craigdritchie

They definitely have the best fishfinders in the world. To put it in perspective, at one point we tracked a pod of shrimp that were more than six kilometres away! We also picked up killer whales and gazillions of salmon. One of the sonar technicians guessed they were "probably pinks" based on size, location, and the way they were swimming. HMCS Regina caused a major stink last year during some war games off Hawaii, when it located and "sank" one of the US Navy's newest nuclear submarines. The new Ohio-class sub is super stealthy .... absolutely silent in the water, and covered in sound-absorbing tiles so its invisible to sonar. Problem was, it was so quiet it actually stood out. The Regina crew became aware of this "quiet spot" where they couldn't hear the fish or squid any more, and started probing around. They discovered the sub, pinned it down and forced it to surface and surrender. Awesome job by the Regina crew, but the Americans went nuts since these $2 billion subs are supposed to be undetectable. Back to the drawing board!

I was aboard the Canadian Navy frigate HMCS Regina a few weeks ago off Vancouver Island, when a couple of air force CF-18s from Comox swung by to pay us a visit. It is unbelievable how loud these jets are up close. The jet passes by, then a second later you hear the sound. This photo was taken using a fairly wide angle lens ... the jet is VERY close to the ship. Shot from the top of the bridge, standing among various radio antennas. Jet is doing about 400 mph.

Jocko - I hear ya! Not sure I would want to bring something like that into a kayak with me. Or a ship, for that matter. Roy - nice to kinda/sorta meet you too!

Hi Darsky Yup. I worked for Real Fishing for about 10 years, and was assistant editor at Outdoor Canada for a while prior to that. I also wrote for Ontario Out Of Doors and some other magazines for about 9 or 10 years, starting in the late 70s. Out of the fishing industry altogether now. I quit partly because I felt burned out (every time I went fishing, it felt like I was going to work), but mainly because there's just no money in it. Craig

Gotta love the writer's humour. http://www.vagabondish.com/big-fish-little...-shark-fishing/

Just what we all need. Forget the Rapalas .... I'm buying a harpoon!

Jigging is great because it's so simple. Just drop the lure over the side and fish right under the canoe. Drift along in the breeze and try a few different spots till you connect. It's the perfect way to fish while you gobble down some lunch, because you can jig one-handed. It's a bit harder to juggle a sandwich, a can of pop, your rod and a canoe paddle all at once. Have a look at your lure a couple of feet down in the water and see what happens when you lift it up then drop it on a slack line. It doesn't seem to mater how fast you lift a Williams Whitefish - the key is dropping it on a totally slack line. With the Jigging Rapala, the force you lift with has a big effect on how the lure behaves. Sometimes the fish want a faster motion, other times they want it slower and more subtle. You'll need to experiment to see how they respond on a given day. We used to gauge water depth by counting how long it took the lure to sink to bottom. I have no idea how that ever translated into an actual depth, but if we caught fish in places where it took 20 seconds to reach bottom, we would fish other spots where it also took 20 seconds to reach bottom, and often caught fish there as well. If we went to a new spot and hit bottom in 12 seconds, we knew to move farther offshore into deeper water. That said, the clip-on line counter is an excellent idea, for either jigging or trolling. These are cheap, and they work pretty well.

Fish in urban areas like that have seen everything. Gotta agree with others, live bait might be your best bet. Go major stealth with light fluorocarbon, a really small hook (no. 8 or 10), the smallest split shot you can get away with (positioned at least two feet up the line from the hook) and either a small worm or a leech hooked once through the nose. I'd go with the leech personally, as worms tend to bring on the perch and gobies in a huge way. Never met a smallmouth anywhere that could resist a leech, especially in mid-summer.

My friends and I did a couple of canoe trips through Quetico Provincial Park, and we caught all kinds of lake trout by vertically jigging over deep water. Big hair jigs or tubes work, but ice fishing lures are even better -- try big Williams Whitefish or Jigging Rapalas. Drop the lure to bottom, reel up a foot or so, and give it a good vertical sweep of about two feet, then drop the rod tip quickly so it free-falls. Lakers usually hit it on the drop, so keep an eye on your line and set the hook if you see a twitch, or if it starts heading off to one side. A fishfinder definitely helps, just so you can be sure you're in deep enough water (50 feet or more). If you don't have one, look for spots where the shoreline drops steeply into the lake - what happens on shore usually continues underwater, so cliffs and bluffs can suggest good starting points for you.

