bicephalic

Hey all thanks for the list - got some following up to do now!

Hey everyone, Middle of June (12th-14th) we will be throwing a bachelor party (weekend) for my brother in law. His best man has sorted out most of the details for a weekend in Niagara Falls, but the requested sport fishing portion is my responsibility. I'd really prefer to do the river than Lake O, but am unsure the numbers will work with one boat. Basically, I'm just looking for any recommendations people may have on a charter company near the falls (within a 30 minute drive or so). Or if some of the guys with charter companies here want to start bidding that's fine too! Any and all info appreciated. B

Yep - aside from a Fish City Tshirt from Taro and the Chonger and some crappie tubes, it was the only other thing i considerd buying. Got a lot of info from one of the guys pushing it, who recommended the yellow strongly - only way I escaped was because I didn't find a reel for the price I wanted to pay to put it on! Likely this saved me from buying one of the shirts too. I think I'll try the line regardless though - let us know what you think of it! B

Yeah that's it - it's YOUR fault. Just remember...you said it..not me. Maybe the fish are too busy laughing at your tiny little 4x4?

So last Sunday Johnnyb and I decided to head out for an icefishing ‘adventure’ we had been trying to plan for some time. The plan: Leave Mississauga at 4am Sunday and head for McKellar. Fish a new lake near McKellar for some early morning Crappie action as the sun came up, then head slightly west to a set of small pike lakes that have produced very well for us in the summer and fall months. Following this, we planned on dropping back down to Muskoka, and trying to coax some pre-spawn walleye into biting. The actual: I arrived home from a poker game around 1am, and after tossing all my gear in a pile in the middle of the living room (much to my wife and dog’s annoyance) and crashed for a few winks. 3:45 the alarm went off. 3:46 the alarm bounced off the wall. 3:46 I got up and went and shut the still squalling alarm clock off. Me at 4am looking bright and alert :S Tired or no – we were packed up and on the road shortly thereafter – a quick stop for coffee and off we go. Sun-up found us skirting our first lake looking for access without tracking through someone’s backyard – didn’t take us too long to find a snowmobile trail and make our way out onto the ice. We set up shop off a rock face ranging from 10 to 30’ of water 5-25 feet from a shoreline peppered with stumps hoping it indicated we had some brush cover under the ice. Directly across from our first spot, at the end of a point where we had been told to definitely try there was a fallen tree sending up smoke signals. We even found soot floating below the ice – not sure if this was a keep-warm fire gone wrong or a fluke lightning strike. Either way it was isolated enough that it hadn't touched anything else - thankfully. This little guy scored me first fish of the day after he slammed the little Swedish Pimple I was jigging up a storm with: John followed up with this beauty shortly thereafter. A few teeny perch later, and we were left scratching our head wondering where the fish went…but not for long – daylight was burning after all! John is modelling the smallest here: We headed back and packed up the truck and scooted down the road for our date with some toothy pike. We sent down some 8” sucker minnows on our tipups and spanned out drilling what could have been 30-40 holes. Seems the water drops substantially in this body of water in the winter – had trouble finding anything deeper than 10’  After a couple hours it became apparent to us that either we were doing something wrong, or the fish just weren’t going to turn on for us. These ponds are divided by a roadway, and the opposite side to where we started has a decent tributary that flows into it. We wanted to head over that direction, but it would have been hard going through the bush to get around to even try to access it – open water was trickling through in more than a few spots – not worth the risk, so we crammed our gear back into John’s jeep and roared South to Muskoka. The walleye wouldn’t let us down.. But just in case they did, we cut off and drilled a few holes at a nice trout lake first While I was working the water column with a jigging spoon, John set about getting some live bait lines setup..the first minnow he dropped didn’t even hit bottom before drag started peeling out...and stopped before he could get a solid hookset on it. With the sun hanging low in the sky, we had to make a decision – stick to the plan and go get set up for some night-bite walleye – or commit to the potential lake trout action…we decided on the walleye. One last lake, 6-8 more holes. Things were finally starting to cool down, and we got the fish trap ready to flip up if needed. We lost a few more minnows, and thought we were missing some soft pickups by what we hoped were some picky walleye, until I managed to set the hook on a big fat wormy looking rock bass. - fattest little thing you ever did see! I think that may have been the last straw, and since daylight was long behind us, and the fish certainly weren’t hanging out around the weedbed we were sitting just off on the edge of a shoal – atleast not the biting ones – we trekked back to the truck and headed for home. Not the day we were expecting – but certainly a good time. Thankfully there are no pictures of the sunburn I decided to get…its funny what a toque and sunglasses will do when you stand in the sun all day! Not. It’s true what they say – the memories last longer than the catch! We’re already planning the next trip – whether it will still be on ice remains to be seen!

