craigdritchie

Back when I worked for Real Fishing some guy mailed in a colour print of the original photo, swearing up and down he caught it in Hamilton Harbour and it was a genetic freak. We laughed since it was a obviously a copy of another picture, and seemed to be of two different fish, but we printed it in one of the issues anyway as a joke. That might have been around 1997 or 1998. Wish I had a dollar for every time I've seen that picture since. I have no idea where who took the photo originally, or where, but I doubt many pike imagess have ever got so much mileage.

The Toronto Sportsmen's Show opens on Wednesday and runs through Sunday, March 21 at the Metro Convention Centre. With the show having moved from the CNE to the Convention Centre this year, do you plan to attend? Why? If you don't plan to go, then why not? Just curious.

From today's news. If you own one of these vehicles, better call the dealer ..... safety first. GENERAL MOTORS RECALLS 1.3 MILLION VEHICLES DETROIT (AP) General Motors has announced it will recall 1.3 million cars across North America over a potentially faulty power steering motor following a federal probe into the problem in January. The recall would cover 2005- through 2010-model year Chevrolet Cobalts and 2007-2010 Pontiac G5s, along with similar models in Canada and Mexico, the U.S. automaker said in a statement. Complaints had been filed about power steering failures that could make the vehicles difficult to control. "After our in-depth investigation, we found that this is a condition that takes time to develop. It tends to occur in older models out of warranty," GM vice president of quality Jamie Hresko said in the statement. "Recalling these vehicles is the right thing to do for our customers' peace of mind," he added. The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launched a probe of 905,000 Chevrolet Cobalts earlier this year after receiving more than 1,100 consumer complaints, which included reports of 14 crashes and one injury.

The latest - the US Government wants to know if Toyota knowingly withheld knowledge of safety concerns: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142405...3213478420.html

The old mounts were usually real fish skin stretched over a Styrofoam core. The taxidermist would take careful measurements of the real fish, including tracing its exact body shape over a large piece of paper. Then, they would use sanding blocks and X-acto knives to carve a Styrofoam core to the same size and shape as the real fish. Once the form was complete, the taxidermist would slice the real fish open length-wise, along what would become the back side of the mount, and delicately fillet the skin off it, fins included. That was the tricky part, and it took some real skill to do it well. The skin was then treated in a preservative, then stretched over the Styrofoam core and either pinned or stapled into place along the back where you don't see the seam. The preservative used for the skin usually left the fish looking pretty discoloured and faded, so they would finish the mount by painting it to look like a live fish. Automotive spray paint worked really well. Some of the better taxidermists used airbrushes for more lifelike finishes, and gave the painted mount a shot of clear-coat so it looked more natural. The heads were always the hardest part, because they were nearly impossible to skin well and almost always dried up and shrank, so they wound up looking like a giant raisin. The taxidermist would then have to touch it up with auto body filler, and hope for the best. Some guys just gave up and began making plaster casts of the real fish head instead, which were then screwed onto the styrofoam body core right by where the gill covers ended. These looked much more realistic, and greatly reduced production time for the taxidermist. There are many, many ways to stuff fish, but that seemed to be the most common way to do it back in the 70s. Now, replicas have pretty much taken over the market, mainly because you don't have to kill the fish to get a stellar mount.

I've never done especially well with Yamamoto tubes. At least, not well enough to justify the cost difference. Like other posters, I find the cheapie Bass Pro Shops ones seem to work as well as any others. Grubs are another matter altogether, and I've often seen Yammies outfish other types of grubs by a wide margin. The tails are so thin they continue to move even after the jig has settled on bottom. Of course being that thin also means rock bass will tear them to shreds in seconds, so it can get expensive if there are a lot of sunfish around.

Heard a strong rumour from a very reliable source that the Stratos factory in Murfreesboro will most likely close down by the end of the year, and future Stratos boats will be built in Ranger's plant in Flippin, Arkansas. In fact, I'm told Ranger is completing a feasibility study on this very scenario right now, to figure out the cost savings and ensure it doesn't interfere with Ranger's own production plans. Thanks to a series of bankruptcies in the United States, Ranger, Stratos and Champion bass boats now have the same owners, and they're looking to streamline costs. If Stratos does move production to the Ranger plant (75 - 80 percent chance it will happen by the end of the year), then don't be surprised to see Champion Boats follow suit. Old-timers might remember the experimental twin-engine bass boat that Champion made in the '90s. Think 20-foot boat with a pair of 200s on it ...... it wasn't very good on gas, but it got you to your spot faster than anyone else. As an FYI, Ranger already builds trailers for both Stratos and Champion. The idea behind consolidating the manufacturing into one site is to reduce overall costs by eliminating duplication and redundancy. Stay tuned .....

