musky_man

Wayne, My sincere condolences. Mark

Count me in a a supporter too ... used it on both outboards ... smoked like pigs but when it all cleared, they have not run this good in years. Go to this thread and read how they use it ... that is what I did in the outboards. http://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/007656.html Very much worth the read, I use it in my car, gas mower and gas trimmer too ... worked well in all cases.

Personally I'd go E-tec

209s and 309s are as solid as they come -- great reels. Often find the older ones (as good as new) on E-Bay for peanuts.

Cliff, Sorry to hear about your experience. I switched to VOIP via Vonage 6 montha ago and it went perfectly smoothly, and the call quality is fine ... lots of features for 20 bucks/month; includes 500 minutes of long distance in NA ... hate to sound like a commerical, but for me (and a friend of mine) it was fine. The thing you do have to be aware of is your emergency call service goes through an internatinal operator -- I've tested it a few times and it adds, literally, about 3 seconds to get contacted to emergency 911 in Toronto. Again - sorry you had such a lousy experience.

Very, Very sweet - congrats to both of you!

I find stuff like this just gut wretching -- how could anyone do this to anyone, never mind an 8-year old child. My thoughts and sympathies to everyone, because this really does hurt and touch everyone.

You and the Mrs have a great summer, Lew. Enjoy the new ride. You know where I'll be the last 2 weeks of June, first week of July and the last 2 weeks of August and the first 2 of Sept ... drop over if you have a chance.

Sweet ride, Lew ... many good years ahead to enjoy it !!

Smokercraft and yamaha are both excellent -- sounds like not a bad deal to me.

My smoker is 20 years old and does not leak a drop -- so for me, it has been fine. There are some very good used boat deals around these days, particularly if you are willing to go into the US a bit.

I am glad that this topic generated some good comments. I am sorry if if I offended some - cetainly not my intention, but I really felt that it was something that needed to be talked about. It certainly gave me a different perspective about some things I had not thought of and that can only be good. At some point in the not so distant future I'll likely be in the position of upgrading my rig, and to some degree that is what prompted the original post -- what I wanted vs what I needed and what impact that might have now and for the future. I must admit it is very hard to resist all the bells and whistles. Like many of you, I've worked hard for most of my life and at the end of it you want to feel that you have earned the right to get whatever the h&ll you please ... but that got me thinking about all that that meant. In the end, I am not sure what the heck I'll do -- I have saved, quite literally, for 25 years for the big toy, but now when it comes to buying it, I am not sure that it really needs to be what I envisioned 25 years ago -- I guess that comes with getting a bit older and maybe less inclined to be swayed by the the creating the illusion of being a decent fisherman vs the reality of being one -- not that they can't co-exist to some degree (but they cetainly don't aways co-exist), but I have done quite well with just the basics. And I am certainly not saying that those with the big toys are not great fisherman/woman ... I suspect (know) many could fish me into oblivion ... but they could likely do that from a 14 tinny too! I do know that I want a windshield -- the tiller is something I love for the space, but it is darn cool come October! I want something that 3 can fish out of comfortably ... a very basic fish finder, more for depth reading than locating fish ... and something I can take company out for a tour. Beyond that, just give me some maps and I am fine. Going to be a 4 stroke or E-tech, but smaller than I originally envisioned. Likely add a small trolling motor as well. In any event, I just wanted to kind of explain the genesis of this thread - thanks to those who commented; I am glad to see that it generate some great thought provoking feedback for all to consider.

GCD, <<My F250 gets 10 mpg towing my boat thru the Appalachians, that shoulodn't be any skin off of your nose.. because I'm paying for it!!! >> What if you could look into the future and the Spirit of the fishing future were to visit you and say, "GCD, you have a choice, decrease your usage and your grand kids will be able to fish too with a motor, or keep doing what you are doing and they'll be out of luck ... except may using oars or the Minn Kota? Are you still the only one paying for it now? Would that make a difference? Probably just made you madder ... afterall ... it is your God given right and you earned it - right? As I said, this is a very touchy subject and I appreciate that 90% of this board right now would love to tell me where to go and how to get there:) That's okay ... I am looking for a good discussion and I am hoping I am going to get it. I don't have the answers and I am not saying I wouldn't buy a boat with tons of horses ... I got to thinking about it because I am looking now and really asking myself what do I really need ... suppose I could row the damn boat, but I assure you that's not going to happen. How much bigger than 300HP do you think they will get?

