Kerry

If you're up and down dirt roads daily the brake cleaning will definately help especially if you have rear discs as your ABS sensors can get affected as well as the disc slides and pins loose their lubricant.Didn't realize how bad it can get till your looking at it on a hoist and you only got like 40 k on em and one of your discs is gouged cuz the calipers' all crudded up. You also have to be careful with lubricant sprays on your E brakes as most are lined with a nylon liner instead of the old plastic covered wire liner around the cable.Maybe a silicone based lubricant rather than an oil or petroleum based is better. Kerry

Guess what rizzo,Sat the 22nd wasn't much better on balsam for wind either.Brother in law was camping for the week,had a group of guys nearby that got 8 during the week including a 51 1/2 incher.They even had him out once and showed him what they were doing so he'd have a good idea.So we trolled and trolled and .......... It's gonna happen someday. Oh yeah, we gave up at 7:00 pm and jigged outside of the park for the mandatory slot walleye so we could say it wasn't a total bust.16" splash!! Kerry

I remember seeing that one Dan a few years ago.Something tells me that one wasn't photoshopped.Apparently the U.K. one was. Kerry

"Teach a man to fish and he'll ...well you fill in the rest " And you may end up on his wife's hit list! Yep, Zander are big walleye.There was talk of bringing them to the states somewhere and doing a study planting some time ago.Can't remember where tho. Kerry

Every time I see that picture that dinkey looking berkley rod holder stands out and I have to laugh.I got one sitting on a shelf after having a 5lb walleye crack it on a troll. Kerry

Oh I Had to answer to this one Big Swede cause I feel your PAIN!! I've put a lot of weekend miles over the last couple of years going to Balsam for the elusive musky and I have yet to even see a follow.Got the gear, have made the time and still got the the good ol' goose-egg!!BUT the first one's gonna be special no matter how long it takes.10,000 casts,probably 250 miles worth of trolling......IT"S GONNA HAPPEN . Kerry

Wow,that's great TJ.Good Luck to all that can have a shot at that chance. Kerry

I'll be sure to keep well clear of that my friend!!LOL Kerry

Actually I don't know if I can step off of the shale/rock edge at the park,I didn't walk right up to the edge but it looked like there is a dropoff of some sort there.Maybe farther down outside the park boundary you could possibly wade in;Mind you in late sept/early october I really don't want to wade out in any water especially in the dark if I don't have to unless I'm launching my boat.My rod is long and limber enough to cast if I up the weight I can probably get a good 100ft or so if it's not blowing in to shore.I used to use this type of setup with a buddy a few years ago at port hope off the rock pile for bows. Kerry

Hey folks, My wife and I were up to Thornbury to watch the lawn tractor racing today and on the way back we stopped in to Craigleith Prov. Park.Has anyone had any success fishing from the shore there this time of year?They're open till the end of October and I thought we may stay over on a sat night just to get away AND while my significant other gets her beauty sleep I'll throw some fresh roe out in the early morning.Rainbows are likely coming in in say 2-3 weeks at the notty following salmon and that's not too far away from there. I have an old fiberglass 10' mooching rod which I could use about an ounce of weight to fire my bait out or can you just drop right out from the edge of the shale. Thanks Kerry

Haven't had much time to do any fishing this year so having a couple of early mornings this past weekend was perfect. Sat: & There were a couple more bass and a huge walleye I lost at boatside on saturday so I figured early sunday morning I'd give it another go. Sun: & & this guy got the day started I ended up catching 7 eyes and 4 largemouth and home by 10am.Kept four walleye for the table between the two days.A perfect long weekend. Kerry

Try the scroll speed at 60% and adjust the sensitivy down till your screen is clear,say 50% or so then throw a medium size spoon(cleo's are perfect) down and see if you can pick it up on the graph right down at the bottom foot or so.When you lift or drop you should detect the movement.Adjust your sensitivity up to see that.You can play with the greyscale too;that'll help you learn whether it's hard or soft bottom where you are.The deeper you are the more sensitvity you'll need. Kerry

Check the classifieds.I have one for sale and it's still available for a 14-16 ft boat,pics are there and it's been just painted recently. Kerry

