CrowMan

Is it legal to have a fire directly on the ice ? I'm referring to a wood burning camp fire on the lake's surface. Seem to be mixed opinions.

Jeez...and by himself. That's one kind of crazy.

I do agree that hydrogen is a viable solution to a lot of problems. However, I'm not so sure "safe" is a word that can be used in relation to hydrogen. Hopefully, things have changed in the last 100 years...

I'll second that. The first weekend in May has a big red circle on my calendar. C & R season in Zone 20 is still open for Bass...and Walleye and Pike open up. We concentrate our efforts around Prince Edward County. On another note, last year we did pretty well in south Algoma coming back from a spring Steelhead trip on Superior. The lakes in Algoma that have Smelt populations (usually Trout lakes) grow some pretty big Smallies. I posted about it:

It's odd how species are distributed in the province. Limey Angler is well north of you, and there's plenty of lakes in NW Ontario with ample populations...but in southern Ontario it's hard to find them north of Parry Sound (except maybe Georgian Bay). On my lake in eastern Ontario, 15 years ago no one even knew what a Crappie looked like....now we can catch buckets of slabs. We like ' em in fish tacos...

We have one (Instant Vortex)...works just fine, but frankly I'm just not a fan of air fryers. Yes, they are quick and convenient....and perhaps healthier because you are using less oil for some things (but that's up for debate if you properly deep fry, drain and blot). It's just that IMO it's a trade-off of convenience for quality. Personally, I don't think you get the same taste, texture and sear/crispiness of food as with cooking with traditional methods. I prefer my French fries double deep fried in beef tallow. I prefer my chicken wings deep fried in peanut oil. I prefer my roast beef cooked in a ceramic charcoal oven (Big Green Egg), or if weather doesn't permit then a regular convection oven. I prefer steak cooked over real charcoal, or at the very least a cast iron pan. It's not like I eat these foods every day, so the health benefits of an air fryer are negligible...and for me not worth the convenience factor either. So for now, in my house the air fryer sits at the back of cupboard gathering dust.

I'm actually in Mexico right now, and this thread has me thinking of Trout...lol. I'm not much of one to lie around the pool or beach anyway. Got up early and walked over to the lagoon behind the hotel. Managed to hook a little Snook....photo courtesy of the grounds keeper. Out to fish Tarpon tomorrow...hope the wind dies down. Even though it's 29C, the wind's been howling the last couple of days...

Another place you may want to take a look at it is Blue Fox Camp in Algoma. I haven't been myself, but a couple of buddies were there a few years ago and had a great time. Some other food for thought. A few years back we drove up the James Bay Road. It's a "highway" that runs up the east side of James Bay in Quebec, that's the furthest north you can go by road in eastern Canada. It was constructed to facilitate the building and maintenance of the huge hydro-electric projects up there. It starts in Matagami (9 hours from the GTA) and goes 600km north up to the small outpost of Radisson, where there's a campground and lodge with excellent fishing (Brookies, Lakers and huge Pike) on one of the reservoirs. In between there is nothing but wilderness...one gas station at just past the half way mark....but absolutely nothing else. There are several primitive unserviced campsites along the way, some with gravel boat ramps on lakes (that had good trout fishing too). The reason I mention this trip is, almost every single river or creek we crossed and stopped to fish had Brookies....lots in the 12"+ range. We just pitched tents along the way, but if you rented yourself a nice RV and towed a tinner, you would have a fabulous couple of weeks of wilderness fishing in relative comfort.

They recommend that you bring a 12 g slug gun for that trip....apparently lots of big white bruins about...that'll keep you on your toes when you take your afternoon nap..

I've done a couple of corporate trips to Reserve Beauchene in Quebec. Not a fly-in and not a far drive from North Bay. They have a bunch of different lakes on the Reserve including many with good populations of Brook Trout. They manage the lakes and have their own stocking program. Its basically like a private club. On one lake (in early June), in one day, the two of us put over 2 dozen Brookies in the net, with a few over 18". The lodge is first rate...it's all-inclusive, they take care of everything. It's far from roughing it. There was a house-keeping option too, if I remember correctly. If you want to go all out and spend the kid's inheritance, check out Minipi Lodge in Labrador....it's been on my bucket list for a while.

Yeah with lack of snow in to the spring : Good...not too many Black Flies Bad...too many wild fires

Photo taken on a lake in Frontenac.

I have a propane powered Generac 10k (I have a submarine sized tank for heating and cooking) hard wired to a pony panel that runs all critical circuits. Comes on automatically when there's a power outage (which is often here in ice storm central), so I don't have to be there if the power goes in mid-winter and I'm worried about the pipes freezing or food spoiling. Also automatically comes on once a month for 20 minutes to circulate the oil and keep the starting battery charged. Other than changing the oil every 2 years and occasionally the spark plug...it's all pretty well hands off. I'm fortunate enough to have a nephew who is a Master Electrician, so all done at cost and a lifetime of fishing trips on the lake.

