Big Cliff

I am guessing there are as many varations of smokers and smoke generators as there are recipies for the brines. My first piece of trout was done using nothing but pickeling salt, cured for 12 hours in the fridge, rinsed off and allowed to dry in the fridge for 8 hours then smoked for about 3 hours using maple wood. It was as good as any I have ever bought (however, no matter how good it is, I'll keep trying to make it better LOL).

Just found out I have to work today so pictures will have to wait for a day or two. I am not much of an artist but I'll see if I can draw something up and come up with a materials list. The tricky part might be that there are two pieces that need to be welded. If anyone has any aquarium air pumps that work but you don't need anymore, hang on to them for me please. Ernie, not sure how walleye would work but lets give it a try, it would be better if the skin is on though and if anyone has any samon or trout that needs a home we can work something out for sure!

The meat has a different texture, it isn't cooked, it is cured! Have you ever had smoked salmon? It was cold smoked.

No, you cure the meat in a brine first, then you let it dry in a cool place for about 8 hours, then you put it in the cold smoker, the time in the cold smoker is dictated by how thick the meat is, how much smoke you have, and how strong you want the smoke flavor to be. I'll take some pictures tomorrow but there isn't much to see and there isn't any of the trout left. I'll be making some more next weekend though if anyone wants to drop by.

Ok, so a couple of things: Cold smoked meats are cured not cooked! If you have ever bought smoked salmon or had smoked salmon, it was probably cold smoked, hot smoking actually cooks the fish/meat which depending on the time and temperature can sometimes result in jerky. Now, I just took my trout out of the smoker and I could be a little biased but OMG! (Sue even liked it too). I only had it in the smoker for about 3 hours but it taists as good as any I have ever bought. I would post pictures but there isn't much to see, the key is in the ventury system but that is internal. Posting pictures of the finished product would probably result in lawsuits for damaged keyboards.(drool will do that to them) If anyone wants to build one of these, I will be happy to help you do it, you just pay for the materials. this little smoke generator I have would turn a 12 X 24 garage into a smoker if you wanted to. I had to open the door and window just to keep the smoke down enough I could breath in there.

I love things like smoked salmon and have always wanted to try cold smoking my own but just never had the time or energy to do anything about it. I have been making jerky and hot smoking things for years but for some reason the cold smoking just never happened. Over the last couple of months I have been reading about all sorts of contraptions, some manufactured, some home made, some simple, some realitivly complex but for one reason or another none of them really hit me as being "THE ONE". The other day a friend saw me working in the garage and stopped to see if I could take a look at his chainsaw for him, well, the chainsaw was a write off but we got talking about smoking stuff and I told him what I was thinking of trying to do. He didn't say much but about 1/2 an hour later he showed up with a cold smoke generator he had built as one of his earlier attempts and gave it to me. It needed a bit of work done on it and there were some pieces missing but yesterday I decided it was time so I got to work on it. A little welding, scrounged some bits and pieces, had to buy a few things but when I was finished and hooked it up I was amazed at how well it worked! All together I think the whole thing probably cost me about $35.00 in materials, (I already had a little hot smoke cabnet that a friend had given me desigined to sit on the side burner of a BBQ) the most expensive part being the air pump ($20.00 I had to buy a new one, I couldn't find any used ones). The hardest part was getting the ventury set up to work properly but once I figured out how to do that All of the smoke generated went into the cabnet and I was able to keep the temperature in the smoker at under 50°F. One handful of wood chips was more than enough to keep the smoke generator going for almost an hour. I did a nice piece of cheese yesterday afternoon and I have a nice rainbow fillet in the fridge right now that I cured over night and I will be putting that in the smoker a little later today. Oh I think Big Cliff is going to get known as BIGGER CLIFF very shortly LOL.

I grew two pot plants on our deck one year (until Sue found out what they were). Figured out that at about a grand each they were a good investment and they didn't take up much room. Note to self: Sue might not know the difference between hemp and pot but some of her friends sure do!

Take my advice go with gas! Clean, efficient, turn it on when you need it, turn it off when you don't, set the thermostat and don't worry about it even if the power goes out. No bags of pellets to buy, store, carry, your wife will be much happier and so will you.

My friend, fishing with you is such a pleasure I could spend days doing it and never even wet a line! I'll be looking forward to it!

That's cause you never invite me

Ya, I do seem to end up there a lot lately LOL!

And I live on Sturgeon Lake and I'll bet I didn't burn a tank of gas fishing this year. Funny isn't it we live in the heart of fishing country and everyone else travels here to fish, we don't.

Well Bill then there are a lot of people seriously lacking in self control because the casinos are doing a thirving business as are the LCBOs. Sue and I enjoy going to the casino ocassionally, we make an outing of it. We budget $10.00, $20,00, or $50.00 and look at it as entertainment BTW I have figured out a way to make money at the casino and no, this isn't a joke and yes, it is legal! No, you won't get rich, yes you can have fun, and yes, you will always come out ahead! My email is [email protected] I will tell the first five people that email me how to do it for free, after that it costs you $100.00. The sad thing is that so many people who have nothing left to loose end up there in desperation trying to win something, just think about it; have you ever bought a lottery ticket? Why? Our wonderful government plays on the gambling addiction just as they play on the alcholics addition or the smokers addiction. You do have a choice (unless you are addicted)!

