craigdritchie

Some nice coho in that mix. Well done.

MuskyorSpecs is correct - MNR won't even think about stocking non-native species in Lake Simcoe. It's fun to fantasize about what could be, but no new species introductions will happen until there is a substantial shift in government policy. In other words, not in our lifetimes. If we were to add any new species to Simcoe, my personal vote would be striped bass. I've fished for them in a lot of US lakes that are very similar to Simcoe (i.e. big, deep, cold, and great smallmouth fisheries). Stripers would be awesome - imagine 10 to 15 pound fish that are dumb as a bag of rocks, travel in large schools, and eat buzzbaits and Zara Spooks like crazy. I guess I'll have to keep driving down to Tennessee and Kentucky to get my striper fix. Oh well. It sure beats ice fishing!

If you fish in Ontario then you will need an Ontario license.

Look for deals on eBay. I recently replaced the three heat shields on our BBQ for $30 in total. It took a few days to have them shipped, but it beat paying the $90 they're asking here.

How about Waubushene from 2,000 feet? Pre-fishing .... from a Cessna.

Carry your reels and anything you absolutely can't live without in your carry-on bag. Check the Plano 3700s in your main bag but do not ever check the reels. That's just inviting trouble. Bring a roll of clear plastic packing tape or duct tape in your checked bag to fix any cracks that develop in the 3700s en route. It happens now and then, so if you have the tape, at least you can make a quick repair and get back to business. Obviously, metal items like pliers, hook disgorgers, knives, multi-tools and all fluids need to be checked. The situation with rods is less predictable. Short, compact rod cases can sometimes be brought aboard as carry-on, but it really depends on (1) the type of plane used and the size/capacity of its overhead bins, and (2) the mood of the airport gate agent or the aircraft cabin crew on a given day. Sometimes they're accommodating, sometimes they're not. The trouble is, there is no consistency with this. Also - note that not all overhead bins in a given airplane are the same. Even within the same aircraft, some may be slightly larger than others, and others will be partially obstructed by onboard aircraft equipment. You can check ahead of time by looking up your flight on seatguru.com -- it will inform you if your overhead bin is partially obstructed or if there are other issues with your seat. But understand that if there's a last-minute equipment change (as does occasionally happen), you could easily wind up on a different type of plane and that all goes out the window. When I worked with the fishing show, we just made a habit of checking the rods in proper, protective tubes right from the start. It was less hassle and headache all the way around. If you go this route, allow a few extra minutes at the airport because you may be directed to drop the tube off at special baggage services. Obviously, ensure your name and flight info is all over the tube. I'd insert a piece of paper with your contact info inside the tube as well. And, stuff in a couple of socks to keep the rods from bouncing around too much. I've checked rods on flights that went all over the map, generally without problems. But bottom line is, don't take anything to the airport that you can't afford to lose. You never know.

Short answer - no, not much. It is primarily a salt-water fishery, mainly for bottom fish. You can try casting spoons and jigs off piers, but don't expect great things. Trout fishing can be good if you know someone who can help you gain access through the private property signs.

Unless you're fishing shallow pits up north, at this time of year large pike are down a lot deeper than 15 feet. As in, down with the lake trout in 60+ feet or water. Fish a six-inch minnow down 15 feet and you'll likely catch some nice largemouth though, and probably a few decent walleye mixed in.

That was really great ... good job, Dad. Those are memories he will have for the rest of his life. I'll wager you had fun too

Announced this morning, I found a little note in my email. You can find a copy on their investor relations web page. Not everything is on Google. In fact, a LOT of good stuff doesn't show up on web searches.

