Northhunter

Exactly. That's the reason it looks like the instigator rule will be revised for next season. Everyone was all over it when Koivu got nailed a few games ago. The hit was "legal" but he was totally blindsided. Souray (not a goon or a pylon by any means) dropped the gloves to take care of business and got ejected. Every hockey talk radio program was discussing whether or not Souray did the "right thing" the next day, but if nobody stepped up, what would that show other teams? What does that say for team character? If your captain gets nailed on a questionable hit and nobody takes action, you have no team, IMO.

Hahaha... CBC bump the Leafs game??!! The CBC are leaf homers. They're a national channel and publicly funded, but Toronto is the coast to coast game every Saturday. Not gonna happen. But on to the hit.. Ruff may be a whiner (I agree with the poster who said Quinn was worse), but seeing that hit as it happened, from the bench, behind the play it probably did look like an elbow. If you were the coach what would you have done? Tight playoff race, division rival, you already have injury problems and one of your top players gets taken out (and from your vantage point it looks like a late cheap shot to the head)... "Oh, well. Hey big tough guys who's job it is to enforce, intimidate, protect and generally be a physical presence on the ice.. hit the showers. We'll get'em next game." Yeah right!!!

Awesome trip and pics!!

I've never had to resort to backreeling. The only issues I've ever had with drag were on spinning reels of lesser quality or ones that were older and not maintained. If you're using mono and have enough of it out the stretch in the line will also act as a buffer, so 2lbs of pressure on the line may activate the drag when tested at boatside, but won't when there's a fish giving 2lbs of pressure 30' out. I use about 10lb superline (powerpro or fireline) trolling for 'eyes, which doesn't stretch so it's not an issue. I like to set the drag on the lighter side and if a heavier, fiestier fish takes the bait, it takes about 1/10th of a second to make the adjustment during the fight.

I can't stand the "news". Most of it's crap, anyway. By the time the producers are done filtering/editing/exploiting to get the piece they want you're not getting the whole story nor are you informed about it. I guess that's more true for american outlets, but I've noticed the same thing here, particularly with stuff coming out of the GTA. There's a lot of other issues I have with the CBC, but you have a valid complaint TJ. Coaches Corner has a 7 second delay in case Grapes says something "offensive", but you and your kids get to hear what you did on the drive to school. Kinda sad.

So am I... confused that is. So we're to follow the 2006 regs until the 2007 regs are approved. But there's regulation changes that were supposed to be effective Jan 1st, 2007. Are these changes part of the 2007 regs (which we are to disregard until further notice) or mentioned somewhere else altogether?? Even if they were to take effect Jan 1st we're being told to go by the old regs - which would close the season March 7th. Anyone talk to a hut operator lately? What date are they going by?

I thaught the 2007 regs weren't approved yet, and we were to follow the 2006 regs? Or was that changed...

The guys who know what they're doing and pinpointing fish will continue to pull a few up whether the lake's stressed out or not. It could continue until the last 500 walleye are left in the lake, and I bet someone would still be pulling up dinner. You can say the fish are still there, you just have to work for them, but it doesn't address any problem or help the fishery. The lake's very productive, but it's shallow and not a monster of a lake. It's 63 square kilometers, and gets close to 1000 huts a year! (those are just the permanent ones). Who knows how many fish get pulled out any given year, but there's currently no restrictions (no slot, no reduced limit). Compare it to Nipissing, which is almost 900 square kilometers. That lake's walleye pop. had been stressed (as identified by MNR netting surveys), likely due to increased fishing pressures. Now there's a limit on commercial huts - I can't find the stats but think the current number is 8-900? Not including "local", non-commercialized huts, that's the same or less than what's currently on the Bog (a lake less than 1/10th the size!), plus there's a 4 fish limit and the slot. It's stocked as well - over 2 million fry a year, I believe. 873 square km's - hut restrictions, 4 fish sport limit (2 conserv.), 40-60cm slot. Stocking as a recoup effort. vs. 63 square km's - no hut restriction, no reduced limit, no slot. No other lakes open to divert pressure. The best thing for the lake would be to close it completely, let it recoup for a couple years and then bring back a season with restrictions, but that would a) send all the pressure somewhere else b ) put a few people out of business and c) generally just piss a lot of people off. You can't have any real beneficial plan put in place and keep everyone happy. That's why the public meetings are held. I think what will happen is a reduced limit and a slot, which I think is what is proposed in the MNR's new province-wide, revised management plan (or whatever they're calling it). They say it's to simplify regulations and all that jazz... bottom line is they're trying to save money, but that's another issue I guess.