I did my floor in my boat with the Deckmaster outdoor vinyl flooring two years ago.For a 16' bowrider it ran me just about 200.00 for the vinyl and glue.The glue is very strong so it must be done in a well ventilated area.It is basically non-slip anyway.I don't have any pics available to post right now but I can get a couple up next week when we get back. Kerry

Hey Ken, The secret is panfishin'.Catch a few perch, sunfish or whatever then mercifully throw them back.That'll keep the fish gods happy.THEN get the big gear happening and hang on! Well......that's what I keep tellin' myself anyway. Seriously though that's why 10 % of fishermen catch 90 % of the fish.They've paid as much attention to the lake they fish and it's structure as they have to how they fish it.Which is why some guys on this board really are 'Fishing Gods' and the knowledge they pass on is worth taking in. Keep the faith Ken it'll all come together when you least expect it. Kerry

Actually September will GRATEFULLY be here soon.Then we'll own the waters around our boats as most of the idiots will finally be gone.I might even get back on cooch. Kerry

We stayed there about 5yrs ago 007.It's a lovely park well off the beaten track.Make sure you have your supplies-no guarantee the store going in will have much availableThere are smallies and lakers apparently.I shore casted off the point at the day use area.Actually waded out to my waist and threw a Pop R around the point area(rocky drop off)and caught a smallie about a pound.That's about it. Kerry

I think that the months of Dec/Jan are playing heavily on what we're seeing now.I've never seen so many small fish around the boardwalk area here in Orillia as this spring.It was warm enough for spawning in early January.And weeds are already starting to die back around here in places.Imagine what it must be like in areas of the Kawartha's when the water level is adjusted as much as 4ft during the winter months.The combination has to put a strain on something. Kerry

South of chiefs island around the coontail patches for bass and pike. look for areas where weeds top out on the water.Rattlin raps and big silver/red mepps spinners work for me. Kerry

Restoule is a tough lake for sure.Fishing around the island to the right of the park and outside of the reeds heading towards the island is ok.Pike hang around outside of those reeds in the sand/marl mix.I spotted a beauty musky in the 20 lb class off of the reeds by the island when I was up there a couple years ago.Smallies are around the island where the rocks break in to weed patches. I met a local while there and he was telling me musky turn on more in november.Maybe that's why it's one of the latest parks to close.As far as walleye go everyone seems to have a hard time. Anyway a friend told me before I went up to fish Stormy (right at the park gate before you enter)as you have better shot at catching fish.Smallies for sure and musky are more incidental.There are docks there for boats and it's part of the park.It's just a long way from the campsite. Besides the fishing it is a beautiful park and lake and I gotta go back! Kerry

Here's a link to the Ontario energy board.If you browse thru the site you will have a good handle on all the info you need to make the best decision either way.Some areas of Ontario are better bets than others for cost savings if you chose to go with a plan. http://www.oeb.gov.on.ca/ Kerry

Nemo, I've been using the Esso oil in both my sled (04) Easymix and boat (72) Outboard formula for the last three years.It is a synthetic blend,Doesn't smoke like normal oil and doesn't rip your lungs out either.Good to mix to 100 to 1 or for oil injection.Haven't changed my plugs in two years on either.Do yourself a favour and look at your local National Grocers if you have one nearby.Most I have paid is 3.99 liter.Sometimes it's 3.49.Your Esso station will want 5.75+ tax. Kerry

You're welcome 007!It does save on the spike holes in the hand and much better control to get the hook out. Don't discount those mudcats as a good alternative eating fish either.As the old saying goes ..."Tastes just like Chicken!".They are good eating fish. Kerry

Best way to hold those mudcats is to rest it on your palm belly down, mouth out past your finger tips.Then hold it with one fin between your thumb and forefinger and the other fin between your third and fourth fingers.You won't get spiked by any of them and it's an easy grip as well as the fish doesn't seem to squirm as much. Kerry

I was just up there on Sunday.It's posted as sanctuary until May 19 at the locks. Here's a pic of a big carp;doesn't really do it justice but I figured it was around the 18-20lb mark. He was in the lower lock. Kerry