Today's press release from Cabela's, pasted word for word. Cabela’s® Announces Plans for Barrie, Ontario, Canada, Store Anticipated opening summer 2014; store will be 70,000-square-feet SIDNEY, Neb. (July 25, 2013) – Cabela’s Incorporated, the World’s Foremost Outfitter® of hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, announced today plans to bring the unique Cabela’s retail experience to customers in Barrie, Ontario, Canada, and the surrounding region, which includes the greater Toronto area. Construction on the 70,000-square-foot store is scheduled to begin this summer and Cabela’s anticipates a summer 2014 opening. It is expected to employee approximately 200 full-time, part-time and seasonal employees. Most will come from Barrie and the surrounding area. The store will be located near the intersection of Highway 400 and Mapleview Drive in the Park Place Shopping Centre, which is being developed by North American/CentreCorp. “Thanks to the loyalty of our thousands of Canadian customers, and especially those across the province of Ontario, it was an easy decision to bring the Cabela’s retail experience to Barrie,” said Tommy Millner, Cabela’s Chief Executive Officer. “I can’t say enough about Canada. It’s a Cabela’s kind of place.” Also today, Cabela’s announced plans to open stores in Missoula, Mont.; Acworth, Ga.; and Augusta, Ga. Currently, Cabela’s operates 45 stores across North America, including three in Canada – Winnipeg, Manitoba; Edmonton, Alberta; and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The company has announced plans to open an additional 19 locations over the next two years, including a Regina, Saskatchewan, location this fall and a second Edmonton location in 2014. The Park Place shopping centre also includes Marshalls and Best Buy. Nearby businesses include Costco, The Home Depot, Walmart and Sobeys. About Cabela’s Incorporated Cabela’s Incorporated, headquartered in Sidney, Nebraska, is a leading specialty retailer, and the world’s largest direct marketer, of hunting, fishing, camping and related outdoor merchandise. Since the Company’s founding in 1961, Cabela’s® has grown to become one of the most well-known outdoor recreation brands in the world, and has long been recognized as the World’s Foremost Outfitter®. Through Cabela’s growing number of retail stores and its well-established direct business, it offers a wide and distinctive selection of high-quality outdoor products at competitive prices while providing superior customer service. Cabela’s also issues the Cabela’s CLUB® Visa credit card, which serves as its primary customer loyalty rewards program. Cabela’s stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “CAB”.

I've been friends with Mark for more than 30 years. He makes a great product, and there really isn't a nicer guy in the business. It's awesome to see a great guy like that have so much success ... he truly deserves it.

One of my good friends is a very talented taxidermist. He has always said, the hardest part of his job is keeping a straight face when people present their trophy fish. It's not just bass, it's everything. He puts one customer's six pound bass on his government-certified scale and its actually 3.2 pounds .... a 20 pound steelhead is really 11 pounds ... another guy's 30 pound muskie actually weighs 17. He says the vast majority of fish brought into his shop are over-estimated by 50 percent. From what I've seen on the water, it's probably higher than that. I mean, let's be honest, a huge number of people can't even identify the fish they catch. Should I really expect them to get any other details right?

I have seen just about every imaginable type of fly stuck in various chinook body parts over the past 35 years. Wooly Buggers, Michigan wigglers, bead head nymphs, Skykomish Sunrises, Mickey Finns, Blue Charms, egg patterns - you name it. If you can wrap it on a hook, it has likely found its way into a chinook's tail, dorsal fin, gill cover or ventral fin at some point in history. And, truth be told, quite a few have also been known to stick right on the fish's lips, outer jaw, or snout. There are even a few guys out there who can feed flies right down the salmon's throat. Legal fish? Perhaps. Legitimate fish? Not quite. Do yourself a favour. If you want to catch chinooks in rivers legitimately, head for the slow water and use a Flatfish, Hot Shot or other type of little crankbait. I'm not saying Lake Ontario chinook cannot be caught legally in rivers on flies. It IS possible - if you hit it just right, and happen to be really, really good AND really, really lucky to find unspooked fresh fish that no one has already three-pronged. In other words, although it is possible to catch chinooks in rivers this way, in the real world, 99.999999999 percent of them are lined, flossed, or flat-out snagged. Sorry, but that is the cold, hard reality of it. There - I said it. Flame away, I don't care. The truth is what it is.