Yes, then our wonderful government sets up casinos and lotteries to entice those less educated to go gamble their homes and pensions so they can "have fun" giving away their hard earned savings. Go to any casino and the majority of people there are seniors and all the handycap parking spaces are filled. I wonder how many billions are gambeled away every year in Canada?

If you pulled that in my house you'd be sleeping on the couch for a week

A lake trout.

Took a drive out island road (Port Perry) yesterday afternoon some small areas of open water on Scugog Lake but I couldn't see any areas where there was enougyh open water to actually do any trolling. Sturgeon Lake, Goose Bay area is pretty much iced across although there did seem to be open water from the Long Beach area NNE of there. I haven't gone around the lake to check out launches, perhaps someone else can help you but it isn't looking too good right now.

Had a 440 1997 indy touring, loved it and never had any problems! Sold it several years ago to a fellow OFCr, last I heard it was still running but that was a few years ago!

4 lb test line, Flack Lake up North of Elliott Lake and a huge lake trout. My buddy and I would go out in the boat in the evening and drop anchor on this little shoal, a bucket of chicken (or whatever) and a six pack of beer (that was back in the day when you could do that sort of thing) A minnow with a small hook no leader, no swivel, no weight, we would just lob the minnow out, open the bail and sit back and solve the problems of the world. When the line started to take off, you knew you had a fish, and believe me we got plenty. Well, this one evening the line took off, I closed the bail and set the hook which usually stopped the fish and the fight started. This night though the fish didn't stop! At some point I looked down and said something like OH CRAP I'm almost out of line. Dave my buddy figured out that with the run this fish was making it was bound to happen so he had pulled the anchor, and started the motor. We chased that fish for a full 45 minutes before I finally got it tired out enough so we could get close enough to net it. 19 lbs 7 3/4 oz according to the scale at the restraunt!

Realestate and in particular waterfront if you know what you are looking for is probably one of the best investments you can make. The big thing about waterfront is they aren't making any more of it. Places like the Kawarthas are growing and will continue to grow. When you have people selling their houses in the GTA for $650,000.00 + and looking for a place to retire on the water, well, they have the money to spend. In my case, one of my pensions went by by leaving us with a lot less to live on than we expected to have. We do have a lot of equity in our home but don't want to use any of that until the time comes that we need it. Fortunatly for me I love working and doing things. I was fortunate to find a job that I love, I can work when I want to, play when I want to, and the extra money I make from working pays for all the extras that we enjoy. We also rent out our basement apartment to students every fall to spring, the income from that pays our taxes and utilities as well as some of the up keep. I haven't had much success with the financial planners, Sue invested a bunch of money with one and basically lost almost all of it. I also invested through our bank, after 4 years I had slightly less than I had invested and I decided I wasn't going to be able to retire on that so I pulled it out. Most of all, don't give up everything today for what you might have tomorrow, live for today look forward to tomorrow.

Tried that once, retirement that is. Lasted for about six months, all my friends were still working so fishing or hunting during the week trips were mostly solo. Then I got bored, oh I had plenty to do, the Honey Do list was never ending and there was always something that needed fixing. My problem was that I had been working since I was 15 and I wasn't use to not having a reason to get up and go. Tried a few things; consultant for a Small Business Development program, did some marketing and sales stuff, went back to school and got my license as a small engine technician, just couldn't find the right niche. A little over a year ago I saw an add for a part time truck driver and thought "why not?" I had driven trucks when I got out of the army..... so I applied, then I got the job! The company and people I work for are fantastic, I am not full time but I can get 40+ hours most weeks if I wanted it. I enjoy the getting out and meeting people, going places, doing things, and most of all feeling useful. Things are going so well that they even added a new five ton truck to the fleet for me and I love it! I wish you well in your retirement, I guess it just means different things to different people!

Always room for one more around here, pull up a chair and stay for a spell! Welcome!

I might be wrong but I think there was an option for light or heated hand grips. So many modles I can't remember all of them LOL. If you do get it and have a problem, let me know, I'll help you if I can.

I would not consider paying that much for it even if it is a 2013, $650.00 to $700.00 at most and it would have to be in mint condition. Did you start it, check the belts/friction disc/wheel bushings/auger and impeller bearings/ Check to see how much slack/play there is in the auger crank case. Did you check the oil? Was it clean/dirty/ was the oil level at the full mark? Make sure the electric starter is in good working order, a new starter for that unit is going to cost you about $200.00. If he will let you bring it to a mechanic and you want to bring it to me this weekend I will check it over for you NO CHARGE! Doesn't guarantee something won't go wrong with it tomorrow but it's the best I can offer!

Don't walk away from it yet! Another way to aproach it might be to make your prototype then aproach one of the manufacturers of related items and offer to sell them the idea and prototype for a % of sales. Most manufacturers will honor such agreements, it is in their best intrest to do so. I could help you with that part of it if you need.