I did a boat test on a 161 Pro Angler XL last summer. Very nice boat. I drove two individual boats, one with a 50 hp Merc two-stroke, and the same model with a Merc 60 four-stroke. I did the test at Smoker Craft's plant in Indiana, while they were hosting a bunch of boat dealers. Many of the dealers there were looking at packages with the 50 because it was a bit cheaper, and because there were some incentives on it (getting tougher to sell two-strokes, as most people want fours). I would agree with that. The boat went a little bit faster with the 60 four-stroke, but not a huge difference. What was huge, however, was the fact you couldn't even hear the engine at idle, and never once got exhaust smoke in your face (which was obvious with the 50, in spite of being a brand-new motor). Definitely worth upgrading to the 60 four-stroke. The boat is rated to 75 hp ... I thought the 60 pushed it along just fine. The boat itself is nice and open, with more room than you would expect from a 16-foot console boat. The cockpit floor was vinyl, with a carpeted front deck. The vinyl will be more slippery if you drop pike or salmon on the floor, but it cleans up way better than carpet, so it's a toss-up there. Livewell is in the front deck ... convenient, but your fish might get beat up in rougher water. But since the boat isn't meant for serious tournament use, that's less of a problem. Most of the fish that go in that livewell will probably wind up in a frying pan later. Seats are very nice - well upholstered, with no-pinch hinges. The console is a bit small, but functional. You can get two guys on the front deck. It doesn't blow around too badly in the wind. No problem mounting a pair of downriggers at the stern, but the fuel filler cap on the port side would make it more difficult to mount four of them without going to some sort of board arrangement. Fuel tank is 75L (20 gal), and the whole boat weighs something approaching 950 pounds, so it will run a long time between gas pumps (especially with the four-stroke). Hull uses Smoker Craft's five-keel arrangement, so it tracks straight and doesn't ventillate, even in really tight turns. It's well built ... we took a tour of the factory and saw the whole production process ... it's simple, but solidly made. If you mount the passenger seat next to the driver's helm seat, there's enough room to pass between them as you move from front to back. But the passenger seat does make it tight if you want to access the port-side rod locker. I'd also spend the extra for an adjustable height, gas-shock seat base and bicycle seat for the front deck. The standard seat with the boat is too low, and takes up too much space when you put it there. If you want to read more about it, my boat test on the 161 appears in Boatguide magazine's 2010 Boat Buyer's Guide. You can find it at Chapters.

Interesting stuff ..... Johnson Outdoors Files Patent Infringement Suit Against Navico Johnson Outdoors Inc., manufacturer of Humminbird marine electronics, has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Navico Inc. concerning Navico’s sale of the Lowrance LSS-1 StructureScan Imaging System. Racine, WI-based Johnson Outdoors states that US Patent No. 7,652,952 protects Side Imaging sonar technology used in its Humminbird-branded fish finders. The company says its sonar produces detailed and recognizable images of underwater objects and waterbeds, enabling anglers to pinpoint habitat, structure and drop offs which are prime holding areas for fish. The patent application process is said to have began in 2004 prior to the company’s introduction of Side Imaging sonar in Humminbird 900 series fishfinder models the following year. “Our intellectual property policy is very simple: we will respect the property of others and fiercely protect that of our own. We were diligent throughout the Side Imaging sonar technology patent application process to ensure we achieved both because real innovation brings real value which our customers and consumers expect and demand. By taking steps to protect our ideas and inventions, we help ensure our ability to continue to bring forward meaningful advances and innovative products that excite consumers and build our customers’ business,” said Kelly Grindle, Group Vice President Marine Electronics & Watercraft. In a press release dated January 27, Tulsa, OK-based Navico re-affirmed that its LSS-1 StructureScan sonar imaging module option – compatible with HDS fishfinder/chartplotter multifunction displays – will continue to be sold, distributed and fully supported worldwide. “We are confident,” said Louis Chemi, COO for Navico Americas, “in the uniqueness and value of Lowrance LSS-1 StructureScan sonar imaging. We also wish to assure our customers that the worldwide sale and distribution of StructureScan sonar imaging will absolutely continue as planned with full Lowrance support for years to come. Navico will vigorously defend the recent legal proceedings initiated by Johnson Outdoors.” Lowrance introduced the LSS-1 StructureScan sonar imaging on at the Bassmaster Classic Expo, held in Shreveport, LA, in February 2009. Additional details, including the DownScan Imaging feature for Lowrance HDS displays, were revealed at the International Convention of Sportfishing Trades (ICAST), held in Orlando, FL in July 2009. Johnson Outdoors is scheduled to release its first quarter financial results on Friday, February 5, 2010.

