Moosebunk

NOBODY uses Mercs or prefers them in the remote parts of Northern Ontario and Arctic where I've worked and lived. Wait... I take that back, I've seen two or three I think in 20 years. It's all Yamaha and Honda with the odd Rude where reliability is needed most, if it was Merc, then I'd surely think that many people in the northern communities with less money to go around would choose them.

Still rising... It was inevitable.

Well... that's embarrassing for Woo I'd say.

Agreed! Every town's homes should be like that, or like the ones in the Edward Scissorhands movie. No ice fishing man. I'm on the clock 24/7 and unable to go too far. Char are biting on Soper lake behind me, now that there's just enough ice in places to go jig 'em. Sucks I can't because it's a huge lake that sees a great run of smaller to average char. The char taste like a milder salmon, less oils. It's super nutritious fish. Those are tundra skitters that buzz more than they bite. Covid is here in Nunavut now. Arviat in the Hudson Bay is a town of about 3000 and in the past week they've accumulated over 100 positives. Most are mildly symptomatic, as far as I know none are critical. Whale Cove has positives as well. It's a town of about 500 people. Rankin Inlet is a hub community (meaning gateway to all others) and it has positives and lastly Saniqilluaq has positives but, being completely separated from anywhere it may have stopped it's spread by quarantine. All these communities are in the Kivalliq (Hudson Bay area) and I'm currently far away on Baffin Island in one of the smallest communities. I'll be very interested to see how Arviat cases unfold. Do not believe at 100 positives that this community will stop the spread now. On a micro-scale of what's going on in the world, Arviat's higher than average rate of respiratory infections (including TB), it's very young population (highest birth rate in Canada) and, it's often understaffed health center and generally ill population, what happens there will be a good indicator to how Covid may affect elsewhere and, give insight to how serious "or not" the bug really is.

Lotta sweet toothies in this buffet of awesome dood! 2020 done right!

Nakina from Ottawa is a picnic at 15 hours one-way. lol Actually, it's the limit. Enough a tour for one sitting.

Fawkers eh Clive! Few seasons back my "Chev" over in Degen country took two fists sized dents while out muskie fishing too. Fishing In"fury"ating.

First Muskie Capital Cup. 35 Anglers. 13 teams. 9 day tournament. Some solid guys fishing, a number of guides and one fella in the tourney even hired a guide. We did GREAT! Two guys I fished with are bigger muskie nuts than I am with many more years and skis under their belts but, I think I was brought on board because the tourney is in the fall and that's only when I muskie fish, and do well at nettin' tanks during that time. Luckily my choices and rod while casting and trolling brought our three biggest fish in the boat, and 3 of the 5 biggest in the tourney. So yeah, we won the tournament and will have to do it again next year.

Dropped the lawn tractor off at the local Farm Supply and Polaris dealership few weeks back. They took it in for repairs but "just before" hunting season and couldn't promise a quick turnaround. Talking with staff he tells me in the past 6 days he'd sold 36 ATV's / side-by-sides. It had been a record setting fall. People can't travel, families can't travel, people aren't traveling. Pretty much everything available in our immediate surroundings, is selling.

It's not even muskie fishing in the sense of muskie fishing, its glorified pike fishing. lol. Fun nonetheless.

8 years, 3400hrs on the past 60 Yammy tiller on a 16.5' Rebel. Trailered from Ottawa to Windsor to Montreal, New York State to Thunder Bay repeatedly, all over the map, plenty big water time during the right conditions. Sold without a leaky rivet, sold for 65% what I paid for it new. So in other words, Lund is the recommendation here.

Thank ya man! Back in Nunavut now, snowy today, Covid shutdown begins tomorrow, ER services only in the communities. A little less patient flow might mean a little more time to get some stories that have been on the back burner, complete!

Few years back we had a full week during the third week of November when temps hit highs as high of 21C for several of those days. it was calm, SW breeze if anything and mostly bluebird. For 6 days straight I took a skunking running late season patterns on the St. Lawrence. On the 7th day Brenda joined me and she caught a small fish from the weeds. About a week later, guide John Anderson on the Ottawa posts that he'd putting clients on plenty of fish... all casting... all in real shallow, like less than 3-4fow if I recall. So you've got two choices... grind the fall pattern or, think like "spring." And when you think like spring you think muskies (baitfish and other fish too) are drawn to the warming, shoreline waters. In fall I'd think it takes some substantial warmth, such as really high heat and sun or, long periods of it like a heatwave pattern, but after the first initial days of it, the skis may just settle in and begin feeding shallow. Fall is the toughest time to fish, but the rewards are great not just with the catch, but in trying to figure it out too.

The long track Bravo climbs trees and stays above the top slush.

This past summer's arctic char and lake trout fishing report from nearby the northernmost community on mainland Canada. Link here... A NUNAVUT NOMAD VI. BY WAY OF NETSILIK Cheers, Bunk!

