Kerry

For me the ol' tried and true 04 Panther: course now I haul a fish trap behind it Kerry

Great place to start Wayne.Now YOU got size to work on out there! Kerry

This one was 43" and I figured around the 20lb mark.Caught her on Thanksgiving monday on Balsam.Got a couple quick pics and back in. Kerry

Sparrow may well be a small cottage type lake but it is part of the severn river system and that level alone has miles of water that can easily grow bad boys to that size.Next time you are in Port Stanton take a look at the mount in the general store by the big dock.It came from straight out front.It was a small one according to the original store owner who got it from the fella who caught it years ago. Kerry

Caught one a few years ago about half as bad, unfortunately it didn't survive and I kept it.Surprisingly after cleaning it I found no black spot whatsoever in the flesh.It was fine just all in the skin. I think that one would go back regardless though. Kerry

Yeah, Haven't been down the river this year,but the last two years you gotta keep your ears open if you're in the boat down between Coldwater and Fesserton especially if you tie off to the reeds and want to drift fish the holes.I saw four in total last year.I heard there was a real nasty male hanging around Lawson Line last year. Kerry

I guess simply put pike are an invasive species to the Kawartha's but it was inevitable they were going to get in there sooner or later.Having said that,my perpective is that I'm going to the Kawartha's to fish untainted waters for a Musky.It's like a poor man's dream fly in.Pike I can catch at home but Musky are off limits in cooch and simcoe now to fish for and Balsam is 40 minutes away. I haven't caught one there yet but I would keep it to help slow the spread.I'm not against pike cause they are a lot easier to catch than musky and they put up a darn good fight but keep them out of the Kawartha's. Kerry

Syn, Your future plans as statedare far more important than what could have transpired had this gone on.You took the right path got it halved and both parties may have learned something from it.May the fish gods forever smile upon you! Kerry

I'm not a merc guy but my buddy has a 20.Never had a problem with it.One thing I like about it is the shift is in the handle and you don't have to swing around more to engage or disengage the gear lever.Wish my Johnson had that.Other than that they are all usually good motors just depends on how they were previously used. Kerry

Because I just love Balsam Lake and it was a beautiful morning. Kerry

The Mitchell launch is on hwy 48 as you go between the two halves of mitchell.There is a boat launch sign.The launch on Canal is off of 48 on Centennial Park or Centennial road.You drive over the' Hole in the wall' where everyone shore fishes past the trailer park about a mile or so on the left.Both launches require a payment left in a lock box.Last time I was there it was 6 bucks. Kerry

The islands on Dollars lake will cough up eyes and smallies.Try the transitions from rock to sand at the base of them.Early evening at the mouth of the wolf river is a good spot.stay around the shoal marked with the jug and work out around it and the weedbed slowly working bottom.Trolling shoreline drops will get you pike all through the system.Largemouth like wood.Crappies are there but hard to find.Live bait is best for jigging. Kerry

Use a bucket on a short rope off your front cleat,or a drift sock same way.It'll cut your speed and it's a lot cheaper. Kerry

Tried portaging into Matchedash(Long)lake a few times years ago with a canoe 2hp and equipment with two guys. We talked about the same stuff back then.Buddy made a set up with some EMT pipe when he worked at Canada wire.Lasted half way in and then we were stuck carrying that crap in and out as well.I've seen 12 ft tinnies with lawnmower type wheels bolted on straight brackets on each side of the stern about 3-4 inches high which would give you a fair bit of clearance and aren't too obstuctive when you are in the boat.Looked pretty simple and solid. Kerry

You might be new to boating right now but give a little time on the water and you might have aspirations of moving up in boat size and or bigger areas to fish.It may serve you to do the exam now and have a card that is lifetime plus the experience of learning some dos and dont's on the water rather than wait and either pay more or have to do a more in depth exam later.With summer still kinda here there are booths set up during waterfront events that charge as little as 20 bucks to do the test.Pretty cheap and most of the stuff is common sense. Mike, getting an affidavit can be done at a local community legal clinic.I had to do mine for my trailer when I got my boat.At that time I paid 20 bucks after swearing on a bible I was claiming it as mine(Had reg. papers for boat no ownership for trailer) .No problem having an ownership made up for it.I just had to separate the cost of the boat/motor and trailer for the taxes at the licensing office.I was fortunate as the trailer still had the manufacturers' serial# tag on it and everything was clear on it save for the owner I bought it from didn't claim purchase originally because it wasn't used on the road but as a cottage site storage unit. Kerry

Ya gots that right Brian.Although it's more than just their ability to eat fish as loons do too in much the same manner.To me it goes to the fact that they are way beyond a properly managed level and they have no predators to worry about besides us sitting here with our hands tied behind our backs.If egg oiling was the right answer originally then we wouldn't now be seeing what's there in our area.There has to be a major cull involving both Canada and the States jointly to make some kind of impact. Kerry

John, they have been slowly killing the island over a few years.There is vegetation but it's getting thinner all the time. Kerry

We were out on the Island Princess for dinner and a cruise this evening.Got a close up of Ship Island tonight.What an absolute shame to see such destruction.At one time you couldn't see thru the other side for trees and we used to park the the boat in on the other side and swim.Not anymore.Last week while working on a house on Simcoe we had a pod,herd,the whole dang Cormorant cavalry fly by nonstop for at least 10 minutes.Was there not a cull of three thousand birds last year at Pelee and is the ministry not supposedly oiling eggs? Sorry the pic is from my phone.The canopy you see is at least 90 percent birds. Kerry

Wil, Should the measurement be taken with the tail pinched or open?Just curious if I catch one. Kerry

I have a Berkley lightning rod 5'6" UL that is going on at least 10 yrs old.It is my go to set up for smallies with the baby sized rattle spots or crappie/beetle spins and 4lb line on bass lake.Hasn't let me down yet and sooo much fun when you get one over the 2lb mark. Kerry

For lip material you can use 1/4" lexan.Use a jigsaw or bandsaw if you have one to cut out the profile.You can get some at a building center or even a window shop.Also try a home recycle center like restore that takes stuff from stores as well.Many display cases are made from Lexan.Might get it reel cheap that way. Kerry

Did he check the floats and level of them while he had the carbs apart.Also might have disturbed the syncronization of the carbs when having them off and replacing them. Kerry

Oh god no not the minnow one.Didn't we have one of those about 6 mths ago on a draw or something. Anyway Craig it was a good post and probably a bit of a refresher for many of the salmon species-kinda like subliminal learning through interesting reading.KUDOS Kerry

Chinny's usually have black gums.This one looks like the upper is more whitish.I'll go with COHO. Kerry

Great report there Skud and some pretty good self portraits too.Never easy.Too bad you couldn't one in there with a musky.BLNT ! Kerry