DRIFTER_016

I built a removable box for my ice fishing gear. We don't have groomed trails here and if you put your stuff in a sled/boggan it gets the crap beat out of it. Another plus is better maneuverability and you can run faster. My auger is carried in a Cabela's Auger Bag and strapped in. Never had any problems carrying it this way, plus it doesn't get beat up.

Thanks, yes it was done by yours truely. The rod is a 15' CTS 4-8# blank and is very nice to fish with. Handle is just cork and cocobolo wood, quite tame compared to some of the others I've put together. Here's a 15 foot Raven IM8 I made last year. The handle is cottonwood bark with maple/cocobolo checkers and brass trim rings plus a couple of burl cork rings to finish it out. The seat and cap are Amboyna Burl. And a 10 foot 7 weight Rainshadow fly stick.

Sad indeed. I heard about two deaths on tonights news. The one was the young fellow that hit the pickup. No mention of the breakwall incident. There was also a fellow killed when his sled went through the ice on a lake North East of Simcoe. Our ice in Yellowknife has been safe since mid November but I steer clear until Christmas so the current and spring areas are safer. There are several spots I won't go near even in February though.

I still think we had enough time to make it to the Soo!!!!! My vacation is pretty much over, so now I need to figure out how to get all my new fishin' goodies back home. Can't wait to hit the ice next weekend and try out the new gear!!! Plus a bunch of balsa for new floats, a stack of exotic wood and blanks from JC (Thanks John) and a new set of trailer tires and rims for my sled trailer (shipped Canada Post) to Yellowknife and still saved about $45 over buying them back home. I also have a nice new custom 9' bottom bouncing stick thanks to Mike (solo) that needs to be packed up with the rest of my gear. So tomorrow it's off to the hotel Indigo up on Carlingview and an early flight back to the promised land by lunch.

Sometime in March. You won't have much ice by then, but I still have another couple of months.

Nice going scott. I got me some too, but on new years eve.

Great!! I wear one along with a balaclava as at higher speeds wind gets in right at the corners of the visor. When it's -30 and I'm ripping along at 130K it can get a little nippy without it.

I have a friend in BC that does well for lakers after dark, but I have not had much luck.

Thanks Scott, it was nice to chase some GL Chrome again.

Yeah, my home water is a little thick right now. At least until late May!!! But it's easier to drill through when it's like that.

Exactly, why would I buy a 1/2 ton pickup with a V8 when I tow my snowmobile or 18' aluminum. My Honda's 255 HP is plenty to pull them and I'm nowhere near the tow rating of the vehicle. I had an '89 full size Bronco that was a nice truck, except for all the issues with quality plus it only had 190 HP out of it's 5 liter V8. So I have 65 more HP and I get better gas milage to boot!!!

No problem.

Yep, she was a nice warm day. I spent the whole morning with only 2 tee shirts and my wading jacket. It cooled down a touch in the afternoon so I had to don the sweatshirt.

I gather it's a 4 stroke right? No different than your car in very cold temps, add a block heater and battery warmer to it. Plug it in over night before you head out and keep it covered. It should hold in enough heat for starting on all but the most frigid days. My 4 stroke snowmobile is the same way at -25 or colder if I don't plug it in for a couple of hours before I head out. If it's really cold and you are staying put make sure you run it for a while during the day to put some heat back in the block so you don't get stranded on the lake. If you are ice fishing and your machine won't start because of the cold cover it with a tarp and put your heater under there to warm up the engine.

I spend about $25 a month on whole expresso beans and chocolate to make my morning mocha. Before I got my grinder and expresso machine my morning coffee was $6 a day or about $120/month. The machines have already paid for themselves 3 or 4 times over!! Not only that, I figured out that I make a way better mocha than 95% of the coffee houses out there now.

If I wanted a truck I would get a Tundra!!!!! If I wanted a truck that will self destruct at 70K I would purchase from one of the North American Money Pits!!!!!

My Honda Pilot is almost 5 years old with 55K on it so far. I have a couple of minor issues that need to be fixed under the extended warranty (sticky power window switch and a malfunctioning air bag sensor). Other than that it has been an excellent vehicle.

It's my understanding that the new Eskimos have removable windows now because of the failures they were experiancing. I have a 3 man sub zero and the windows are removable.

FYI The Eskimos have had reliability issues with the windows. Make sure to remove them before folding the tent up. They have been cracking when folded because of the cold, so put them in the bag last and don't fold them. I would remove the windows from any shelter just in case.

The best cure for icing of the guides during winter is a trip to BIMINI for some bonefishing!!!!!

I have one of the original Stylus cameras, a Stylus 300 and it is still running strong after 7 years of being beaten on in the outdoors. It was billed as splash proof but not water proof, however it has been submerged to depths of 6 feet and survived with no ill effects. So if the new ones are half as good you're going to love it!!!! I saw that camera in Future Shop last week and the first thought I had was I'll never buy that camera because of the colour!!!! I envisioned putting it down after the shot to release my trophy steelie only to never be able to fid it again due to the como paint job. Give me a bright red or silver one instead!!!

The VOICES compell me!!! I keep thinking if I do what they ask they will go away, but they never do. I'll be sitting at home or work and the VOICES will tell me to go fishing and they will keep hounding me until I do!!!!!

Most do it for the adrenaline rush, I think.

Dang, that sucks!!!!! The best physio for a dislocated shoulder is a soft jigging motion with the afflicted arm.