bigugli

Love using salties. WIth fewer shops having minnows available, I always have a supply on hand when travelling.

The bite had started a week earlier but shut down with the rain. That little girl belongs to my daughter, she was also at the show. Rob has 3 daughters from 1-6 years old.

Looks good Simon

With the son's wedding coming up in a couple of months, we had decided we would have a boy's weekend. Beer and strippers just ain't our thang. We opted to book a charter on the Detroit river for spring walleye with Kyle Moxon. It proved to be a good choice. The weather screwed us. The 2 days of heavy rain really messed up the river. On Saturday no one on the river caught walleye. Kyle knew it was going to be bad so he already had a plan "B" We would start hunting for canals that had warmer and clearer water and chase panfish. Plan "B" was a blast. Not many canals were productive as the water was too cold in most, but we found a couple that had water temps in the mid 40's and that's where the action was.We started pitching to dock posts and walls with bucktail and marabou jigs and the fish started flying. Four solid hours of float fishing with a fish on every other cast. No monster white crappie, but lots of respectable 9-11 inch blacks and incredible numbers of slab bluegills and pumpkinseeds running 8-10 inches long. By 5pm we were glad to call it a day. Sunday we were on our own, but Kyle gave us a couple of decent shore spots to check out. Morning started slow with next to nothing for crappie and the odd decent blue gill. Walked and pitched a long the one bank until I found a good hole loaded with perch. Spent 3 solid hours on that one spot weeding through dozens of dinks, but for every 5-6 dinks there was a decent keeper. Sadly all good things must end and we called it a day at 2pm. The bite was still hot but the 5 hour drive was not going to get any easier if we stayed later. We were home by 7pm and were cleaning perch until dark. Despite the lack of walleye it was a great fishing trip. One we will probably do again. Kyle worked to get us on fish and we caught lots, and we had a blast.

I feed my family and help to feed my grandchildren. I have to watch every penny of my food dollar. If there is a mistake on their part and I can benefit, so be it. As Loonietoon said, there are reasons they don't put price tags on items any more. I only shop for the best bang for my buck. I am fortunate to be able to buy good quality meat for great prices. I'm still physically able to grow a lot of our own produce. What I don't grow I buy direct from farmers. It means a little more work and effort but I spend half of what others pay at the supermarkets. What I do buy at the grocery store is on special and we stock up.

Ain't it the truth. More important is to know the regular list price of the products. All too often the sale price is so much off the "manufacturers suggested sale price". , which is more than the actual retail price. You end up saving nothing.

THere are far too many idiots doing reckless and dangerous things with their overpriced toys. Chasing animals and buzzing pedestrians are just a couple of things I've witnessed. Eventually someone gets hurt. That means laws need to be put in place for the 5% possessed with an abundance of stupidity and recklessness.

It was a great day in Ancaster. Lots of faces. Dave, Calvin, Albert, Jose, Chris, Mike. Good to see you all. Very crowded for the first 2 hours.

From the summary "if they are: 1. Residents of Ontario and Canada under 18 years old, or 65 years of age or older and in possession of any licence, permit, certificate or identification card issued by the Government of Canada or a provincial or territorial government of Canada that indicates their name and date of birth." You just need to carry federal or provincial ID showing date of birth.

Only 2 more sleeps to go. Can't wait to see a whole bunch of familiar and new faces Saturday.

Ritchie's end of Trail on Biscotasi first 2 weeks of June was great. And Brian, the owner, fishes.

Today, after visiting the Sportsman Show, we were chowing down on leftover moose chili and moose steaks simmered in beer.

Was there today. Ran into Mike at his booth. Caught Calvin trying to rummage through my backpack for lures and beer The main goal was to entertain the grandaughters, and that worked well. They had fun casting, shooting ( Daylilah is one trigger happy little imp), making a lure, and lots of other stuff. They even came home with 4 lures from the casting pond. The girls had a lot of fun, and that makes the show worth the price of admission.

The beauty of growing some 20 varieties of pepper is the variety and richness of flavours.

I've got a blend of poblano, mesilla, cayenne, serrano and habanero peppers in the hot pot. It's more about the depth of flavour than the heat of it.

At the moment I'm simmering 2 pots of the dreaded "road kill" chili. Tonight's meat will be moose. The reason for 2 pots... One for the brave. The other for those lesser souls

Sunday is the Niagara Outdoor Show in Ft Erie http://www.niagaraoutdoorshow.com/ Two weeks later, on the Saturday, is the Hamilton Bassmasters swap. March 25th I will be at both.

You HAVE TO beat this thing my friend!!! I still owe you a day out crappie fishing.

Gotta git me one of them

Even my mother can't remember what I look like under my fur.

Blink again and you're 55. ..

The son and I have been making tackle for a number of years now. I also end up delivering orders for salsa while I'm there.

Jack's quite the enthusiastic little character. I could watch him fishing all day. Just like when the 2 older grandaughters (5 and 6) are in the boat.