Cosmetic damage can sometimes have a major effect on pricing. A few scrapes and scratches are to be expected .... but if it has anything beyond that, you might look at the cost of having that repaired. Depending how extensive the damage is, you might spend a few bucks up front, but wind up being able to sell it for more when you're done. People will pay more for a boat that looks mint. Whether it's worth it or not depends how bad the scrapes are, and how worried you are about getting as much as possible for it. I know a guy who would buy used boats in the US, bring them back here then clean them up, give them new paint and carpet, then sell them for a huge profit. We fell out of touch after I left the fishing business, but I woudln't be surprised if he's still doing it. You would see them before and after and think wow, massive difference.

Me too. The only rod I've ever broken on a fish was a Browning Boron-X (remember those?) that went poof on me while fighting a nice coho back in the early 80s. I was left with the handle, some guides sliding down my line, and a bunch of dust and shrapnel laid out on the ground in front of me. I later learned those rods were pretty fragile, so I didn't feel so bad afterwards. Otherwise, I still have most of the rods I've ever owned. The ones no longer with me all met their fate the hard way ... guillotined by ceiling fans (Bill Dance style) ... converted to multi-piece blanks by Air Canada baggage handlers .... lost a couple to truck tailgates and car doors .... had one fly out of a friend's boat on Rice Lake ... and shattered a 13-foot IMX when the hook pulled out while landing a fish under a 10-foot bridge. That one hurt. Rods don't "wear out" ... they generally break as a result of damage. Years of tiny nicks, bumps and bangs all take their toll. Even that old Browning Boron-X probably exploded as a result of being nicked by split shot. If you take care of the rod, it will last for decades, regardless of what you paid for it.

Be aware that some of the stuff on TV these days is pretty old. Some of these shows syndicate for several years after they were taped.

Tie your shoes = catch bigger fish. The oldest secret in fishing is now revealed

Count me among the Crazy Glue group. Works great.

Chris, It is almost always more cost-effective to replace both the AC and furnace at the same time. Most (but not all) AC units have at least some of their major components located inside the house, physically attached to the furnace. Replace the AC and furnace separately, and you'll be paying twice for a big chunk of labour cost. You save a lot of money by doing them together. As kwikfish notes, you may be able to get by simply by recharging the refrigerant in your current unit. But consider that a short-term solution to get you through this year. By spring, you will likely find yourself in exactly the same position as you are now. If both units are 20+ years old, the best scenario would be to replace them both with new, high-efficiency units. We did this in our house two years ago. Total cost was a bit over $11,000. However, the new stuff works so well that our utility bills are now a fraction of what they were before. Those savings, along with some rebate cash we got from the government as part of a home energy rebate program, will cover the entire cost of the new AC and furnace within six years. Strongly suggest you look into rebate programs from both the federal and provincial governments. I don't know what's available right now, but when we did ours there were pretty good incentives available from both. Feel free to PM if you want more details.

Noooooooooo!!!!!

I know a guy who caught a condom off the mouth of the Humber River one day, while casting Cleos for salmon. He cut the line too, and I think I would do the same. Yech. Many years ago I saw a guy at the Old Mill Dam hook a dog. The dog wasn't hurt, fortunately, as the hook just got wrapped in its tail fur while the guy was trying to cast. But it was funny watching this guy in floppy rubber waders chasing a golden retriever down the river bank yelling "dog on!" Strange catches for myself .... 1. Turtle, on a jerkbait while muskie fishing. 2. Dead, badly decomposed salmon that I somehow lined with a float and roe bag while fishing off the pier at Port Hope. 3. Gull, which hit a topwater while I was picking out a backlash. 4. Landing net (nice one, I still have it)

Nice, Bill. Congrats!

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Sorry man. Over the years I've learned that the key to keeping good spots is to not talk about them on the internet. I bust my hump to find nice spots that aren't overcrowded with other people. Why blow it? Georgian Bay and Simcoe are both big lakes, but the best pike fishing isn't out in the middle. If you do a little research you can find LOTS of places to get out of wind regardless of which direction it blows from. Or try a big river, like the St. Lawrence RIver. It's fairly protected and, being part of the Great Lakes, still loaded with much better pike than you will find in any of the Kawartha lakes.