Assuming you're looking at a new motor, your choices are pretty simple. Johnson went out of business a couple of years ago (for the second time), so they're out of the picture. The only two-stroke left on the market in the size range you're looking at is the Evinrude. Pretty much every other engine manufacturer out there - Yamaha, Suzuki, Honda, Mercury, Nissan and Tohatsu - scrapped their small two-strokes years ago, and have been building four-strokes ever since. On that basis alone, guess which type of engine is more popular? Four strokes don't require you to burn oil with your gas, so they're way cleaner. They don't pollute, they don't smoke, they are amazing on fuel and they're far more reliable. True, they are also a bit larger and heavier than a two-stroke, but whoopee do - the benefits more than make up for that. First time you troll on a windy day and don't have to inhale all that engine exhaust stench, you'll realize how much better they are. Or when you fish all day and catch yourself tapping the fuel gauge because it still hasn't moved. It's not broke - small four strokes are just really good on gas. Some people like the Evinrude E-Tecs, but I confess I'm not one of them. The fact Evinrude doesn't have many dealers around here any more is a real concern. I think there might be more Yamaha dealers in the GTA than there are Evinrude dealers in all of Ontario. That's something to think about if you ever need parts (even something as simple as a new prop). Everyone has their own opinions, preferences and biases. Take them all with a grain of salt - mine included. Go talk to a couple of different dealers and see what they have to say. Ask about warranty coverage, about service plans, and about the availability of parts, props, and such. If you stick with a major brand (Yamaha, Suzuki, Merc or Honda) and buy from an established dealership, it's hard to go wrong. Oh - be sure to ask about non-current engines. Some dealers still have (or can get) brand new 2008 engines. Sales have been slow this year, and there are still a lot of '08s in the pipeline. You can likely get a better deal on one of these.

Beauty Atlantic

I've caught one-eyed fish before. Most likely, it will be fine. If in doubt, release it anyway. The way I see it, the fish may have only a small chance of survival, but it will have no chance whatsoever laying in the bottom of your fridge.

Lots of rods, but they all get used now and then. That's the joy in fishing for anything that bites. Probably 10 to 12 steelhead rods, in lengths from 9 to 15 feet to cover little creeks to giant rivers. About a dozen spinning rods, in various actions from 5 to about 8.5 feet. About a dozen baitcasting rods and flipping sticks, again in various actions from 6 to 8 feet. Maybe 8 or 9 muskie - pike rods, for everything from light bucktails to monster trolling plugs. Couple of downrigger trolling outfits for salmon and greasers. Five fly rods, ranging from a 6-foot 3 weight for creek brookies to a 10 foot 9-weight I sometimes use for pike. Couple of heavier spinning and levelwind outfits for my occasional saltwater trips. Half-dozen really dusty ice fishing rods - they never see the light of day, as I find ice fishing about as appealing as a root canal or a clogged toilet.

All the more reason to not put your fav spots on the internet.

Brown trout, average size. Nice fishie.

1. A careless driving charge would be the least of your problems. Driving overweight means a good chance of being charged with reckless endangerment. That's a criminal charge. Say buh-bye to your driver's license, and hello to 12 to 18 months in the Crowbar Hotel. Hope you like your new husband. 2. Get into an accident towing overweight and your insurance company won't cover you - end of discussion. Hope you have a solid credit to cover the damages, plus any medical bills. Oh, and have fun in court with the inevitable lawsuit that will result. 3. Brakes can only stop what they're designed to. Absolutely agree with Miller Photo - buy a cheap beater that can haul the boat safely.

Not really true. New York stocks a gazillion steelhead in the central and eastern portions of Lake Ontario. A lot of them wind up in Ontario boats, especially in mid-summer when fish from both sides of the lake mingle together in the shipping lanes way offshore. Not sure exactly what percentage of the steelhead boat catch is based on NY fish, but I remember it was pretty significant. Louis .... do you happen to remember what the actual percentage is? I want to say about 40 percent but the last stuff I saw on this was a few years back.

