Mike Pike

I thought that was you guys out there Joonmoon!

I showed up around 2pm as well and started crawling around the shore and casting crankbaits. I was the guy over at the railway track shoreline.

Windy is right! Wow! It was like gailforce on that shore. Anyhoo, it was also the only place I caught fish. Just one little pike and another bigger one that gave me a good fight 'til it got off.

And at the very worst, remember when you come across 'private property,' you can always knock on a door. I did this on the Grand River once and the people kindly let me fish what looked like a great stretch of river that I could only get to off their property.

I also made sure to show 'em the bag I had tucked into my fishing vest and let them know that I would pick up any garbage I found along the river bank. I really think stuff like that fosters good will and shows you will respect their property.

The Grand River and it's tributaries are my favorite hang-outs. All the species are there; largemouth and smallmouth, pike, walleye, brookies, bows and browns, panfish. Really accessable too, especially once you throw on some waders.

Hey Jack, welcome to this board!

I've always enjoyed your Niagara area exploits and looking forward to your pics and reports.

Welcome.

Worm on a hook is always good. Catches everything and anything.

As for length, you have to experiment. Keep changing the length til you get a fish then that's the pattern you stick with.

See, simple.

Hey, how did you make out at 50 point when you went??? I wanted to send you a reply about the pond there but the thread was locked.

Ya, it's the Buffalo Bills fans I really feel for. Just the uncertanty looming over your team's fate must be agonizing.

Do you go and support the team today knowing that tomorrow they could be gone never to return? Or do you hold out hope that a local group will come forward to buy the Bills and forever keep them where they belong.

I know there are more important thing in life than sports. But I don't think you can underestimate what a local sports team does for it's fans either. Here in Hamilton, I look forward Ti-Cat games days ahead of time! I start collecting supplies for our tailgating, call family and friends to firm up plans, and what a great time we end up having together before and after the game.

How about the talks you have with complete strangers on the bus who strike up a conversation with you cuz they see you wearing your team's jersey.

A local team adds to the fabric of the community. It can get the young interested in sports and make the old feel young again.

Here's hoping the Bills stay where they are and that the games up in Toronto will do exactly what we are being told they will do; inject some much needed revenue to a team in a city that needs it.

What a report, Moosebunk, and pics! Thank you.

I won't read any better fishing adventure in a magazine on the newstand. Your reports really make me glad to be a member of this community.

And what a walleye!!!

Cheers!

Wow, cool fish! Only seen artist's drawings of it in various publications but I've never seen an actual photo of one before.

Thanks for that!

I'll be willing to bet that's the first post on this board with a pic of a Big Mouth Buffalo as well.

I'm partial to the Berkley Trilene myself, John. I mostly fish wth the XT Extra Tough in clear.

Sometmes I'll spool up with the XL Smooth Casting in clear too. It's a little more limp and supposed to allow longer casts. Hard to judge if it really makes much of a difference but it does in my mind so I'll get it when shore fishing and my casts really have to get out there.

Those ribs look awesome!!! And so does that 'cue for that matter.

I live in Hamilton and with the link and redhill expressway, I could probably be there before the ribs got cold Gerritt...

..hint...hint...

Ticket price is waaaaaay to high. People will pay becuase of the novelty for now, though.

Although, I did hear Bob McCowan on the FAN 590 say ticket sales are not going as quickly as expected.

I live in Hamilton so I'd rather drive 50 miles south and see 'em for 50 bucks than drive 50 miles north and see 'em for 200 bucks.

And I do feel sorry for Buffalo residents. This casts a dark shadow over your team for a few years as you wonder if you team will still be in Buffalo in the near future.

I live in Hamilton and only need to drive 1/2 hour to get to one of my favourite brookie streams. Even with our shrinking wilderness areas, it's nice to know that, not too far from major cities, you can still find these jewels.

I think part of the reason there is still great brook trout fishing in so many local streams is that, other than the opener, they aren't really targetted much. A pretty fish, to be sure, but a tiny one. Fish like bass, walleye and pike that attain bigger size tend usually get more attention from anglers. Which is fine by me!

Sweeeeet brookie!

Maybe not one of your banner days, ehg, but that's stream fishing, eh?