So looks like we'd need 500 minimum order...but I'd certainly be down to buy a few if they were in black and gold or black and white Anyone else in? http://www.rapala.com/offers/logo_lure.cfm

Thx Canuck...That's what I'm hoping for - even if i have to pay a few bucks - just having difficulty figuring out if i should email Mora or Normark. yeesh. Off to do some more searching. Sorry for a bit of a post hijack!

6 CT's later (all of which said they had stock), a 40 minute drive racing against closing time Saturday evening, and I got what I swear might be the last Finbore 3 8" manual...albeit there's no cover. Their website stock doesn't really seem to reflect their in-store stock...some really decent deals, but be sure to call ahead for whatever you're looking for! Anyone got an ingenius idea for an auger cover so I don't a) slice a finger off and dull my blades doing it?

My sincerest condolences to your and your family Leechman.

Hey that's good stuff!

Hmm...and here I got the day off work Friday to head out there...

Hey - nice fish! Just got my first laker this Sunday just past too - they sure are a lot of fun!

Hey now - just because I'm not sprawled on the bow of a boat in a bikini is no reason to discriminate! Next time I'll fish with no shirt on, so it's a more 'natural' experience for you Now with that outta the way - Thanks again John - I'm already re-arranging my gear for the next outing <G> A few more pics from the day: Something I've learned is a potentially bad habit: Post fish - Mark 'the spot'! That's what I love about your first time hooking into a species - it's ALWAYS the PB

Hey - nice work - some really good shots there. Good luck in 09!

The sound byte they keep using on 680 news in Toronto this morning is "if every GM employee worked for free for the next year, it would cover 11 DAYS of operating costs - our wages aren't the problem". Realistically, if these giants fail, what happens to the rest of the economy? Can the US or Canada really afford for that many jobs to be gone in one shot? And then the dealerships, and parts suppliers, and gas companies that will follow? It's unlikely that they can allow them to die without sentencing both countries to a long rut. I'm on board with the 'just a commercial break' thought...I have to be - this effects too many friends, family, and clients directly - which in turn effects me.

Got mine in the mail yesterday - same old Bass picture - good til 2011...

That's pretty cool! I came across this one yesterday that seems to fit here as well:

Good to know. Thanks!

Actually i liked the durability/traction factors as much as I liked the leak-stop properties. Doesn't leak terribly anyways...or didnt the last time it was on the water. This is as much a fun project as it is practical guys, it's just something to do with my dad and brother. Now if i could just get the boat in the basement where it's warm

Any time. I did forget to swirl out the background though...noone recognizes that tree right?

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I'll be getting a price on the starboard today or tomorrow - it didn't strike me as that expensive given the small amount I need. Nobody has tried the Rhino bed liner? I hate being the guinnea pig

I've only held small peices when a client was showing me a peice, but it certainly wasn't any heavier than I would have expected the plywood to be! I haven't gotten an actual quote as yet, but a lot of our clients are in the boat business, so I'm working on a few favours...anyone got a 4'x4' sheet of 3/8" starboard they want to donate?

Hi Everyone, For various time using reasons (some better than others), my dad (who introduced me to fishing) hasn't been out on the water in years. I figure the best way to rectify this problem is to get his boat back in shape. He has an older 3 seater 12 (or 14?) foot aluminum that has provided many years of enjoyment, but it's finally in need of some help. I plan on replacing the rotted wooden seat boards (the main problem) with Star Board (ie http://www.kingstarboard.com/ ). Seems like it's a bit pricey, but comes in the desired thickness, and is machinable using standard woodworking tools. My question is, does anyone know if this product is strong enough to use on the transom as well? The existing wood there is in decent shape, but if I'm undoing rivets and replacing the seats, it wouldn't be all that big of a deal to do that too. While I've got the seats out I was going to use Rhino spray on bed liner for the inside/bottom. We have a small sprayer/air compressor combo, but I haven't had much experience with it. Any pointers? Has anyone gotten it priced out before to spray their boat? Also, If I was to pull the seats, and found a place willing to spray it without extensive costs, do you think there would be enough structural integrity to tow it on the trailer without the seats, or am I going to put too much stress on the hull/rivets? The trailer it sits on had the roller guides ripped off about 8 years ago and replaced with a home made 'ez loader' type apparatus (6x6 coverted in carpet and bolted at the proper height/angles), so it is quite stable. We painted the outside (above the water line) several years back, and that has held up pretty good, but will need to be redone. I've done some research on this, and have a few paint systems in mind, but was looking for input on any products people here may have used. Would prefer a 'system' type painting complete with primer, instructions, and topcoat etc. I've still got a lot of reading to do, but usually find the experience of others more useful than semi-propoghanda advertising by the manufacturer Thanks in advance for any and all advice! B

Maybe It's history all over again: What is that? No idea!? It's disgusting! and DIFFERENT! get rid of it. what..? GET RID OF IT. Gulp... Then again who knows what colour it shows up to under the water to a speeding trout? Maybe they think it's a string of roe stuck together and dislodged from upstream? (not quite the right colour)