I've had four Rangers in my life, and have driven them all over North America without ever having any problems whatsoever. An extended cab model with 4x4, automatic transmission and a 4.0L engine will tow a 20-foot bass boat with no problem whatsoever. I think they're now rated to about 6,000 pounds towing capacity ... you can find the up-to-date info on Ford's website (www.ford.ca). FX4 is one of several option groups available for 4x4 Rangers. It is not the only 4x4 model. Ranger is a good truck that's relatively cheap to buy, cheap to insure, and cheap to drive. Costs about $60 - $65 to fill the tank, and on average you get about 500 km to empty. The 4x4 will go through anything, and the 4.0L engine is just about bullet-proof. Last one I had (a black 2005 extended cab 4x4) was the only domestic compact truck recommended by both Consumer Reports and Lemon-Aid (both said it has much better reliability and a lower cost to maintain than anything from GM or Chrysler. I never spend a cent on anything besides oil changes and worn-out tires.) Spend the extra for 4x4 and upgrade tires - you will appreciate it on slippery ramps or any time it snows. Likes: Great value for money, fun to drive, fairly easy on gas, never gets stuck, hauls just about anything, comfy seats, keeps its value well. Dislikes: No heated seats (not even as an option), additional cost for cap or bed lid, extended cab doesn't have the tightest turning radius. Overall: Reliability equal to Toyota or Nissan, but Ranger is costs less to buy, costs less to insure, and for the most part, Ford has had better financing rates than any of the Japanese automakers (I think my last Ranger was 1.9%, and Toyota was about 5.9% at the time). No-brainer, to me.

May not have been suicide after all, but a very .... um .... bizarre ... accident. Talk about a strange way to be found dead. From the Hamilton Spectator ... http://thespec.com/News/BreakingNews/article/578004 AUTO-EROTIC DEATH FOR CARRADINE? Michael Casey The Associated Press BANGKOK — The body of American actor David Carradine, best known for the 1970s TV series “Kung Fu,” was found in a hotel room closet with a rope tied to his neck and genitals, and his death may have been accidental suffocation, Thai police said Friday. The 72-year-old actor’s body was discovered Thursday in his luxury suite at Bangkok’s Swissotel Nai Lert Park Hotel. Police initially said they suspected suicide, though Carradine’s associates had questioned that theory. Police Lt.-Gen. Worapong Chewprecha told reporters that Carradine was found with a rope “tied around his penis and another rope around his neck.” “The two ropes were tied together,” he said. “It is unclear whether he committed suicide or not or he died of suffocation or heart failure due to an orgasm.” Thai police completed an autopsy on Carradine Friday but so far have not released the results. Dr. Nanthana Sirisap, director of Chulalongkorn Hospital’s Autopsy Centre, told reporters that the autopsy was conducted because of the “unusual circumstances surrounding Carradine’s death,” but he did not elaborate. Police Lt. Teerapop Luanseng had said on Thursday that Carradine’s body was found “naked, hanging in a closet,” and that police at the time suspected suicide. But one of Carradine’s managers, Tiffany Smith of Binder & Associates, dismissed the theory. “All we can say is, we know David would never have committed suicide,” Smith said. “We’re just waiting for them to finish the investigation and find out what really happened. He really appreciated everything life has to give ... and that’s not something David would ever do to himself.” Carradine had flown to Thailand last week and began work on a film titled “Stretch” two days before his death, Smith said. He had several other projects lined up after the action film, which was being directed by Charles De Meaux. Carradine was “in good spirits” when he left the U.S. for Thailand on May 29, Smith said. “David was excited to do it and excited to be a part of it,” she said by phone from Beverly Hills. Filming began Tuesday, she said, adding that the crew was devastated by Carradine’s death and did not wish to speak publicly about it for the time being. Aurelio Giraudo, the hotel’s general manager, said Carradine checked into the hotel May 31 and he last saw him June 3. He said Carradine chatted with staff and even played piano a few nights in the lobby as well as flute which the “guests really enjoyed.” “I was a fan. I had a very nice talk with him when he checked in,” Giraudo said. “He was very much a person full of life. I mentioned to him that I had seen (the movie) “Crank” with my family and that was the last smile he gave me.” Giraudo said a chambermaid discovered Carradine’s body, adding that she knocked and entered after there was no response. Police arrived shortly thereafter. Carradine, a martial arts practitioner himself, was best known for the U.S. TV series “Kung Fu,” which aired from 1972-75. He played Kwai Chang Caine, an orphan who was raised by Shaolin monks and fled China after killing the emperor’s nephew in retaliation for the murder of his kung fu master. Carradine also appeared in more than 100 feature films with such directors as Scorsese, Ingmar Bergman and Hal Ashby. He returned to the top in recent years as the title character in Quentin Tarantino’s two-part saga “Kill Bill.” Bill, the worldly father figure of a pack of crack assassins, was a shadowy presence in 2003’s “Kill Bill — Vol. 1.” In that film, one of Bill’s former assassins (Uma Thurman) begins a vengeful rampage against her old associates, including Bill.

