bigugli

Beat me to it.

Another 6 weeks (if I make it that far) and I should almost look like Santa, again. Question.... What's a razor?

Keep that as a reminder on my e-mail list. My uncle sent it to me a year back, and it serves as a healthy reminder once in a while.

The wet summer and cool temps made for a tough year. Root crops and spring veggies loved it. We had fresh peas at market into the middle of July; a full month longer. Blight was a serious problem with tomatoes. Corn not as sweet and susceptible to smut. Too cool for melons this summer. Any time night temps dip below 50 F., growth cycles stall. So many vegetables never got really eatblished until July or later. Making a very short growing season. I only till patches I sow before winter, ie, garlic.

We had a whole colony in the farmhouse decades back one winter. They started chewing through wires. Put out a live trap, baited with peanut butter, in the summer pantry. They'd get trapped at night and some wound up as squirrelsickles by morning. IT was down to -20 a couple of nights. By the time we were done we had trapped and released 15 or so plus the squirrelsickles.

I've still got lots of beets and carrots to pick. Even some peppers yet. Still selling field tomatoes at market. Yes I love veggies. We had corn, chard and cauliflower with our goose breasts tonight.

I don't hunt any more, but I'm kept supplied with game.Neighbour and I swap my fish for his game. Tomorrow it will be marinated goose breast.

Pic may be photoshopped? In life they do get that big. Helped drag one that big north of the Soo some 27 years back. The bull was dressed, out and quartered where he dropped, and dragged back in 5 pieces. It was a very long walk dragging our chunk back to camp.

That there would be a year's supply of meat for some lucky family. Don't snigger, I've known a few families who have depended on game as the sole supply of meat over winter.

I have an Uncle Harry in N.S. . No , my great uncle Johnny had the place on 6 Mile. Cousin sold the old place Was just around the bend from Jerry Bye's and 4 docks down from Ronnie Allen's, right opposite Tolle's Island.

Born into it in our family. Fishing is a way of life, not just recreation. Apparently I've caught fish since I was 2. Did the same with my kids. The son won one of the big prizes at the St kitts Catfish Derby at 3. Spending a good chunk of my childhood in the "Skokers" had its benefits. First thing in the morning checking the trot line for a pike, then check the bait traps. Bobber fish til breakfast was ready. When we moved to Toronto (YECHHHHH!), skipped a lot of school on Fridays to head up to the uncle's for another weekend on 6 Mile. Gram and Aunt Lily were as proficient as the men with a rod and reel, as is my Mother, and now, my daughter. As Finns we feast on fish, hence the need to be fishing all the time. Fried, baked, stuffed, pickled. Pike was mainly for "fish head soup". Only my Gram and aunt would clean the fish. Apparently us men wasted too much flesh. Had a clothes line strung up where we hung gar skulls to dry over the summer months.

For the son and I, we kept 66 in the 9-12" size. Hate to think how many the three of us put back.

Good to see you got some ski. You folks had fun regardless. The fish were the bonus.

Finally, after a very long day, I get to post my report. Was extended an invite for perchin by crappieperchhunter (aka Steve), and finally was able to take him up on the offer. Am I glad I did. As is typical for fall, the morning started slow until the sun warmed things up. What followed was 5 steady hours of action with a lot of quality fish thrown into the mix. One of 2 sinkfuls. I am truly blessed by the good people and friends I have come to know over the years, and OFC has a disproportionate number of quality people within its ranks. It's something one should never take for granted. Thank you for a great day on the water Steve.

3 1/2 FinS minnow or 3 1/2 Gulp minnow

When did that happen. They were still OK in the spring?

I would get a place on a smaller K-lake to avoid the weekend crowd. Doesn't take much to travel down the road to fish the bigger systems. You will appreciate the added quiet.

one good place right in orillia is the government docks right in town or the narrows right off highway twelve right behind the narrows plaza stop in the baitshop and im sure he will be happy to point you in the right direction or stop in at trombleys bait and tackle

Need to find a lot of fish to feed that motley crew . Need a lot more if i show up this year.

Most of the stuff dumped was post WWII back when nobody knew there were consequences in later years. Just think of the problems the Dutch and Danes have in the North Sea with all the chemical weapons stockpiles dumped there. There is a lot of ordnance dumped off our East coast. Once in a while it gets caught in a draggers nets. That risk is very real. Thankfully we were not as bad, but I can place 2 graveyards just in the Bay of Quinte, plus the tire mound. Risk to the divers is negligible yes. Long term effects to aquatic health and habitat are only just now being realized, let alone human consequence.

There is a place for all God's creatures in my life. Right beside the Taters and Coleslaw.

Who cares if it is raining or snowing as long as the fish are biting. After all this is Canader ,eh?

It may not be the most efficient used of scrap metal, but there is the hope of an economic spinoff from these artificial reefs by attracting diver/tourism dollars. At least these reefs were planned out in, hopefully a non harmful manner. We already have a number of man made reefs composed of armaments, tires, military surplus, etc... off our freshwater and saltwater shores.

It's a sad day when the Hamilton wannabees are better off than the Toronto hasbeens

From your area, you are not far from the Bruce Trail. Pick any section you like from the Falls up to Owen Sound hundreds of kms of beautiful trail.