Years ago I took my two kids (10 and 12 year old boy and girl at the time) with my buddy and his two kids (the same age and genders) for a week up on the Albany River with Leuenberger's. Non-stop action for eater size Walleye, plenty of 36"+ Pike and even some nice Brookies in the feeder streams. Miles of beautiful water to explore and a nice beach at the camp. At the time the cabin and boat/motors were in tip top shape. It was a trip that my kids still talk about and say was their favourite...and since then they've been Salmon fishing in Rivers Inlet BC, flats fishing in Belize, Mexico, & Bahamas, and off-shore fishing in Costa Rica. I see these days that a 7 day trip to the Albany is under $1500. Nakina is about a 13 hour drive from the GTA. https://www.leuenberger.ca/

I have a Striker 2 pc....jacket and bibs. Nice to be able to take off just the jacket when sitting in a heated hut. Even though it's a floater it's pretty flexible and comfortable to move around in. Very weather proof. Personally, I wouldn't venture out on the ice by myself in a remote location...always go with a buddy, and keep your distance as you spud your way out. That's just me.

There was incident a few years back that's always stuck with me... A sledder went through the ice. When his family realized he was missing they called the OPP. They found where he broke through and called in a dive team. When they recovered his body, the divers said his fingertips were worn right through to the bone... After hearing that, I won't take a single step on the ice without ice picks slung around my neck.

Sometimes the simplest meals are the best meals... Shucked a couple of dozen Irish Point oysters from PEI. Some freshly grated horseradish along with lemon and hot sauce...but we really don't like to put much on them. A green salad and loaf of crusty bread. Washed it down with a bottle of Moet. Oh man.. oysters are at their best this time year...

https://barrie.ctvnews.ca/we-ve-pulled-six-machines-out-police-warn-of-unstable-ice-conditions-on-lake-simcoe-1.6756677

Wow too funny....that's it ! I don't know too much about them, but in the videos I've seen they look pretty slick. I guess the one downside it basically has just one purpose....ice fishing. Unlike a bike, SxS or Argo, it seems like a hefty investment to use for only at best 3 months a year....down this way anyway. But given the quality of the ice the last few years, if the trend continues...hey, maybe it's the way to go.

I beg to disagree, there are situations where you're better off spending the money on a quality rod, rather than on a quality reel. If you're throwing a reaction type bait like a crankbait or spoon.. the rod doesn't really matter that much, other than having enough backbone to toss the lure and enough flexibility to keep the fish pinned. However, with something like a finesse bottom-contact presentation, say a drop shot or a jig, a decent rod will absolutely make a difference in putting more fish in the net. A good rod will not only let you feel the lightest of nibbles, but also the bottom composition (mud, sand, rock, etc). The reel in this case is just basically a line holder. Ugly Sticks are designed to be indestructible not sensitive. As an example...even a mid-priced rod like a 7ft med Fenwick HMG weighs less than 5 oz. A 7ft med Ugly Stick weighs over 8 oz. Simple physics tells you which rod is more sensitive. Must admit they're great rods if you're in the habit trying to break 'em...

I saw someone towing a Wilcraft yesterday on the highway. First time I've seen one. Looks like the ultimate transportation solution for treacherous ice conditions.

Looks like the west side of Simcoe (which being shallower usually has more ice) is iffy too. https://www.durhamradionews.com/archives/17989777 This has always been the weekend (weekend before the Super Bowl) I host an "Ice Fishing Jam" at my cottage. I invite a bunch of buddies to stare down holes during the day and stare at cards at night...lots of food and refreshments included. However, as of this week a crack in the ice on my lake has slowly widened to the point that there's now a large stretch of open water right by our prime Crappie and Walleye spot. Not that there was much ice to begin with. So we cancelled...first time in 30 years ! I stayed in town and went out to the pier this morning with my feet firmly planted on terra firma. Kept a bright one for the smoker. One of the benefits of this shytty ice year is that I have yet to put away the long rods...and frankly in a lot of ways it's a lot more fun than pulling them up through a hole..

I guess this is how you do it. It would seem to me that screwing in a bunch of carbide studs into the treads would be helpful too. My buddy has an Argo....great for getting into the back country that's swampy and full of beaver ponds.

Maybe I'm missing something but aren't 6 and 7 in the same BMZ ?

A buddy of mine recently went through divorce proceedings. It turned ugly. His wife brought up some nasty (unfounded) allegations in Family Court. Next thing you know the judge issues a Peace Bond against him and he's ordered to turn in his (legally registered) firearms. At this point, he's not even criminally convicted. He used to come up to my place to grouse hunt every autumn. Not this year. Welcome to Canada in 2024.