That's just wrong on so many levels

Will take a wander through on Friday. Beats an afternoon at work!

This is a pretty damning article from today's Torstar wire service. I'd be willing to bet Torstar ran this through their legal department before publishing it, because if the author can't prove he is 100 percent dead-on with his facts, both he and Torstar will be in court with Toyota for years to come. The Myth of Toyota Quality Rush to growth sacrificed the product January 29, 2010 David Olive Torstar News Service My friend Mary Lou in Michigan knows that Toyota's reputation for quality is a sham. On a recent visit, she swept her arm across the width of the dashboard of her year-old Camry, bought new. "Every piece of this trim has fallen off or warped," she said of America's best-selling car. An analyst at J.D. Power and Associates, the sine qua non in rating vehicle quality, told The Canadian Press Wednesday Toyota's recall of 2.3 million vehicles in the U.S. and 270,000 in Canada "signifies that (Toyota is) not afraid of doing the right thing for the right reasons, that short-term sales and profits are less important than taking care of the consumer and making sure they're safe in Toyota vehicles.'' I'd argue that not one word of that is true. To start with, Toyota took the extraordinary step this week of suspending production at three U.S. and its two Canadian assembly plants because it was forced to by U.S. law. "It's not a voluntary thing," Toyota spokesman Mike Michels told the Wall Street Journal Wednesday. More important, Toyota's quality problems go back many years, before the latest recall and last year's massive 4.2-million vehicle recall. As it embarked on a goal of becoming the world's biggest automaker, Toyota failed to insulate itself from the "big-company disease" that humbled General Motors Co. As Toyota quickly ramped up production of its vehicles, its employees strayed from the automaker's "Toyota Way" of exacting quality control and continuous improvement in manufacturing methods. It almost had to turn out that way. By 2007 Toyota was adding an average of two new factories a year to its global network, including a second Canadian plant in Woodstock that opened in 2008. Toyota's annual volume growth of about 500,000 vehicles equalled the entire production of Ford Motor Co.'s Volvo brand. By that same year, some 200,000, or two-thirds, of Toyota's workforce was located outside Japan. Toyota could no longer rely on word of mouth to convey the firm's managerial and manufacturing methods. From 2004 to 2007, Toyota recalled a staggering 9.3 million vehicles – a number exceeding its total annual output, and up from 2.5 million recalls in the three years previous to 2004. In 2005, Toyota's rate of recalls as a percentage of vehicles on the road hit 10.1 per cent, compared with 6.8 per cent from GM and 2.5 per cent at Chrysler Group. In 2006, Tokyo censured Toyota over improper business practices for failing for eight years to disclose and act on reports of a design flaw implicated in loss-of-control incidents. Loss of control due to accelerator pedals caught under floor mats triggered last year's huge recall, and caused four deaths after a Lexus abruptly went off the road in California. In the 2007 J.D. Power survey, the Toyota brand scored below that of Hyundai Motor Co., a firm better known for price than quality. And the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety withheld its "top-pick" rating from Toyota's Camry and RAV4 SUV after their substandard performance in whiplash tests. Also in 2007, Toyota's U.S. division settled a class-action lawsuit brought by motorists claiming that oil-sludge buildup destroyed their engines despite compliance with Toyota's maintenance guidelines. A long three years ago, then-CEO Katsuaki Watanabe acknowledged to reporters that Toyota's long run of shoddiness was jeopardizing the company. "The world-class quality that we've built is our lifeline." Yet, despite opening two quality "institutes" in each of North America and Europe to inculcate the "Toyota Way," there has been no meaningful improvement in Toyota quality. Like GM, stuck with too many plants as its market share dropped in half, Toyota has been compelled to keep all its new plants running flat-out to generate the cash flow to finance their construction, even as customer complaints have mounted. Unlike Honda, Toyota is not an engineering trailblazer. And no one would accuse Toyota of being a trendsetter in styling akin to, say, BMW. Quality is principally what Toyota offers the market. Toyota realized its goal of eclipsing GM as the world's largest automaker last year. The goal was a dubious one, given the risks. In any case, by late last year, Toyota had been overtaken by Volkswagen. The only thing saving Toyota is a decades-long reputation for quality that people who still buy its cars don't realize the firm has not lived up to for more than half a decade.

