I was planning on later piecing together a short report that would highlight my new gar fishing sponsor, "Duff Beer." Well, by days end six gar over 50-inches came aboard and another two came off, not including the giant. Could have been a nine over fifty day all before an early departure at 3:00pm, and that would have been better than pretty well anything ever heard of around here....... Stupid Terrova!!! But thanks to Duff Beer it still all went down smooth and easy, with a good buzz finish too. Sometime after that first day the dams must have been released on the Ottawa River. Water temps which had almost approached low to mid 70's plummeted into the 50's, reaching up to low 60's at best in the afternoons. The areas where fish could be found prespawn were totally vacant upon return, the level must have come up two or more feet, and plenty spots were real blown out. It was like someone hit the reset button on the gar game and a whole new season began. They surely are a uniquely pretty fish. Pictures like this remind me each time I look at them that despite their overall hardiness to being caught, they do have some weak spots always worth protecting. Gar will thrash in the boat but more often than not they remain docile. Treat them gently and it's found they often respond that way as well. When laying on the deck, this warm water specie with its durable armored skin protection and an ability to breathe a little out of water, gar can sustain a slightly greater length of time in handling. This said, it's most susceptible parts to damage are the eyes, tail and fins, so consider with care. For those eyes, if for any reason they're expected a delayed return or they are acting ornery, try placing a light wet cloth over their head. It's odd, but more often than not this also helps to solve any gar temper tantrums. The tails and fins of gar are softer than other fish. Under a blazing sun, on a hot carpeted deck, a fish lying too long can actually have it's rubbery fins fast dry and stick to the surfaced floor. It will happen once in a season that when you raise a fish up for a photo or lift to return it to the water, it will leave a small piece of itself behind. Best laid right on their belly seems to avoid this, a wet cloth under the fins could even help, but otherwise, just being aware and careful when lifting saves missing limbs. Lastly is the use of nets. This year over any other I caught more bigger gar missing big pieces of their tail and a number with entirely missing fins. Recent publications advocate for the use of a big net, but I don't. After the 2012 season I stopped; although still will only if unable to grab the fish safely. Said before, my recommendation is a thick pair of gloves or two doubled into one, a strong arm, a quick hand and a set of balls. At the gunnel be ready, reach fast and grasp the snout tight. Hold on firm. The fish may thrash two or three kicks but always knows quick that escape isn't happening. When ready, lift onto the deck. Tools always handy and measuring tape out, now you're already holding and controlling the gar as it lays. Remove hook, measure and prepare to photograph. Had this fish been netted, you could still very well be dealing with the snout and teeth stuck through the mesh, or fins and lures tangled up. When gar thrash in a net like any fish does, they will often roll, slice and injure. This doesn't happen hand-landing gar. My buddy Paul and I had been into the crappies when about a week later he finally came out for gar. Having never fished these beasts the hope was I'd find them grouped up some place... It wasn't going to happen like that. During the morning almost nothing was spotted and so we ended up running all over only to settle in on an area of decent numbers by afternoon. Paul lit into a first but it was his second and biggest fish that had him really fired up. A day later Brenda joined me. The morning started cool but by afternoon it was a scorching. She and I moved plenty, both to find fish and cool down. The river glass and the gar rising to the sun, we had a great time to ourselves. Bren wasn't sure she was really all that into gar after two outings the previous seasons. They're a hard fish to cast to, harder to hook and devils to keep on the line. She had only managed a few for herself those other tries as she's not one to EVER take handouts! Hells bent and determined she plucked a real easy fish on about her third or fourth cast into the morn. After that she slayed. Myself... not so much. When Bren's around she usually out-fishes me, probably because I get distracted. These are longnose gar that are caught, yet, every now and then a really spotty looking fish gets hooked. Well, most all actually have rounded spots on their heads and snouts but oftentimes those spots are faded. Although not a big fish, I thought this gar was a looker above most others, and he was "spotted" a mile away too and long-bombed in. Handsome fella! Shooting various different photos of gar makes any day a little more interesting. There have been times I stop fishing awhile and do only that. Pictures like these have built up quite an archive, and this past spring I thought it pretty cool to see two of my photos grace the pages of an Outdoor Canada article about gar. Continued....

Must visit there someday. Hear it's a beauty lake. You did well on the fish... and well strangely shallow for them too.

Looks like fun was had. And congrats on the ski!

Geeeeeebus CRISPIES!!! Ya had me on the pike... but it kept going and going and going. Wicked fish across the board. You're dialed in dood! Sussy!!! I had one of their hats once, in the skater days.

You don't post nearly as often as you once did James but I am happy enough to take what I can get. An incredible trip for you and your dad obviously. Great fishing days to share and the back story made this report all that much better to read through. Congrats on your great PB's and don't wait so long to share here again. Jiggin' 1-pounders... Geeesh!

That'd be fun!!! Nice fish dood!