Wayne, I knew this would be a touchy subject -- hence the reason I brought it up! As I said, I am not going to be judge and jury ... the point was to generate discussion and see what others thought. I do not have the answer and the "answer" will no doubt change from decide to decade ... but I do feel, as someone pointed out above, it has become more about technology and sponsorship and less about the fishing. Would people really feel deprived if they were limited to, say, 30 MPH and 20 imperial gallons of gas/day? Hell, I've caught bigger and more musky then most on this board and generally use less that 3-4 gallons/day, if that. I have to believe that all these hot shot tournament guys and gals can better me with a 100HP motor and 20 gallons of gas/day. Now I am sure I have really stoked the fire!

Bill, No doubt some of the new 300HP are getting better mileage -- but not as good as the equivalent 100HP new motors -- and that is part of the issue. The fuel saving that would have been realized in cars due to better design over the lat 30 years, have all but been lost as they keep getting bigger. It isn't just about saving gas, I have to believe that in some ecosystems (smaller ones) these things are doing some damage just due to their shear power. And safety is another issue (and probably another topic) but where I fish, in some parts of the water, there is not a lot of space and I have seen some clowns going what I would guess is 100KPH, and darn near hitting others. I don't think you can "green" stupidity, but I'd love to try! Let me ask you the question in another way -- how big is too big in your mind? 500HP ... 700? I never thought when I was walking along that beach in 1962 that we would ever see engines of 300HP ... tht's 5 times bigger than the biggest (at 60HP) 40 years ago.

I was looking at how the size of boats and motors has increased over the years. I recall walking along Gerogian Bay years ago with my dad (maybe 1961-62) and we were looking at the "large " boats ... large in those days was 60 horsepower. Anyway, I think the whole thing has gotten way out of hand. Do we really need 300HP boats to go fishing - or even 100 for that matter. I am certainly not going to be judge and jury as to what one "needs" but in saying all of this, would it not make sense that as custodians of the great outdoors we rethink what it is we really need to do what we love. So - that led me to the idea of a green tournament. All participants could bring whatever boat/motor combo they wanted, but they would only get so many gallons of gas/day and when it ran out, they were done. Makes sense to me. Perhaps even limit speed too, except in times of emergency, like getting off the water for bad storm. Perhaps add bonus weight for gas remaining at the end of the tournament. Anyone else have any ideas on how we could "green" tournaments? I think this needs to be talked about -- I am not going to be amused when the boat that is screaming past me to catch a largemouth bass, in say 2019, has 900 HP and is going 200KPH... and trust me they will if some sanity does not prevail!

Rick, The Salmonella O/B is massive is the sense that it is widespread; if we are talking about the same thing, it looks like it might be due to some sort of contaminated melons or possibly other fruit. You are right that the very young, old and immunocompromised can get very sick.

Dave, What are the things you are looking for at the cottage and how many people? Are you looking for a boat with it? Mark

Well done -- looks great.

iicanoe, Great story ... don't you just hate when that happens!

As I think more about this, other related memories come back. This is something that any parent or grandparent might want to remember; it is how I got the fishing bug ... real cheap fun and no electronics or batteries required. 1959 ... Grandma and grandpas house -- a 2-story down in the Beach area. Sunday night was always dinner at the grandparents. Over we would all go in anticipation of a great meal and lots of fun ... because we knew we could go fishing at their house! Grandpa had invented a cheap game that my brother and I spent hours playing. All you need is 10 pieces of cardboard, some strong magets, string and two "fishing poles". Grandpa, who was not bad at drawing, had drawn several fish, of various sizes, onto the pieces of cardboard. Next he cut them out into the shape of fish. He taped a piece metal to each; if memory serves me right, it was a big flat washer. Then he tied about 10-12 feet of string to each pole and a strong maget to the end of each piece of string. He would then tell us to go to the top of the stairs and he would throw the "fish" all over the hall floor onto the bottom landing. Up the stairs bros and I would go, dangle the magets over the rail on the second floor and we would "fish" for hours on end. Man, even today I think I'd have fun with that one! I guess that was our version of Nintendo (or whatever) in 1959!! Cheers .. and thanks to everyone for sharing their great stories ... it has been a wonderful experiencing reading them all. It is any easy thing to see why fishing is so popular ... it brings families/friends and different generations together to make wonderful memories.

