wmshaw

I would like to thank everyone for the suggestions and fishing spots. On August 24, my fishing partner John and drove up to Haileybury Beach Motel. The travel time from Scarborough including stops took about 7 hours. I would not recommend this motel. The bathroom had mould and the floor under the bed looked like it had never been cleaned in months My dog came out coated in dust from going under there. The next morning we had breakfast and headed over to Mowat Landing to launch the boat. The launch there was very good but the parking area above was very crowded. We got the boat launched and headed over to the dam where there the dock was located. We then waited for the trailer to take us over the dam. It took about 5 minutes to get us from the dam to the Lake. If you have rods in vertical rod holders, take them down in advance as some of the rods found the tree branches and luckily none got broken! The fee for the trailer service was $40 (cash only) and was payable on the way out. The owner, Mike, of Red Pine Lodge met us at the top of the dam and guided us to the lodge where we stayed in the cabin known as the "Waterfront Condo". The cabin was extremely clean and had everything in it that was described on the website. Mike then gave us a detailed coloured map with fishing spots and areas to avoid (rocks, shoals and shallow areas). Mike also came to our cabin each day to give us a heads up on the fishing and checked on whether or not we needed any bait. The fishing for the first 3 days was excellent. We caught pike, walleye and smallmouth bass. We enjoyed a couple of walleye dinners in our cabin. On the fourth day, we had a major storm and stayed in the cabin. The fishing was tough for the next few days and we caught a few walleyes and smallmouth. The majority of the walleyes we caught were eaters. We did not get any in the slot. Just a note, the MNR are on this lake and decided to check my boat. They have a camp on the lake. I was about 10 feet away from docking using my Minn Kota and they came in at extreme speed almost raming my boat. The lodge was not happy with them as the waves moved all of their boats and they had to retie some of them. The MNR did a thorough check for safety equipment including checking my flashlight and confirming I had a usable fire extinguisher on board. Other than almost ramming my boat, they were decent guys. I just do not understand why could not have let me dock and then check the boat. What worked on this lake was live bait (worms and minnows) on orange, green, pink and white jigs. We did not have much success with trolling lures. Most of the fishing spots are within a mile of the lodge. We would see boats from the other lodges come up to some of the jigging spots in the area around Red Pine. The owner, Mike, noted that the fishing there was best in the spring. Overall, we had a great trip. I would highly recommend Red Pine Lodge. My fishing partner and I will be coming back next year.

Thanks for the advice. Looks like I will be getting my ice fishing tackle out a little early to grab some spoons!

Hi, I fished this lake last year and caught lots of smallies. Almost everywhere we went in the lake there was an awesome smallie bite. We were trying for walleye but had no success. We then drove another half hour north to Three Corner Lake and caught walleye in various spots in the lake.

Hi Everyone! I am heading up to Lady Evelyn Lake this weekend for a week of fishing at Red Pine Wilderness Lodge. I have never been to this lake and would appreciate any tips or suggestions on what lures to bring and general areas to fish at this time of year. I have searched the board and do not see much information on the area around Red Pine although there is a thread on Island 10 with some information. I will note that the trailer service to get your boat over is now $40 cash for those who are interested with payment on way out. I will make a report here on my return.

I went there this morning and the store was closed with a sign on it noting that the store was available for lease. I looked in and the store was empty. I called the store number and it came back as unassigned, so it looks like it is now shut down.

Hi All, I used to get my minnows and leeches from Rerries on Kingston Rd. and that shop has now closed. I am looking for 3 to 4 inch sized emerald shiners and leeches for a fishing trip this weekend and was wondering if anyone knows of a local shop where I can purchase them in the next day or so. Bill

