craigdritchie

Classic! Love the "lip lock."

Peterborough sold at least four different models of aluminum deck boats as part of its Admiral series. Your 185 is the smallest model of the four. There was also a 22-footer (Admiral 225), a 26-footer (Admiral 265, which had a standard hard overhead canopy that doubled as a sun pad) and a 30-footer (Admiral 300, a double-decker for almost its full length). Both the 26 and 30 could have a camper top option, so you could completely close them up and camp out for a few days in nice weather. The Admirals were sold from 1984 until the Peterborough company was acquired by Alcan Group in 1990. Alcan had other ideas for the company, so 1989 is the last model year for these. All Admirals were fairly rectangular in shape, very stable, and just about bulletproof. There is a similar boat series built by Peterborough called the Sunliner, which was also sold in 18-, 22- and 26-foot versions. The Sunliner was basically the same thing as an Admiral, but was stripped down with fewer features and cheaper seats / carpet, so it could be sold at a lower price. Both the Admiral and Sunliner boats have relatively low freeboard, so the 60 hp on your boat is probably close to max power. I can't find an actual max power rating for the 185, but according to my reference (an old catalogue) the 30-footer tops out at 175 hp, and the 26-footer is rated to a 150. If we work that backwards, the 22 would probably be somewhere around 115 hp, so your 185 likely tops off at around 75hp. It might be okay with a 90, but as each of these boats gets progressively narrower, as well as shorter, maybe not. The biggest worry about putting on an engine that's over the boat's rated capacity is that if you ever have an accident, you're almost guaranteed to be sued. And, your insurance will not cover you if you're over capacity. I'd suggest you contact Transport Canada's Office of Boating Safety at http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/marinesafety/debs-obs-contactus-menu-2982.htm. They will have capacity plate records for every make and model of boat ever sold in this country. Or, try contacting Princecraft (http://www.princecraft.com/aluminum-boat/About-Princecraft/Contact-us.aspx). Princecraft bought Alcan many years ago, and would subsequently have old Peterborough records in their files. My gut feel is you're probably fine to 70 - 75 hp. But, better to check before you plunk down a lot of cash on a new outboard.

First two fish are chinook, last two fish are rainbows. Nice fishes.

Been there, done that. A few years ago I spent some time on the Pacific Ocean aboard HMCS Regina as a guest of the Canadian Navy. Regina is a Halifax-class frigate, basically identical to the one visiting Buffalo. The ship's company were awesome - they even let me drive it! Danger on the high seas - me at the controls of a 440-foot, 115,000 hp warship (and under the watchful eye of the entire bridge crew) With one of the 50 caliber machine guns Being buzzed by a couple of our own .... CF-18s from Comox. On the closest plane you can see one wingtip missle is gone, while the other remains. Something got blowed up real good. It doesn't troll very well, but the fishfinder is unbelievable. Keeping one's cookies down is another matter.

The problem with ice fishing is that it takes so long to make a hole big enough to fit the boat in.

You don't need a steel leader. Salmon have teeth, but they're cone shaped. They may break your line, but they won't slice it.

I don't think anyone will flame you. You're right, a good quality rod will outcast a lower quality rod every single time. But compare any seven-foot rod against a 10-foot rod of equal quality and it's no contest - the long rod will always cast farther and put more pressure on a hooked fish. You can't overcome the laws of physics. Get a long, good quality rod and you can fling lures for an incredibly long distance. To get maximum range, it's also important to use a larger reel (4000 series or bigger). Larger reels have a larger spool diameter, which means less friction from the line as it peels off the spool.

The real prize in there is that blue and silver Tadpolly (far left, fourth from bottom). Those things are just murder on salmon staging off river mouths.

I'm another Slammer fan. They were designed specifically for drop shotting. They're excellent baits.

All I know is that I will enjoy spending some time at my new favourite spot next week. Won't say precisely where it is, but fish are definitely in and, because it won't be crowded, fishing will be spectacular! :-)

Sounds like a white bass. The Grand gets a decent run of them below Dunnville every May. They're a blast with an ultralight and some tiny spinners.

All else being equal, a longer rod will give more casting distance. It's all about leverage, which a longer rod has in spades. It will also be more efficient at fighting a fish, for the same reason. Definitely agree that pier fishing is the way to go. River fishing for salmon has become a complete circus. Yes, it is possible to catch them in rivers, most easily by using little crankbaits, Flatfish, Kwikfish, etc. But in the past 20 years the crowds of hooligans that show up on local rivers once the salmon come in have grown completely out of control. It is basically impossible to fish in a lot of places, and definitely impossible to catch salmon legitimately after they've been snagged in the back and chased down the rapids by some idiot with a landing net. Far better to camp out on a pier and enjoy yourself while casting with spoons, Flatfish, or what have you. The fish will be in better condition, and you won't have to worry about getting into fist fights with morons.

Mustang makes a terrific product, and it's good to see them trying to get word out ASAP. They clearly stand behind what they sell. I understand it's actually a small number of PFDs that are involved, but still ... better to check and be sure.