Hard to say.. water temperature plays a big role, and that usually changes from year to year (late spring/early spring). If I had to guess I'd say you might be just before it? Last year was a warm spring for Nipissing, and that might have been around the time the hatch was, but you'll be further north and it looks like we may have a cooler spring this year? I do know the 'eyes turned right off a day or two before we saw any mayflies - I just can't remember the exact date.

It's overfished. As far as I know it's the only lake in Div. 6 open to ice fishing but still has a 6 fish limit and no slot size. Guys can drill a hole in Scugog, Simcoe, Lake O or start driving north. There's a reason it gets close to 1000 huts every winter (not to mention the summer pressure). That's too much for a lake that size. But forget that.. the crappie are eating everything up

Wow. If I was to even manage to pick one out to buy I don't know if I'd get much fishing done after strapping it to the rod. I'd probably just stand there staring at it and mumbling like Ozzy.... on a good day

Kirk - did you even read anything on the site or just look at the pics like everyone else? Canoe over canoe was mentioned. These things help you get out of the water without another canoe. Everyone seems to have the macho response to these things - much like how PFD's and lifejackets were treated many years ago. Or they're hung-up on the kid thing. The girls in the pics are just to demonstrate that even an 80lb dweeb who eats PB&J samwiches and plays Warcraft 24/7 could paddle to shore if he found his azz in a capsized canoe with these things in effect. And they don't hang off the sides inflated like everyone seems worried about. I like them. I agree with the fast water crew though - seems they would do more harm than good in that situtation.

About a dozen of the 700 fish speared so far this year have topped 100 pounds, said Ron Bruch, a sturgeon biologist with the state Department of Natural Resources. The season continues through Feb. 25 or when the harvest limit is reached. I guess they know what they're doing? Most seasons involve a draw - so it's not a free for all. I read another article from Michigan where the limit for an antire lake is only 5 fish.

Huh? Why make reference to something he never said or implied in the first place. Pinch, man - I think you took things too personal and out of context. So your family are immigrants, that's great. But they've made the jump and are living here, are they not? Would you feel differently if you or them were desperate for work, only to find out that there were plenty of jobs and loads of opportunity in the country but that other people from other continents were being shipped/flown in to fill the void over you and your wife/kids/parents, who are already here? Would it have been better if the term "Homosapiens of any colour presently residing within our borders" was used over "Canadians"? Holdfast made a post based on his situation and first hand experience to maybe bring light of the opportunity in the west to the board and heck, maybe even help out a member or two. Instead the first responses he got were from people making an issue out of nothing (in my mind) and throwing down the "race card" - maybe that's where the "relax" came from?

So your buddy totalled a duck blind he built because someone else was in it?? Good job. I guess if duck blinds were anything elaborate where I hunt I'd feel differently, but they're usually just built into the shoreline - nothing special. If someone gets up earlier and beats you to a spot, it can be disappointing, but there's nothing you can do about it. It's crown land.

I've heard a couple similar stories Joey. One of the guys I know who's out there is very outgoing, smart, etc. I guess he's kinda got a reputation as the "hotshot from Ontario" in the little community he's in and has got a little flack from his landlord because of it (as he tells it, anyway). An older, former co-worker of mine was out there when it boomed (back in the.. 70's? - I'm guessing). The locals had the better, higher paying jobs that were the result of the boom when things were good and anyone else took the basic jobs (that still payed very well). When everything went downhill a lot of the higher end jobs were no more but the "non-locals" were still there occupying everything else. I think bar fights became a little more common as a result. lol.