Thanks for the pics and report! A beauty day to be out there.

And another thing...

The Manager fires her for giving a Timbit to a child but says ok to staff giving Timbits to dogs cuz they're 'day olds.'

Isn't that a healthcode violation for servers at a restaurant to let animals eat food out of their hand???

Normal Place of Employment...

Employer: Hey, saw you gave a Timbit to a child on camera.

Employee: Ya, I did.

Employer: Don't do it again, 'cuz we consider it stealing, ok.

Employee: Oh, ok. Sorry.

Hey, some nice pics of some nice pike. Thanks for that report. Gotta love that urban fishing!

Yup, those are worms. I usually don't see them in perch. But about 3 years ago, icefishing on Simcoe, I caught a lot of wormy perch.

After filleting the fish, I use the pointy tip of the fillet knife to just flick 'em out. Personally, they don't gross me out. And even if you miss a few, they won't harm you.

Glad you had success Mike. And I guess we learned something too. Gulp leeches for perch!

Pan fishing is too much fun. A few floats, some hooks and a bit of bait and you're in business. Plus, when you're talking perch, crappie, bluegills.. the population can usually stand harvest and they're pretty tastey in the pan.

Thanks for your follow up report.

Hope you had yourself a good day out there Nomad!

And just a reminder if folks couldn't make it out today, it's also on tomorrow( Sunday )!

Sounds pretty neat if you're interested in buying a kayak because you get to test paddle a bunch of models and 'try before you buy.'

Slip floats! I never shore fish without 'em.

But besides that, artificials below the float are terrific like your tiny tubes on light jigs WHEN THE FISH ARE ACTIVE. Otherwise, it's always a good idea to be armed with live minnows, worms or leeches to really put the odds in your favour!

Way to go Young One! You first Steelhead and some terrific pics to remember it by!

I still remember my first Steely. It's funny cuz it was years ago but I remember it like yesterday.

Congratulations!

For me it's Mepp's Spinners.

In the 60's and 70's they were my #1 go to bait.

I owned brass and nickel as well as painted blades in at least 3 different sizes.

They caught Trout, Bass, Panfish, Pike and Walleye for me...

With a metal body and exposed treble hook they were very prone to snagging bottom or hanging up on cover.

I guess that's why Spinnerbaits eventually replaced them in my tackle box.

That's funny that you mention the good ol' reliable Mepps spinners. The Aglia #3 in both the copper and silver finishes always occupied a bin in my tackle box. And I always had two of each because of the 'snaggability' factor as you mentioned! (lol) Maybe that's why they lost their popularity, as you suggest. I'd say line twist is another reason people stopped fishing with 'em.

Funny though, two years ago I remembered those lures and the fun I had casting them on rivers and ponds and bought a few and started casting with 'em once again. What a blast. I'd add a swivel to help eleviate the line twisting and started catching bass after bass again, mostly in river situations( the Grand and it's tributaries ). They cast like a dream and always have a special place in the fishing vest when heading out on the rivers and streams. Probably have a few when I hit the trout stream on the opener!

I'm generally in favour of most any stocking program, particularly of species native to the area. Only thing with this, though, is it's the lake trout. And it's presumably being re-stocked primarily for anglers. But downrigger fishing for lakers is not nearly the sport that salmon and steelhead fishing is. Not to mention anything about the lake trout's edibility out of Erie.

So I'm wondering about the charter guys and anyone who fishes Erie regularly; does this news really excite you guys or not???

Looks like you had youself some pretty good fishing and a good time wth Dad. Thanks for sharing those pics and your trip with us!

I used to go to the southwest coast of Florida a lot back when my parents owned a home in North Port and I really enjoyed the fishing. From the piers to the rivers( brackish water ), you just never knew what you were going to hook into.

I remember most of all the fight of the saltwater fish. Those Jacks and Snappers would reeeeeeally test your gear!

Since I fish with my light rod a lot( 6ft St. Croix Avid rated 4 - 8lb test ), I didn't mind spending more for it. Can't remember but I know with was a over $100 a few years ago.

The thing is, if you plan on using it a lot, the extra you spend to gain sensitivety is worth it for me. But it does depend on what you have to spend so good luck in your search.