Any scale can be IFGA certified. IFGA does not recommend brands. I personally like my 60 pound BogaGrip http://www.eastabogatackle.com/index.html#pgtop and have had it certified. If you do catch a fish on a non-certified scale, it can be certified after the fact. From the IFGA Website: http://www.igfa.org/fish/igfa-scales-and-certification.aspx scales and certification What scales can IGFA certify for a potential record catch? IGFA can examine scales up to a 100 lb capacity. Scales that weigh in excess of 100 lbs should be examined by your local state agency or a company that is licensed and accredited to certify and calibrate scales. How does IGFA certify a scale? Each scale is tested for accuracy by using certified, traceable weights. IGFA policy dictates that scales may not be off by more than one increment or one half pound, whichever is less. For example, a 15 lb hand scale that weighs in 4 oz increments may not be off by more than 4 oz. In addition, digital scales are also tested by placing weight in the mid range of the maximum load of the scale for a total of three placements. With each placement, the scale must read the same or the scale will not be approved due to being inconsistent. What scales can IGFA recommend? IGFA does not recommend any particular brand of scale. Each year, IGFA records the top ten scales that have weighed the most records during the last 12 months. This information is published in IGFA’s annual World Record Game Fishes record book. Individuals who are fishing for potential world records with the intention of releasing the catch should use a quality hand held portable scale. When using this type of scale the catch can be weighed off a body of water and then released. Junior anglers can weigh their catch in the boat and then release unless they intend to apply for a line class/fly rod or all tackle record as well. Should I buy a scale that weighs to the maximum of 100 lbs? Anglers that are fishing for record fish should understand that the increments the scales read in will have an impact on the final weight of the catch. If you are fishing for a trout that may weigh 10 lbs and use a scale that reads in 1 lb increments, you have the potential to lose up to 11 oz of weight. Considering records weighing less than 25 lb can be broken by a total of two ounces, the best options for the angler would be to use a scale that reads in 1 or 2 ounce increments. What is the cost of certifying a scale? IGFA will examine scales weighing up to 100 lbs for members at a cost of $30.00. This fee includes return shipment by regular parcel post. If the member would like to have the scale tracked, insured, or returned within a shorter period of time, we recommend that they send a UPS or FedEx label or an account number along with the scale. Certified guides and Captains receive a discounted rate of $24.60. Weigh Stations may have one scale (up to 100 lbs) examined for free and pay only the return shipping cost. Can my scale be certified after I catch a potential record? Yes, it is permissible for anglers to certify scales for accuracy after the catch is made. Can I bring my scale in and have it certified? We would be happy to have you visit the IGFA, stop in and say hello and visit the museum (free for members) while your scale is being tested. It takes approximately 10-15 minutes and we are available Monday through Friday from 9-4:30 pm except for holidays. It is important to have your scales tested each year to ensure that they are in compliance for world record applications. Once the catch has been landed and released, you will not have a chance to reweigh your catch again! Weighing Requirements All record fish must be weighed on scales that have been checked and certified for accuracy by government agencies or other qualified and accredited organizations. Disinterested witnesses to the weight should be used whenever possible. The weight of the sling, platform, rope, net or other such device must be deducted from the total weight. Only weights indicated by the graduations on the scale will be accepted. Visual fractionalizing of the graduations is not allowed. Any weights that fall between two graduations on the scale must be rounded to the lower of the two. All scales must be regularly checked for accuracy and certified in accordance with applicable government regulations at least once every twelve months. If at the time of weighing the fish the scale has not been properly certified within twelve months, it must be checked and certified for accuracy as quickly as possible. An official report stating the findings of the inspection prior to any adjustment of the scale must be included with the record application. IGFA reserves the right to require any scale to be re-certified for accuracy if there are any indications that the scale might not have weighed correctly. Note: IGFA offers a scale testing service for members only.

Are the prices quotes for a season or are those monthly prices. When I had my boat last year, my dealer in Markham quoted $150 a month for heated indoor storage. Bill

Tube Jig

The water level is the highest I have seen it in over several years for this time of year. It covered the lower parking pad of Hartley bay and is about 10 feet higher than normal. The Jamsion rapids are not runnable now and people who have cottages down there are parking their boats, walking the rapids and then using another parked boat to go to there cottages. The current was so strong down at the elbow, it was difficult keeping bait on the bottom with 2 oz sinkers. The weeds are not growing well due the high water levels and so its a different ball game this year. We had success in Crombie Bay and Beef Tea creek. Piked up some nice pike in Crombie. Also, the eagle's nest is accessible, (stay to the right on the entrance to avoid the rocks that are now just under water and are in the middle and right. Be very carefull as some islands which are normally above water are now just below the water by a foot or so. No luck on the walleye yet but some guys had success trolling for them in Ox Bay. Good Luck, Bill

I really liked the autopilot on my minnkota when I had it as it made operating the boat so much easier when it was just myself on board. It tracked a line with no problems and made it easier to hold along structure lines while I was actually fishing. When I get my next boat, I will definitely get both (autopilot and co-pilot) when I buy the trolling motor. One thing I found was that the Universal Sonar was not very good. Hope this helps. Bill

