DRIFTER_016

I use the same procedure on my auger blades as I do on my chisels.

You can't really go wrong with any of them. I have a Marcum LX-5 and it is a very good unit. The movable zoom and super fine line as well as the dual beam transducer are important to me. It also has the best target separation and most power of all the top units as well. I have heard good things about the HBird flashers as well.

There are 2 styles of blades in wide use in power augers 1/ Cutting blades like the ones on hand augers and 2/ Ripper blades. Strikemaster and Jiffy use both types depending on auger model. Mine uses the ripper blades which stay sharp longer than the cutting type blades. Until you hit a rock that is. Only done that once. The cutting blades cut through the ice faster but need sharpening more often. Ripper blades are much better when you are drilling dirty ice or redrilling old holes. Out West (Alberta, BC, Yukon, Alaska) there is a lot of dirty ice (due to glacial sediment) and this dulls cutting type blades very quickly. Ripper blades reopen old holes with ease while cutting type blades tend to bind when breaking through.

Not sure of the ERA but I bought it off ebay 5 years ago. I think it was a refurb. $300 and change incl. shipping. It's a 10 1/4" 3HP job. The new Mo is an 8" 3hp that will be used on them lakes wit de small fish in dem. Hoping it's a little lighter as that Strikemaster gets pretty heavy by the end of the day. PS I always have spare blades handy. I've got 3 sets for the strikemaster one stays home and one set is in the storage pouch in my auger bag. Along with allen key, wrenches, spare plug and new rope for the pull starter. Don't want to be in the middle of nowhere with 5' of ice and a broken auger.

Got one of them too.

Brand is not unproven, they are rebranded Eskimo Makos the same as the Rapala power augers CTC had on sale last week for $249.

Should be ok for a few years after my shopping trip to LeBarons when I was back in October Mike.

Fixed it for ya Bill. And yes, their website blows!!!!! But it's the only place I can get good splitshot. LOL

Nah, I think they still use salt on the roads there, helps keep ice from forming on the highways.

.2766 fer this old feller.

FYI I have caught them on my CP in the Nipigon river both spring (June) and fall (September).

Yes Bill They move shallow in late September/early October to spawn. We have good runs in the rivers up here not much difference other than timing down South.

Here is some interesting reading on first nation housing from CBC. Housing Story

Had one, used it once and returned it. Didn't like it.

We have one up at the lodge that has been around for many years and it's still running just fine. We use it for getting around and for hauling luggage/freight etc. We have a 2 axle heavy duty trailer that we can load 4 barrels of fuel on and it hauls just fine. That's 1,600 pounds of fuel + the weight of the barrels and trailer. So yest they are quite capable and very reliable.

Sounds like a great place to work.

It's a Coors Light by the looks of things. I've seen the less fortunate drink them before. I however would only use them for making beer batter. Actually drinking one is beyond comprehension!!!

DeBeers, BHP and Diavik do a lot for the people of the NWT. They employ a lot of the native people and pay them excellent wages. They do a lot for the communities and for us here in Yellowknife. Millions have been donated for many projects and causes in Yellowknife alone. I don't see how DeBeers can be blamed for African tribal issues that have been going on since the dawn of man.

Cheap, low grade Yankee beer?

You would do best with a quality large hub shelter for your needs. Most of the hub shelters have thin 300 denier material but the Clam Command Post and Cabelas Ice Team both have 600 denier fabric which is twice as thick. Look closely at the specifications before you spend your $$$. I have one of the Sub Zero 2-3 man hubs to use early season and it has thicker material and is pretty warm. I heat with a 14,000 btu tank top heater and stay pretty warm even in brutal arctic temps. Here is a shot from last year early ice with ambient temps of -30C and -40 windchills. As you can see I'm not even wearing my coat. Look at grabbing one of those Rapala gas augers they have on sale at CTC as it's a really good deal.

True, it is located on the coast but that does not diminish the issues they are having there. The lodges are in between Attawapiskat and Lansdowne House (another native community). Here is some more info on Attawapiskatt that may interest y'all. http://www.theweathernetwork.com/news/storm_watch_stories3&stormfile=attawapiskat_residents_recei_011211?ref=ccbox_weather_topstories

Good stuff!!! Having your own business is pretty satisfying but a ton of work. I had my own for over 10 years and got tired of the 7 day work weeks. Now I work 5 days and don't worry nearly as much.

A spiral wrapped rod will counter the rotational torsion of having the reel mounted on top of the rod. A conventionally wrapped bait caster will try to fall to the side when under load because of the tortional twist on the rod as well as the weight of the reel on top. A spiral wrapped casting rod counteracts these forces and when under load the rod does not tend to want to fall to one side or the other. I too have been using the Fenwick twist rods for 20 years and build quite a few spirally wrapped bait casters. I even build spirally wrapped heavy ice fishing rods for big trout.

I'd be more impressed if you said that he could cast a trico to a rising brown under overhanging willows or hit 25 straight at the trap range. But I guess standing's good too.

Not a big fan of the taste of ducks and goose but they sure are fun to hunt. I really like upland hunting for grouse and ptarmigan and like the taste better too. Plus they stick around and there are alot of them.