jwl

I got a couple boats on board as of this evening, we just haven't hammered down the actual day/times yet, gonna see what works for most, you already know Hellfish there are a few of us who are going to be fishing in the next couple weeks a bunch anyways...so this will just give an extra reason and for a good cause to get out there. Shouldn't have a problem about needing a hand I know alot of people will step in if I do...what I will need though is my 2 way radios..lol

I been reading this thread a bit and some great points from all.....living in the Niagara region all my life, spending tonnes of time outdoors, I also know some avid hunters. The "wild dog" problem around this area is not unique but a wierd scenario all together, and some areas are "infested with them" it has been going on for decades and only getting worse.....forst cases where in about the early 80's when some wolves made thier way down the Bruce Trail from the Tobermory area into the Firemen's Park area of Niagara Falls...they have over years, interbred with the coyotes of the area and also ferril dogs as well, this creating a pretty mixed up breed of thier own...some call them coydogs, others coywolves...the problem with these ones is because of being interbred with wolves they tend to be large animals, they have the cunning nature of a coyote, but interbred with domestic dogs so they have a greatly reduced natural fear of man. They will even go so far as to basically try and "kidnap" other dogs and make them part of thier pack....there is actually quite the problem and high populations in the Welland,Thorold,Niagara area...these ones definately aren't your average coyote, I have seen plenty of those around here, and have seen a couple wolves before around the area where my trailer is....I am an animal lover and conservationist at heart, but if faced with a desision to make about my own saftey atthe time,I don't think I would have a problem popping one off

4-6 hours from there.........summer.....Lake Erie

gee thanks Rory, trying to make me really busy???, I just got finished last weekends derby I will post details as I pull this together, I am waiting on some feedback as to a day, how many boaters ect..I just planted this bug within the last hour or so..not sure if this is going to be a wekday or weekend yet pending feedback..it's short notice, but a bunch of us nut cases will be fishing the next couple weeks anyways..the basic idea is a boater/non-boater day..we need to get a feel for boats before opening seats up...5-10 bucks entry fee, winner gets bragging rights(probably some sort of award) and all the cash goes in as a donation. I am just tossing this around so I will keep updated as the next couple days goes by

I have 14 footer Legend rated for a 15...I run a 9.9 on it and find it's plenty enough for getting me around and fishing..no issues with registaering the boat ect like Irishfield mentioned, heck I don't even know if I can find the bill of sale for the thing, I had it for over 5 years

great colours for this time of year on the river, I have a couple things to try out as well that are on the lines of rainbow pattern

that will come in handy because pending conditions, I may have to get someone to throw the boat in for me, only takes a couple minutes to take off the van and put on a truck to launch..I have a van for a tow vehicle right now..no probs getting it there, I live like 5 minutes or so from the ramp..so I will keep tabs on it, and clean it the night before ect no probs...but even when I use my boat all winter for steelie fishin the Lower,I have fishing buddies with 4X4's as a back up plan

well thankfully nothing happened to that boat much more than a few scratches on the bottom and scrape on the skeg of the motor.....I am sure everyone really felt bad for the guy at the time for sure and everyone chipped in to resolve the trouble as quick as they could..I didn't see it happen just heard when we pulled into the road to wait to launch..I was 2nd last boat in the water as I was one of the guys running the derby so...only seemed right, I didn't have to race anyways, I took home the money for biggest brown As for any incidents...a boat slippin off sucks really bad for sure, but all was okay in the end,I never take my strap and safety chain off until the boat is pretty much in the water...1 boat plug in wrong spot so they had to pull out really quick... , besides a couple usual cold start problems for cold wetaher fishing, all went in and out pretty good now we should all get back to Dobee's regularly scheduled post here

beer.....if out at the bar it's Bud Light, if buying a box of beer, I ain't paying almost 40 bucks a case so I just switch between a few of the buck a beer brands... and whiskey..I prefer the Gibson's Finest..good for mixed drinks and good for shots,Captain dark for rum and cokes

ok boat is full then....just bring an assortment of tackle and a heavy rod..I know Bruce has a heavy rod already so if need be, I can loan ya one no probs. As for some quick tackle pointers...some med to deep divers...larger size plastics, swim baits, I have a few things we can try out, not sure what you may have for this kind of tackle..I am pretty sure I have a few good floro leaders and such too...there is an area I want to try for a bit conditions pending to jig for them with big baits...then we are trolling

thanks Dude, I am glad that was a big turnout..17 boats...42 people, lots of fun and prizes,..was a great day all around, I showed 2 total newbs what that kind of fishin is all about, they had some action, we couldn't have asked for a nicer wintery day for sure. Dobee was in that derby too but not sure how he made out.....so how did ya make out Dobee??? We will probably get a couple boats out there and fill em up just for something to do soon again,will keep ya posted, we may even throw a derby like the last one together for next month Once again Dobee, nice fish man...see ya on and around the river soon for sure