Copied and pasted from a press release sent out today: Mustang Survival Issues HIT Inflatable PFD Safety Alert Mustang Survival has issued a safety advisory concerning specific Hydrostatic inflatable PFDs manufactured in Canada during April and May of 2012. According to the company, some of these PFDs may be subject to delayed or non-inflations. The company advises consumers to check their PFD to see if it is included in the advisory. The model number, manufacturing location and date of manufacture is printed on the white approval label on the back of the PFD. Affected products include: Canadian Products MA7214 HIT inflatable re-arm kit MD3153 Deluxe Inflatable PFD with HIT MD3154 Deluxe Inflatable PFD with HIT (with harness) MD3157 Inflatable Work Vest with HIT US Products MA7214 HIT inflatable re-arm kit MA7218 HIT inflatable re-arm kit for LIFT MD0450 Inflatable Vest PFD with LIFT MD0451 Inflatable Vest PFD with LIFT (no harness) MD3183 Deluxe Inflatable PFD with HIT MD3184 Deluxe Inflatable PFD with HIT (with harness) MD3188 Inflatable Work Vest with HIT If your PFD falls into this category please visit www.mustangsurvival.com/HIT or call 1-800-526-0532 for further information. No other Mustang Survival inflatable PFD products are part of the advisory.

Nice colour on the 'ski. Pretty fishie.

X2 !! I really do hate winter, and have absolutely no use for freezing my tail off on some frozen lake trying to catch fish I wouldn't even bother with in open water, when there's such great fishing available just a few hours away. I no longer have as much time to fish as I once did, so it's very much a question of quality over quantity. I'll take three or four magnificent days chasing five pound smallmouth, pot-bellied southern muskies, stripers on topwater or salt water tarpon, snook and redfish over jigging up some half-thawed, wiener-sized perch every Sunday morning. Not that there's anything wrong with that .... I just prefer casting in open water. Doing so in flip-flops with a cold beer in hand doesn't hurt either.

Dammit, there goes my best spot. Thanks, man.

Shut down? What's that? I can't stand ice fishing, so once everything freezes tight I head south. Tennessee is only a 10 hour drive, and the best bass fishing of the year is in January and February. It's off season, so a decent motel is only about $49 a night. Smallies average 3 to 4 pounds, with the odd one over 6. It's a good jig bite. I've never tried drop-shotting them, but I would bet a Slammer would just crush big fish there. Maybe I'll give it a go this winter. Or you can drive 9 hours south to Kentucky and fish open water for muskie and striped bass. It's awesome. Average for muskie fishing in January is 6 - 8 fish per day, mainly by casting Super Shad Raps. Or you can fish topwaters for the stripers. They love Zara Spooks, average about 15 pounds, and can peel line off your reel like a chinook. It beats standing on some frozen lake fishing for perch any day. Or you can go to Florida for a couple of days of salt water action. Juvenile tarpon up to 30 pounds live under almost every dock, and are an absolute hoot on the same 9-weight fly rod I use for pike. The ones in those two photos above are babies (10 - 12 pounds) .... this is right in downtown Miami, about a dozen steps from the hotel door. People feed them French fries. Florida is a long drive, but you can always find cheap flights out of Buffalo and just rent a car when you get there. It's a great, cheap way to enjoy some awesome winter fishing. If you want to extend your steelhead season, go to BC. The flight is admittedly pricey, but it's off season so motels and everything else is super-cheap. You can fly to Victoria then rent a car and go fish the Island streams. It's a mind-blowing experience, and February is prime time. There's no need to shut down fishing over the winter when there are so many amazing options.

I don't buy a lot of tackle any more. I don't fish near as much as I once did, and I have more than enough gear as it is. That said, I still make a point of visiting Burns Fishing, on Plains Road in Burlington, every now and then, just to talk with owner Steve Burns, and I always wind up buying some more stuff I really don't need. Steve is one of those rare gems who is a truly professional retailer. By professional, I mean he has stuff in stock when you need it, and is someone who realizes that long-term relationships are what keeps his business afloat. Many times I've seen him talk customers into buying less expensive equipment that was actually better suited to what they needed. People appreciate his honesty, and when the time to upgrade comes, they always return. Beyond that, Steve really knows his stuff, and he's a gentleman to deal with. Always. Burns Fishing is not the cheapest store in town, but his pricing is fair, and he treats every customer like they were a member of his own family. You can certainly pay more elsewhere, but you cannot get better service. When you find a dealer like that, you have won the lottery. They make up for the idiots that are all too common in the fishing business.

Safe to say Mensa won't be sending them membership applications any time soon.

Home Depot?

And I always thought CFL referred to football. Duh!

Wow, I hadn't seen the video. Thanks for posting that Roy. I bet the video guy grew a few grey hairs over that incident.

No need - strong cord tied to the arrow lets you hand-bomb them into the boat. I hear they make spectacular fertilizer. Crickhopper isn't a popper, so much as a shallow-running mini bait. Fish the same as the Bumblebug, just cast out and reel in. The little hooks are fine, they handle coho and steelhead no problem. Interesting thread. I've caught carp on jigs, but if I ever wanted to catch one on purpose I'd use bait, not hardware.

Guys do spend a LOT of money on hunting. But it's a short season, especially in the west, where fishing is year-round. Over a 12-month span, I don't think there's that much of gap any more between what anglers spend and what hunters do. Of course, I could be wrong ....