4x4bassin

I too have a first edition print of The Incomplete Anglers (1943) have not read it yet but soon , have started to read Algonquin Story by Audrey Saunders , another good one about the "old ways" of Algonquin . Picked up both these (first editions)at a garage sale for a couple bucks , great find

Nice one

With the closing of inland trout in central Ontario came my last back country trout adventure of the year. I try to make it into this special place at least twice a year , it is strictly a lake trout/smallmouth bass lake and it is a beauty ! We hardly see anyone there because the only way in is to fly or if you can find them the crude atv trails . This trip was with my brother in-law and it started out good with us making great time along the dry(this time)trails to the lake and our camping spot. Camp was quickly set up and firewood collected/cut for the weekend . The lake was calm (perfect for jigging) so we set up our rods and boat and pushed off shore to go out and nail some lake trout , well our enthusiasm quickly changed when me trusty merc. would not start . This motor has basicly been to hell and back with no problems ever so after pulling on the starter cord for about 30 minutes I knew it wouldn't start and it was going to be a looooong weekend . We decided to call it a day and just sit around the fire and have a couple rums and try to laugh at or misfortune ! We were lucky in that the two best lake trout spots on the whole lake were only 500 yards from camp so starting in the morning we would pack up or boat for the day and start paddling . To no ones surprise the two spots produced and we caught about 10 lakers that day with the 40 ft flat producing the best , here are a couple pics. I'm not sure if anyone hear was up at 6:30 am on the 30th of September but this is what I woke up to that morning , spectacular ! This is the full moon setting in the western sky This is a picture of the little bay out from our camp showing how blue the water is , it is incredible actually considering all the surrounding lakes are tea stained . Pictures don't really show the true colour ! The last day we decided to make an anchor out of a rock and sit over a shoal and jig the dropoff , this spot always produces in the fall and it did produce a couple fish but not like it has in the past , so the brother in-law started casting his jig on top of the shoal and was hammering them on top in only 10 ft of water, I guess you never know ! He outfished me on that shoal 8 to 1 He had the technique dailed in that morning for sure . This laker looked like it had swam 50 miles of river when we caught it , pretty beat up from an early spawn I guess ! The weekend ended with us totaling 20 lake trout and a couple smallies with the biggest trout coming in at around 4 lbs , we did pretty good considering what we had to deal with. The producing lures for the weekend were a 1 oz white bucktail jig with a pearl gulp minnow trailer and a 1 oz darter head jig and a pearl gulp minnow as well . This is a shot of a nice beach on one of the lakes along the trail on the way out . I am already missing that place , so next years opener can't come soon enough , thanks for reading Cheers

Well I was out today taking the dog for a little run in the bush and on my way home I wanted to check out a local river (small trib.) and see if there were still any salmon around . The spot I go to is close to the road and last week there was about 10 salmon darting around in this pool , well any way as I approach the river I see a truck parked there and this is not uncommon due to people stopping to watch the salmon do there thing or even maybe a turkey hunter so as I slowly drive by I see this guy come out of the bush with a fishing rod in hand and a backpack and he seemed to be in a hurry ! Well I put the truck in reverse and backed up , when I got up to him I advised him that this river was closed to fishing and of course he gives me the "Really ,not even for salmon. I had no idea" remark So I advised him to brush up on his reading skills and check out the regulations , I also told him that the MNR patrol this area quite frequently(which they do) and he is lucky I seen him and not them . Anyways that is my good deed for the day even though this turkey will probably be at it again in a couple days .

I was actually wondering this myself , I got my FAC about 25 years ago and lost the actual paper licence and never renewed it . I wonder if it is still vaild , I will have to give them a call Thanks

Thanks for sharing your trip with us , well done on those muskies

2 stroke , I have read about leaving 4 strokes on there side and causing big problems but nothing really about 2 strokes ! and yes I usually take a small outboard tool kit with me on these kind of trips but as it always happens I forgot it and the motor craps out, first time ever That will not happen again !