nice going on the fish, wierd that out of the last couple weeks I been out, only catching lakers and bows...we where wondering about the browns...then on Saturday's derby all of a sudden they came in...you could hear the chicka...chicka..wah..wah...music going on and see them frollicking at the end of the drift I was fishing for the derby. Gotta love when the river hits that majic temp for sure. Now I just need to figure out when I can get out again..should have went today looks like the travel to the other side payed off pretty good

just put lots of ketchup and plug your nose

I know you always have a good time out there Ug,a good mixed bag of fish always sees your boat or the banks, and from the pics, I see you even keep some pretty good company out there too

maybe not applicable, but for me, if my posts say Upper or Lower I mean Niagara River...lower is the part that goes over the big cliff

2 words.......trout......fishing

gotta love winter, had a day like that myself on the Niagara Friday..windchill I don't know but everyhting that got splashed when running around in the boat was instantly flash frozen...only difference the little "windshield" on my console is just for looks other than function. unless the "function" is actually supposed to be directing the wind and snow right in your face thanks for the pic, gotta love the rigors that some fellow hardcores go through when cold water fishin

holy crap man,that thing is huge..I have been with people on a trip when a bull is downed, and seen first hand that the "fun" part of the trip is soon taken over with the work part or even trying to get your shot out of the area it dropped in. That must have taken a mother load of work to get that one out of the bush in one piece

ahh, the trials of winter fishing...hopefully it's not really too much with the boat..I helped organize and was in a trout derby yesterday on the Niagara, we had 17 boats out there with 42 participants. Out of all the boats there was the usual winter trouble at first...cold cranking batteries, tough cold starts, 3 boats including my own that started up no probs but not pumping water....thankfully it all worked out for everyone as is to be expected on days like this.....for my boat, I just hoped it was just a bit of ice from fishing the day before...that's all it was in the long run....all I had to do was poke a long pin into the tell tale, I felt there was a bit of ice blockage..soon as I poked it, I got a couple drips of water out, fired up the boat again and it worked like a champ...same as the other 2 boats with the same trouble.

nope quick CPR on that one...from past experience I would give it an honest 13-14 lbs, I don't like hanging fish that big on a scale..bad for the fish.....if I had my dam logo/sign with me I would have measured it for sure

for steelies....22lbs( caught in the mid 1980's- Whirlpool from shore)...that's my best one this season so far since last winter/spring I got today

Just ran into that trouble today...tried a couple of the above metioned techniques...dunking the rod tip in the water.....licking it off, breaking it off..and then alas, my buddy say "hey I got some Reel Magic in my bag". After that not too much troubles..it was freekin cold too, anyhting that was wet got flash frozen when travelling around..I am just glad that the sun came out long enough to get rid of 95% of the snow in the boat today. I have used cooking spray in the past and not had much troubles that way..as for other kind sof silicone spray, I have always been a skeptic that it might eat away and weeken the line. In the winter I use my boat alot for example, and a couple times it's ben so cold out that after putting the bowmount down and pulling it back up, the shaft got flash frozen stuck..I sprayed that and my seat posts with silicone spray and it works like a charm...but it did start to take of the paint on my trolling motor where it says "Power Drive" so as for putting it on my line..I have my doubts

beauty looking colours on that brown. hey when did the season open for beach chickens in that area??? that must have been interesting to say the least

thanks folks, it was one of those days where you get frozen snotcicles out there, snow flyin, wind coming the wrong way up the river, thus really limiting where you can fish I guess it payed off though. As for not forgetting the camera, my buddy took the pics, and my team sign...at the bottom of the other half of my tackle bag, I downsized to just my trout stuff for todays mission..I knew I was gonna get something as I have at least one all my last outings, so I knew I was going to get one bigger in the next few weeks to enter...go figure I had to get a hog today It was a blast they are fresh and crazy to boot, that one jumped out of the water a whole bunch of times. It's just the start of my winter season, many more to come..I just hope the ones in the mid teens like that one come out to play more...no camera tricks in that pic either, it's a hog, I was holding it pretty much against my chest...if you compare to the greaser you can get the idea....man The Slammers needed that fish big time...guess it's up to me to redeem myself on that one...I am hog hunting tommorrow for a derby so,I will bring my sign this time

Well first off, this is the kind of fish you catch when you don't have your sign with you and your team needs a GL trout I lost another one before that in the range of 10 lbs when it decided it was done jumping and thought for a change that it would dive right under my boat and try and come out the other side..and snap!!!!, had one other big fish on just long enough for a teaser. And started the day off with this one..kepping my 5 years non boat skunk going..I may not always get em, but as long as a fish sees my boat, it's all good..5 years and still going strong Also got ths one as well.we will vist them in about 10 days I don't think he liked me though was a pretty cold snowy day out on the river..but well worth the effort for me amyways.