This news story says the defective part is made by a third-party supplier - CTS Corp., in Streetsville, ON. http://thespec.com/News/BreakingNews/article/712815

Um ... marshmallows float.

Announced last night - Canadian vehicles pulled off the lots as well, and production shut down at the Cambridge and Woodstock plants till they sort it out.

Roy hit the nail squarely on the head. The dealer makes squat on the vehicle itself. The profit comes primarily from financing and surcharges, especially in the case of pre-owned. Other major sources of profit include: • Service packages • Rustproofing • Interior treatments (Scotchguarding, etc) • Extended warranties • Optional dealer-installed accessories • Life insurance on your loan/lease • Trade-in valuations • After-sale service (oil changes etc) They will pitch all of these things to you as you write up the paperwork with the business manager (English translation - best salesperson in the shop). You can't buy a vehicle without having all these things pushed on you. Most represent pure profit for the dealer.

Further update to last week's post on Toyota recalling 2.3 million cars and trucks due to sticking gas pedals. If you own one of these vehicles, call your dealer and get it serviced asap! This isn't about bashing any one brand, but presented in the interest of safety. Copied verbatim from an AP press release. No word on any action by Canadian dealers. CR TOYOTA SUSPENDS SALE OF VEHICLES INVOLVED WITH ACCELERATOR RECALL TORRANCE, Calif. — Toyota is suspending U.S. sales of eight recalled vehicle models to fix accelerator pedals that stick. As part of the plan, Toyota is halting production at five manufacturing facilities for the week of Feb. 1 “to assess and co-ordinate activities.” There are 2.3 million vehicles involved in the recall, which was announced last week. The Japanese automaker says the sales suspension includes the 2009-2010 RAV4, the 2009-2010 Corolla, the 2009-2010 Matrix, the 2005-2010 Avalon, the 2007-2010 Camry, the 2010 Highlander, the 2007-2010 Tundra and the 2008-2010 Sequoia. The recall came months after Toyota recalled 4.2 million vehicles due to gas pedals that could become trapped under floor mats, causing the vehicle to accelerate.

The relationship between steelhead, brown trout and brook trout has already been documented to death on dozens of different tributary streams flowing into each of the Great Lakes. It has been clearly established, by MNR and others, that steelhead have little, if any, effect on resident brown trout and brook trout populations. Brook trout and steelhead have co-existed in tributaries to Lake Superior, Georgian Bay, Lake Huron and Lake Ontario for more than 100 years. Brook trout populations in southern Ontario have declined primarily as a result of habitat degredation, rather than competition from other species. This is why they've also disappeared from systems where steelhead and brown trout are absent. Musky or Specks: I agree there are biologists out there who would love to eradicate all Pacific salmonids from the Great Lakes and replace them with lake trout. Thing is, the bios have a dual responsibility - to the fish, to be sure, but also to the people of Ontario. Bottom line is, nobody wants lakers. People want coho, chinook and steelhead. That has to count for something. Louis and Mike - I'll spring for that case of beer, but I think we'll all have the same things to say.

Fact is, every auto manufacturer in the world has had to recall vehicles for safety concerns. If you want to see how your own vehicle measures up, check Transport Canada's auto recall database, at http://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/saf-sec-sur/7/vrdb...h.aspx?lang=eng Billy Bob .... I'm not a 'Toyota hater' as you call it, but I understand that no manufacturer is perfect. If you check the database, you'll see the Toyota Tundra has had seven safety recalls since 2000. That's seven recalls in 10 years. Three of those recalls apply to the 2007 model. Might be worth taking it into the dealership. Better safe than sorry, after all.