I am glad that everyone is enjoying htis tread as much as I am. I am 54 now -- be 55 in August and as you can well imagine, I have fished for most of those years and have had many great experiences ... so I thought I'd share a few more. Some are no more than fragments of memories while others are as vivid today as they were back then. First fishing equipment ... many years ago - the old timers will remember -- there was a sports store called Hicks Sporting Goods on Kingston Road in Scarborough. Dad knew that my bothers and I loved fishing and one day he piled us into the car and we started on our way. We did not know that Hicks was the first stop -- but the car pulled in and out we all got.. We thought we were just going to buy worms, but he took us to the rod and reel area and bought us each our first rod and reel. I can still see the green fiberglass and the camouflaged line. They were 3 bucks each, but back in 1959-60 that was a lot of money for a guy who was probably earning 40--50 bucks/week. We proceeded to a friend's place -- I still remember his name was Mr. Coady and he lived with his family on the Rouge river. There we would sit for hours catching rock bass, suckers, catfish and the odd largemouth ... wish I still had the rod and reel, but it is long gone. To the next one ... about 1971 - we are up at the family cottage with my brother, Paul, who had brought his girlfriend Collene. At the time I had an old 16-foot Ross cedar strip with a 35 Merc. We decided that we would all go fishing -- now Colleen was not the fishing type -- she was a very sweet 16-year old who wanted to catch a few rays and have some fun with the guys. Anyway, out we go down the river to one of our fav largemouth bass spots. I pulled the boat over; we anchored and started to fish. Now - I don't know if you know what a Ross strip looks like, but they have a very long front bow -- about 5-6 feet and it is all nice and shiny wood. Collene eyes that for sunbathing purposes and up she pulls herself to catch a few rays. She was wearing a halter top and a pair of short cut offs ... she got ensconced on the bow, face up to the sun. Fishing was slow, but we were all enjoying the peace and warmth of the sun. Suddenly one of us got a beauty fish on - can't remember if it was Paul, or me but all heck broke loose and we started to race around the boat. Of course, we gave Collene no warning and with the motion of us rocking the boat, she slid off the bow like a kid at the Canada's Wonderland slide. She was not a good swimmer and hated weeds ... not a good thing. Luckily, we're only in about 3-4 feet of water. Nevertheless, she was panicky but finally swished her way to the surface, glasses dangling off of one ear, soaking wet but none the worse for wear. Once she realized she could stand, her panick subsided. Needless to say, that was her last time sun bathing on that boat deck! 1979 ... my brother and I stated out as multi-species guys but over the years gradually moved to musky only. Neither of us, up to that point, had caught a decent size musky, but we both had caught some. Again - up at the family cottage in early September ... me, brother and dad are up fishing and trolling in the river for musky. We were going by one of the better spots when a nice musky came up and took a swipe at my brother's bucktail. Got a good look at it and it was in the 40 inch range, fat and had a beautiful silvery hue. Not a big fish by most standards now, but was decent fish nevertheless. Well, despite several more passes, she was not to be had. Fast forward to exactly one week later ... dad and I wanted to go to the movies, but I said "lets fish for an hours first" then go. I coaxed dad to accompany me (back then, we did not know it, but my dad was bipolar and he was in a bit of a depressive state ... today, at 85, he is doing well). Out we go and after about 50 minutes dad says we have to go because we'll miss the show. One more pass I said ... well of course, I know you all know by now that this was the pass that she hit my strawberry swim whiz ... had a great 10 minute fight … dad manned the net and after a few swipes she was had. "Valhalla", I shouted ...that was the cry that my brother and I made up for the time that one of us got the first decent musky ... so in the boat we are and on our way home. I remember going down the river shouting Valhalla ... cottagers thought we were nuts, but neither dad nor I cared. Of course as we approached our cottage, my brother was on the deck and I knew he would hear us -- he did, but thought it was a rouse until I lifted the net and showed off the fish HE almost caught a week earlier. That is the only musky I have ever kept -- despite catching many 50+ fish in later years. Back then, places like Advance were not born yet. She is in the basment now, but will be going to the cottage my wife and I bought 2 years ago in the same area. Last one … for now! 1995 - brother and I are in Ixtapa Mexico and we want to go deep sea fishing. We did not have a lot of spare $ and so we opted to go for one of those deals that the locals hawk along the beach. "Meet us at the shore, tomorrow the guide says". So - we were there as planned. Along they come, but no boat. "Where is the boat", I ask ... he points about 50 meters out in the surf to what looks like a row boat fromt he Titanic with a 60 HP Yami. We swim to the boat and out we go ... they had no landing privleges on the beach. Life jackets were so rotten that they would have been no good at all. Gas tank was a 20 gallon plastic carboy water jug. First day with them we caught a beautiful wahoo and several other fish ... ended up on a beach at a BBQ and ate her. While that was all good, we were after Sailfish and while we had a great day, we did not see one. Paul and I decided to try again the next day. Same process as day one -- another beautifil day and out we swim. Day is progressing nicely ... all is quiet ... suddenly I see one of our guides jump up and get real excited. I am completely oblivious to what he sees, but after a few seconds I notice the tip of a sail about 40 feet behind the boat. Without missing a beat, he grabs my rod and sets it back hard and hands it back to me. Now I understand. He shouts to me to look at the fish ... I AM looking but I can’t see it. That was because in the time that he had grabbed the rod, set the hook -- no more than 2-3 seconds -- that fish and screamed off about 300 feet of line and was now tail walking in the surf 100 meters behind the boat. I had heard they could swim 100 KPH, but you never believe such things... now I do!! This thing was so incredibly fast it was mind-boggling. After about 20 minutes she was by the side of the boat. I had thought we would have let her go, but out comes the club and before I could say a word, it was all over. I learned that they would give it to the locals for food -- at least that was their story. Well ends up I had caught one of the largest Sails caught that year at 8 feet, 1 inch. She was 120 pounds. One of the best parts of the story ... heading back in to the docks we had to pass all the big fancy boats where people had shelled out several hundred bucks each and had come up dry ... should have seen the looks on their faces when we putter by in our old scow, with this behemouth Sailfish in the boat ... was comical. Have a pic of the fish with by brother on the wall .. something I will always treasurer. Hope you all enjoyed those as much as I did living them.