Great report Mike , love those fly in reports

I had a little (big problem at time)with my merc last week and was wondering if this has happened to anyone here. I was on a backwoods atv/fishing trip a couple weeks ago , we travel with everything loaded onto the bike racks including the motor . We got to the lake , setup and then proceded to go out fishing , well the good old reliable merc finally let me down . The thing wouldn't start and after pulling for ever we gave up . I checked for fuel/spark and everything was good but just wouldn't start ! I have done this trip many times before with no issues so I thought about it and the only thing I did different was for the month previous to this trip I stored the motor on it's side and i'm thinking that did something to it ! My father in-law took the carb apart and checked it out with no visible problems and just cleaned it and put it back together , after 3 pulls she started up and idled no problem . Has anyone here had any issues with storing an outboard on its side and screwing up the carb , trust me I really don't want this to happen again. Paddling around a 14 ft alluminum on the last weekend of lake trout season is no fun ! Mind you we did pretty well considering , we caught 20 lakers drifting and paddling about . Any suggestions

Ouch ! That is what you call a "cold front" Hope you are making the best of it

I have never seen them before untill this year , saw/heard three of them over my house in early summer (NW of Alliston) and they seemed to be fighting . I sure did hear them first , very loud and distictive sound . I also seen a pair mid summer about 30 miles NE of Parry Sound (Dunchurch area)

Very nice , some real fall tanks there for sure

Great catch from shore Simon , love the dog pictures

I work outside on the ramp at Pearson and have been slippin and slidin for years on that icy ramp untill I purchased these things called Yaktrax , never a problem with traction . Check them out Lew , highly recomended . O ya I have had my pair for several years now with no durability issues

Well closing weekend has finally arrived in this part of the world and i'm heading out for one last kick at the can for some backwoods lakers. This time of the year is the best time to be in central Ontario backcountry, weather is looking good with light winds (perfect for jigging lakers) Is anyone else here heading out and doin a little camping/trout fishing ? Hopefully I will have a good report to share with you when I get back

I'm no expert but I can't see #20 mono getting wrapped into the prop for that short of time damaging your seals , I have had #50 PP braid wrap up with no damage . Also maybe your drain/fill plugs were tightened to much thus damaging gaskets ! If I were you I would take it in and get it tested just to be safe , way too much money invested at this point on a brand new engine to screw around !

Great report Rich , good thing you had that second week booked eh ! Nice scenery shots as well , beautiful part of Ontario

Stay away from the lead core in my opinion , get yourself some deep divers that go to 20 feet like a rapala tail dancer and flatline . I have had good luck in the park with countdown rapala's as well. You can even get yourself some inline trolling weights and tie a flashy spoon to it !

Have several compres and no problems over the years except for the new one I bought this year with the "foam" handle . I find it is too narrow for my hand and when the foam gets wet it is a touch slippery Other then that it is a great rod . One thing I have to ask is are you using braid ? The reason I ask is because I broke a new Diawa rod a month ago and more than one person told me that it basicly broke from the braid causing too much force on the rod during my hook set ! As well as the angle of the rod when I set the hook From what they told me it sounds logical but who knows ! Shimano does have a great warranty on compres as you can contest to that .

That is some good reading , saved it for the off season Jan/Feb Thanks for sharing

Agree 100 %

I use the Nikwax as well , good stuff ! I wouldn't recomend using a waterproof spray on gore tex , it will work in keeping the rain off you but it will also ruin the breathability of gore tex and that is what you are paying for . You might as well put a big garbage bag over you ! This also applies to boots , never put a waterproof spray on them , use stuff designed for gore tex . O ya when using the Nikwax I have had the best results by drying the jacket/pants in a drier on low heat as well. Good luck

I agree 100 % , I too work at the airport and that area is terrible for bad drivers . I have stories almost every day about bad drivers in that area

Wow Mike , that is what you call a trip of a life time. Some or should I say all of those pictures are just outstanding . I can see why you would want to go back and explore the "Sutton Ridges" I bet there is some giants swimmin around in there ! Thanks for taking us along with you and Bill on your adventure through your stories and pictures , well done