Toyota Recalling Vehicles in Canada and U.S. To Fix Sticking Gas Pedals By Dan Strumpf And Stephen Manning, The Associated Press NEW YORK - Toyota said Thursday it is recalling more than 2.3 million vehicles in the U.S. and Canada to fix accelerator pedals that can become stuck, the latest in a string of quality problems that have bedeviled the Japanese automaker. The recall affects the 2009-2010 RAV4, the 2009-2010 Corolla, the 2009-2010 Matrix, the 2005-2010 Avalon, the 2007-2010 Camry, the 2010 Highlander, the 2007-2010 Tundra and the 2008-2010 Sequoia. The Avalon, Camry and Tundra models - encompassing about 1.7 million vehicles - also were included in the 4.2 million-vehicle recall Toyota launched in late 2009 in the United States over concerns that accelerator pedals could become lodged under floor mats, causing sudden acceleration. That problem was blamed for several crashes, including an accident involving a Lexus that accelerated to more than 190 kilometres per hour before crashing in San Diego, killing four people. The recall in November involving the floor mats did not apply to the company's Canadian vehicles. But Toyota Canada said it would still make changes to the gas pedals and floors of some of its vehicles and install a brake override system on some. Toyota said Thursday's recall is due to potential problems with the actual gas pedal mechanism, causing the accelerator to become stuck regardless of whether the vehicle contains a floor mat. Toyota said in certain rare cases, the gas pedal mechanism wears down, causing the accelerator to become harder to press, slower to return or, in some cases, stuck. In a letter to federal safety officials dated Thursday, Toyota said the problem appeared to be related to the potential build-up of condensation on sliding surfaces in the accelerator system that helps drivers push down or release the gas pedal. Toyota spokesman John Hanson said the automaker does not yet have a solution to the latest problem but is working to develop one. Hanson said the company is unaware of any accidents or injuries due to the gas pedal problems associated with Thursday's recall, but could not rule it out for sure. He said the recall "came together very quickly," and said Toyota will soon be contacting owners directly about the matter. Hanson added that all of the vehicles involved in the latest recall contain a gas pedal system that comes from a single supplier. He declined to identify the supplier or say whether Toyota would continue doing business with the supplier. "Responsibility for this in the end is ours," he said. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a statement that the problem is "a serious safety issue and we are pleased Toyota is taking immediate action to address it." Toyota recommends that drivers of the recalled vehicles should firmly apply their brakes if the gas pedal becomes stuck - not pump the brakes - and contact their nearest Toyota dealer after parking in a safe location. The safety stumbles have dinged Toyota's reputation in the U.S. as a builder of dependable, high-quality cars. Last year's recall was the sixth-largest ever in the United States. Toyota said 1.7 million vehicles are affected by both recalls, meaning their accelerator pedals could be at risk both of becoming trapped under floor mats and becoming stuck due to mechanical problems. The vehicles affected by both recalls are the 2005-2010 Avalon, the 2007-2010 Camry and the 2007-2010 Tundra. The recall in November involving the floor mats did not apply to the company's Canadian vehicles. But Toyota Canada said it would still make changes to the gas pedals and floors of some of its vehicles and install a brake override system on some. And in a situation unique to Canada, the company recommended Toyota Venza owners take out any Toyota-brand drivers'-side all-weather floor mats. Toyota-brand carpeted floor mat were OK if properly installed and secured, it said.

Citizen journalism at its best: http://thespec.com/News/BreakingNews/article/709906

Problem is, you really can't say all Fenwick rods are good/bad, or all St. Croix rods are great/awful, or all Shimano rods are wonderful/terrible. Every manufacturer out there has some specific models that are pretty good, and some that could stand improvement. This applies at every price point -- even to factory Loomis and Sage rods. There are many reasons for this, but it mainly comes down to the way rods are mass-produced today.

Five grand????? Are you kidding me?? It doesn't even cost that much to go to Saskatchewan. Shop around, my friend, because no Ontario fly-in is worth that kind of scratch.

Keep the van for towing, and buy a cheap econo-box for the commute.

Economically, it makes sense to be a de-tuned 25, but wow, the size and weight issue sure is curious. A Merc 15hp four-stroke is 115 pounds, a Yamaha four-stroke 15 is 114 and a Suzuki 15 four weighs 97 to 105, depending on features (power trim, etc). Amazing to see three brands of four-stroke all weigh less than a two-stroke - who would have ever thought! Bernie, Buster ... thanks for the info and pics. Will check it out more closely when I'm down again tomorrow.