HI, Thought this might be fun. We have all had fishing experiences that we wish we could have captured on film or relive -- I have had my share. Thought it might be fun to share a few ... I'll start. Year ... about 1970 - I am 16 and my brother is 15. We are out walleye fishing in a fav spot. I hooked a nice 2-3 pound fish and bring it in and release it. My brother, as we often did back then, pretends he has a big fish on the line .... but this time it was for real ... he took the smirk off my face when this huge musky came right up beside the boat and put on a arial display like you would not believe. It was a beautifully marked fish and I could have reached out and touched it. We fought it for quite a while but we were beside a very heavy weed bed - she dipped into it and after that we could not move her. An old guy came over, jumped in our boat and tried to get her to move, but to no avail ... that is how I saw my first big musky ... the one that got away ... great moment to share with the bros. And you ??

If the doctors thought it was a genuine emergency, you would have been fit in very quickly -- this rushing off to the US is a lot of drama. A 5mm mass, whether it is confirmed by an MRI now or in 2 weeks -- not going to make a damn bit of difference to the outcome. Despite all the Bull you have been led to believe, health outcomes are still better in Canada overall, than in the US - and that is a fact!

Hi Jeff, Just spent 3 days up there working on the cottage -- it was beautiful. Not on the water, but nice nevertheless. Trying to get some of the work done before the real season starts. Take care,