Count me in the bucktail bandwagon, specifically the Muskie Killer or Muskie Buck. They're not terribly expensive, they're easy to use and they catch a pile of fish. How do you go wrong? Save the big baits for later in the summer and into the fall. Early in the season you find a lot of fish up shallow, where smaller baits (like the Muskie Killers etc) are often more productive.

Tough to narrow it down to just five, but what the hey: 1. Mepps Aglia, No. 4, Silver 2. Quarter-ounce jig with smoke-coloured, three-inch Yamamoto grub 3. Original Lunker City Slug-Go, black 4. Heddon Tiny Torpedo, any colour (fish only see the silhouette anyway) 5. Either No. 7 Shad Rap in black and silver, or a half-ounce white spinnerbait with tandem Colorado blades The Mepps is a no-brainer, I can use it to cover water and search out active fish at any depth. The jig is the go-to if the fish aren't active. The Slug-Go gives me something to use in even the thickest weeds, at any depth or speed. The Torpedo is unbeatable any time there's a topwater bite. If I'm fishing a shield lake, I'll take the Shad Rap. If it's a meso or eutrophic lake, then definitely the spinnerbait.

Pretty fishie. Interesting to note it doesn't seem to have an adipose fin. Stocker?

You're right Swordfish, and overall, that's true. Levels of some types of contaminants in Lake Ontario have dropped significantly since the 70s. Phosphorous would be a great example. But unfortunately, levels of many other types of chemicals have not declined one bit. And the simple fact is, brand-new chemical contaminants show up all the time. Beyond that, our testing capabilities have become more sophisticated. We are now able to test for things we couldn't test for before. Some chemicals have always been there, we just couldn't measure them until now. None of this makes me want to think about slicing that guy's big laker into fillets and grabbing a box of Fish Crisp.

I have no problem with the guy keeping that fish. There's absolutely no shortage of lake trout in Lake Ontario, and virtually all of them came out of a hatchery to begin with. MNR began stocking lake trout into Lake Ontario in 1971, dumping anywhere from 400,000 to over 1 million fish into the lake each year. Over the same period, New York has also stocked similar numbers of lake trout. Given that lakers can live to 25 or 30 years of age, the Lake O population could be as high as 15 - 20 million fish. Both Ontario and New York have documented lake trout spawning sites where the eggs hatch and little fry emerge, but survival of these little guys is apparently very poor. Possible causes are said to include thiamine deficiency in eggs and fry, and predation of eggs by round gobies. But in the last 10 years both Ontario and NY have also found lower survival rates for stocked lake trout as well. The latest thinking is that the problem could really be high (and growing) chemical contaminant levels. Biologists have found high concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (also known as PBDEs) in Lake O lake trout in recent years. Whatever the cause, the outlook isn't good. From the Great Lakes Fisheries Commission's 2008 annual report: "The short-term outlook for restoring a self-sustaining population of lake trout in Lake Ontario at this time is poor." That being the case, some guy bonking a big laker for the derby will have zero impact on the fishery, so where's the harm? Shoot, it could even help matters by drawing attention to the fact there really are some pretty big fish out there, and maybe its picture on the 'net and in a newspaper might encourage more people to go fishing. That will help the fishery more than anything else.

DFS is in Scarborough: (416) 332-1740. David Boehm is the guy you want to speak with.