Wrote a rather extensive piece last fall outlining the advantages of a tiller. Not to say there aren't days I wouldn't mind the comforts of a full consoled boat and eventually I'll go there, but for many reasons explained in the article I feel the ultimate multispecies option providing best boat control, space and yes in some ways comfort too, is a tiller. Click the link below to read more about those thoughts if you like. THE TILLER ADVANTAGE

Thanks Lew! Hope all is well with ya. And... yeah, there is all these great points. Gotta love the ProV for all fishability. Both options are awesome RN! Still believe that 18 for around here, on inland and big lakes is more than enough boat. Unless it's the fish being caught, bigger is not always better IMO. The 1875 ProVM has 4 more inches beam than my 1875 ProGuide's 92", which anyone who gets in the big tiller with the wide open dance floor (like the ProMusky does have) will often comment how much space there is. If that's what you're looking for, I think you've found it in that boat and without there being need to haul around even more space and weight with the 20.

85% casting... surely that is a great boat layout either way 18 or 20... Ask yourself what scenario you'd need that 2 feet of extra boat if you're casting? 2vs3 guys maybe? The digital RPM sounds interesting. The best muskie guide in the biz, Lazarus, is said to never, ever have his hand off the throttle, constantly adjusting to keep the desired speed trolling. You considering a trolling motor tells me you're more interested in doing that more than 15% of your time because otherwise on the 18 foot boat with RPM limiters you can achieve quite slow speeds or run all day at muskie troll speeds effortlessly. I'd say, forget that trolling motor, go with a big Terrova, and beef up your electronics even more. But I can't put myself in your shoes and am actually not sure what your thought process is behind your choices. Fishing muskie alot myself nowadays predominantly trolling but moving more into casting each season, 2 to 5 days on the water a week while home fishing multispecies each season, plus having kids of my own come along, doing camping trips that loads gear big time, fishing big and small waters, having friends aboard... if looking to a new boat for muskie with friends and family but alot of solo too, to mainly cast and do some trolling from, fishing big or small waters, then this rig in 18 feet would be mint, no trolling motor needed, big electronics with sonar, sidescan and chartplotter included, panoptix (if affordable for the added bonus with casting in any depths) If not panoptic then a Bird or Garmin for autocharting (a bonus more for trollers) a solid Terrova or the like upfront.

You fish alone a lot eh... 18.75 in that boat is plenty enough space and vessel to handle you and others on the days you'll choose to fish. Unless you're guiding or in dire need to fish GBay, St. Clair, the open Erie or 40 acre area on days it's kicking up, you don't need all the costs included with the 20. It'd be overkill. Gonna presume you're predominantly a caster? All that deck would be mint for you and a buddy or two. But, if you're a troller more often fishing alone or with just another angler then this boat is all wrong IMO. Same if it's just you and kids. Wouldn't matter the size either, for a standard Pro-V would have a number of advantages in comfort, safety and even musky-fishability. Two best all-purpose, aluminum musky fishing boats in my opinion if you can afford 'em, any normal-ish 18-19 foot dual consoled boat, kicker or not, or, the same length boat in a big tiller giving up comfort for some boat control and fishing style advantages.

I like the part when you said, "never saw it so I guess it was a new world record." Made me chuckle. Nice to see fishing reports on a fishing site. :)

Not cancelling camping if any ban lifts... and may still head north in June but just travel smart by fueling once for the entire road trip there, then once to get back. All food can be picked up and prepared at home and I'll just eat sammies in the truck. Could camp right at the waters edge on a buddy's property I suppose, not even see him if it's best to avoid. All depends on the rules come time. Otherwise if early season is dicey, to open up later summer for some chance, the July-August Arctic work may move to June-July. Get a little ice our char fishing in on evenings off work, then maybe have better chance to escape late summer for camping. All just dreaming right now... The missus will have some input I imagine.

The 600's are the best. Just awesome. And really, the 500's have same gear ratios and drag strength (older models do) Put my 600 to the test on skis 40-50lbs pulling big baits fast and hard for days on end, and the 500 for lakers to 47lbs and sturgeon to about 80lbs. A 100+ days for sure on one of my 600's, and still going. Spool with plenty 20lb mono backing then load up the 80lb braid to fill.

If my wife was game for it, the kids too, I'd leave straight for a remote island on a favorite big lake and camp out a month. Just go back to town half way between for gas and food. If the wife isn't up for it, fine. Kids are coming with me. lol. (they'd hate that)

That sucks! March/April is a great time in YK. Love touring the ice castles and sculptures when going through.

You know, Bill's right! Really, no portages is a pro. Weather is weather regardless. Other people travel the river so there's more safety in that. Think maybe I just found it a bit more rugged than usual cause I lost like 12-14 pounds in as many days. You're working out there... and eating less junk too. No Netflix either.