With the exception of maybe duck blinds that aren't in use (and are public, anyway) I leave other peoples property alone. Doesn't matter where it is. Back lake boats and the like are usually left there for the convenience of those who own them. I've never heard of anyone leaving something as a "free for all" item. I think if I found someone in my ice hut I'd be pretty ticked off lol.

I'm working on it I'd prefer to have a lead or two for the field I'm in (and hope to be employed in) first.

The amount of opportunity in the west is known by quite a few, but it is a far cry from being "common knowledge". I was happy to see holdfast's post, as it's coming from someone who made the move and is speaking from first hand experience. From the sounds of things the demand is such that the employers are grabbing any able body they can. So what if he'd rather see someone who's already in the country get the opportunity. The difference between the job situation where I am and out west is like night and day. I have two buddies working as millwright's out there now. They went to school here and were both stuck working jobs (in their field - doing apprenticeship) that only paid a couple bucks above minimum wage. You can't live off that, especially when you come out of school without a place of your own and have student loans to pay. Two summers ago one went up to the territories for about a month to work on a rig that was on shutdown, and made some pretty good cash - way more than he would working an entire summer here. The guys he worked with up there told him about the demand in oil country, and a couple calls later both him and my other buddy were basically hired. No interview, nothing. Their employers keep telling them "we need guys" - bring your friends. Immigrants may be the "backbone of the crap job workforce" south of the border or in heavily populated places like the GTA, but they are certainly outnumbered by immigrant doctors, engineers, and professors anywhere I've been. That's not necessarily bad, but ask any recent university or college grad if they had a prof. they despised because they were F.O.B. and no one knew what the flip they were saying. I've had 4. Five if you include the biology prof. who's english accent was so heavy it might as well have been another language.

I wish I could take you up on the offer (a crazy canuck is crazier than a crazy american!). I like a nicotine fix when I drink, but don't care for the smoke indoors. I've grown up fishing the lake, but am not familiar with that part of it.

About the only plastic I use is a grub. Berkley Bungee leeches were great too, but now everything's that damn "Gulp!" and I can't find them anywhere. If it's torn enough to be a nuiscance but still useable I'll swap for a new one and save the damaged one incase supply gets low. Any tails that are intact get saved for tipping something else. I've tried melting to make new baits, but it's like trying to fish with Jell-O. They plastic never holds.

I saw the soap thing on snopes.com (it was inconclusive), but they talked about leg cramps in the calves. When I get them they're always in the thigh. I can put my hand against the leg and literally feel the muscle go nuts. Not fun. Only happens after a day of fun (ice fishing, hunting) and after I've rested a while.

Is it water? It's water, right I used to get them bad after a day on the lake or in the bush. I thaught I remember reading they would be more frequent and worse if you were dehydrated.

Go with the Finn Bore (double offset handles) and as long as the blades are good you'll never need two guys to drill a hole. It may feel awkward at first but you're using both arms and all your upper body in one motion, vs. one arm doing all the work. I had a 6" folding Finn in the original design that I used to take into trout lakes in Feb/March. We used to hike in and move around a lot if we couldn't get on fish. I remember drilling 30-40 holes between two guys in the course of a day, and fishing several diff. lakes in a week. We're young but could drill 2-4 holes in a new spot before getting tired and handing it off. I've since used a Jiffy 8" (hand), the Swede Bore and another of similiar design that I can't recall the make of. None of them came close. If you're only going to drill a few hols a year with it, the Swede will do fine, but it's cheaper for a reason.

I understand "backreeling". What was suggested was taking your hand off the handle altogether and basically letting the fish have its way when it decided it wanted to go. I've never done this, but I suspect that on a big fish bad/disappointing things could happen if it went for a good run?