Hi There, I used Weber's Marineland to get my boat and Mercury motor serviced. Frank, the owner always did a great job at a fair price. I was always happy with the quality and speed of his service. He is located near McCowan and Highway 7 and can usually get your job done in a couple of days. 4 Heritage Road, Markham, On L3P 1M4 (905) 294-1070 [email protected] http://webersmarineland.com/ Hope this helps you out! Bill

Thats correct, I sold my boat for $8.000 and wish that I did not as the deal on boat that I was purchasing fell through. Oh well, have to keep looking to find my new ride. Bill

I am thinking of buying a boat with a 12 volt 56 lb motorguide trolling motor already on it and I currently have a better 24 volt minnkota that I would want to use on it. Are the mounting holes for the Motorguide the same as Minnkota? Would there be an adapter plate that could be used to mount the minnkota using the motorguide holes so that I would not have to drill any more holes on the boat?

I would add large sized Johnson Silver and Gold minnow baits. Works great in very weedy conditions.

It will not be easy to get up to Recollect Falls by boat. Coming up from French River Lodge, you will have to naviate the rapids at the train bridge, and the Flat Rapids and another rapids above that. I have never made it up to the falls but I can tell you that the the Flat Rapids is extremely tricky especially in low water (many rocks and you have to get it right. Unless you have a local to guide you, I would not recommend running the Flat Rapids. You can also go down the bad river almost to Georgian Bay without much trouble. You can run the first two rapids without much of a problem. Do not try the third rapid, known as the Jump. There is a sign there that says no swimming and also warns of boat traffic. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS unless you know what you doing. If you boat down there and have a canoe, you can easily portage this rapid and the Jamison Rapids. I would not recommend running the Jamison rapid in high water -- too dangerous and the local guides will not run it. Most of the areas with current water hold walleye in the French. You can go down the main channel to Bass Lake but be carefull of rocks and shoals, there are a lot of them near the entrance to Bass Lake and some in the channel that are in the middle. If in doubt or you do not know the water, go slow. You would be lucky to explore the Lower French in a week. There is over a fifty miles of boating accessible from Hartley Bay. You can also explore the Pickerel River system as well which empties the bay where French River Lodge is located and goes all the way up to Highway 69. Bill

Some good spots for pike are Combie bay, cast on the edge of the weedlines, Thompson and Mary bay.

The Dallas rapids cannot be run from the French River Lodge down to the bay. However, the area above the rapids sometimes holds walleyes and it can be reached from FRL. It is about a 15 minute boat ride. If you check the map (Anne has them at the lodge), you will see an area called the elbow. That is where the entry to the Dallas is and the corner there is a good spot and if you continue on (stay to the left, as there are shoals just beneath the water on the right which are not passable in low water) there is another narrows with current water that sometimes holds walleye as well.

The guys at JB have always be great to me. Steve and Brian have helped me out quite a bit especially with warranty issues. They went above and beyond the call of duty to get my Minnkota on-board charger replaced. I tried to do it myself and Minnkota would not replace my charger (one of the 3 banks failed) but Steve managed to make it happen. The bottom line is that Brain and Steve are very courteous and helpfull and if you talked to Brian as well, you probably would have got your issue resolved. Bill

There are no free launches. Six Mile Lake Provincial Park has an excellent ramp and good parking and you can get a day pass. Bill

I have had a similar problem and it was related to water in the gas. Check you gas to make sure there is no water in it. Bill

Does anyone know of a shop that could replace the flooring in my boat with marine plywood I have a 17 foot crestliner and the front area is getting very soft and spongy. I do not have the facilities to do it myself and need to find a reputable shop to do the work. Any suggestions? Bill

Most of the operators do not even want four people but want 6 to 8 people. I wanted to be on the lake ice fishing for the two days, otherwise I could rent a motel and shack.

I have called several operators on Lake Nipissing and Simcoe looking for a weekend booking for 2 people but cannot find anyone who will do less than 4 people for a weekend. Does anyone know of an operator who will rent an ice bungalow on a per person basis for 2 people on a weekend? Thanking you in advance, Bill

Try JBs I purchased mine there and it holds about 200 spoons. A nice box and Brian gave me a great price. Bill