Big Cliff

A friend has just been asked by a conservation authority if they could use some of my friend's wildlife photographs in one of their publications. They want to know how much my friend would charge and what restrictions my friend would place on their use. My friend has asked me for advice but I have no idea where to start except to ask for advice on here. Have any of you ever done anything like this and if so, would you please point me in the right direction. There seems to be a lot of information available on the internet but most of it seems to apply to selling single images not something that would be published in a commercial format. I would really like to help this friend as they really need this opportunity and I would really appreciate any help or advice you can provide!

Well I would have posted daily but they have all been carbon copies, get up in the morning, walk over to the pier (about 15 minutes), catch fish meet up with Sue, go shopping eat well spend the day enjoying the sunshine, look at the weather reports, feel sorry for all our friends back home and crawl into bed exausted every night. In fact we feel so sorry for you that we have decided to extend our stay down here for another week! We'll be returning somewhere around the 10th of Feb.. I have caught butterfish, whities, bonnet head sharks, grunts, a flounder, salt water catfish and a lot of sunshine. Tomorrow we are going to look at a house in Tarpon Springs to see about renting it for next year, condos here are really expensive here but a house off the beach is fairly reasonable, you can rent a really nice place for under $1000.00 a month. Take care, stay warm and safe!

I'll start it off at $25.00

I did it until I was 64, but working full time, spending all my free time cutting and splitting wood, hauling it home, stacking it then having to haul wood in every night in the cold after working all day and stoking the fire.... well, it just got to be too much for me and when I crunched the numbers that made the decision easy!

If you put them up for auction there will be some really good bidding wars on them!

Just be glad you can even get the propane right now. A friend delivers propane in Lindsay area and they can not even get it from their regular source, he has to drive from Lindsay to Belleville every morning to get his truck filled up. Our propane cost went from $0.55 last winter up to $0.95 last week. I feel sorry for the people on a fixed income that have no alternatives. As for the fire wood; we use to have an airtight down stairs. I sat down a couple of years ago and figured out what wood was costing me in time and labor, fuel to haul it, maintaining equipment, etc.. I was getting my wood for free because I cleared fence lines and things for local farmers and things like that. Even at todays prices propane is still less expensive.

Didn't realize you could see all the photo's in my library. That was from last fall when I wanted to show some guys what a real "White Tail" looked like LOL

Well, as promissed, here are a couple of pictures. http://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac164/cbignell/Wintertrip011_zps63db30d9.jpg This apparently is called a croaker, they are a good fighter for their size and apparently good eating. http://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac164/cbignell/Wintertrip015_zps6db27e75.jpg The little bird that adopted me. http://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac164/cbignell/Wintertrip001_zps91db16ac.jpg What we drove through as we left Ontario. http://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac164/cbignell/Wintertrip024_zps17b62c1e.jpg My idea of winter fishing. We spent the day visiting friends in Clearwater Beach and found a nice motel right on the beach so we are going to move there tomorrow. I'll try to get some pictures of the sun and sand to send back up North, perhaps that will help!

My speedo got lost a long time ago guys, (Sue swears she didn't have anything to do with it ).

LOL, said I was tired! OK, it is corrected so things are back on track

Left Myrtle Beach this morning at about 5am the temperature was -2C when we left and they looked like they were ready to kill Canadians LOL. (Just kidding, the staff at the motel were fantastic, even offered to open up the breakfast room early so we could have something to eat before we left). It is a really nice drive over to Clearwater, It was still dark when we left but we saw 2 beautiful deer on the side of the highway as we were leaving Myrtle Beach. The roads were good, and once the sun came up the scenery was fantastic, the moss hanging from the trees and the sun shining off it (wish Joey had been here, she'd have taken some pictures that would have made calanders or magazine covers. I was driving and Sue isn't much for taking pictures. It's a long drive, GPS and trip planner both said about 10 hours, traffic on US 19 South had a different idea, it took us almost two hours to do the last 50 km and even then the GPS took us to the wrong spot. Turns out there are a few variations of US 19. Once I punched in the zip code it got us sorted out though and we arrived at our motel safely but very tired. It was +10 C when we got here (really cold for this time of the year) but it will be warming up in the next few days. I can't believe the deals you can get on rooms down here. Our motel has a heated pool, free wifi, fridge, microwave, coffee maker, and free breakfast all for under $50.00 a night. It isn't fancy but it is clean, quiet, and comfortable. Tomorrow, Sue and I are going to look into renting a condo down here for next season, there are a few factors that we have to check into; health insurance for two old folks probably being the most important one but I am thinking we might be able to buy private health insurance from a US based company, we'll check into it (anyone have any experience with it). Anyway, still no pictures for you guys, I have been on the go for about 17 hours now so it is bed time for this old man. Thinking of all of you and wish you could all be here with us! Will try to post some pictures tomorrow. BC

Well, still no pictures to post tonight, I did get some but just realized the cable for the camera is in the car and I am ready to have a shower and hit the sack LOL. We leave for Clearwater early tomorrow morning. Turns out I was given some wrong information yesterday, the fish I have been catching are actually called croakers, apparently they are very good eating but I didn't keep any, most of them were pretty small. They are a beautiful fish though, silver in color and fight like crazy for their size. Saw a black drum and white perch caught today, I didn't catch them but it was still nice to see them and learn a bit about them. The wind was right off the water today so the breeze was cool but with the bright sunshine it was still a really nice day to spend on the pier. I had some small bird adopt me today, I'll post a picture of it soon, looked a lot like a small piper of some sort. It got so tame that it would come within a foot of me and take little pieces of shrimp out of my hand. The sea gulls kept trying to steal the shrimp and this little bird would hide right under my seat. I've always been a sucker for the little guy LOL. Sue and I spent some time walking along the boardwalk, quite a few of the shops are closed until Feb. but it was really nice to be able to brouse the ones that were open without crowds around. There are some really good deals to be had this time of year, almost every place has really good specials and the prices aren't that bad even at the regular prices. I have to tell you though all this fresh air,sunshine, fishing, and walking sure can tire you out at the end of the day, boy I put my head down at night and sleep better than I have in a long time. I hope things warm up for you guys really soon, seems like we lucked out on this trip. Stay warm, stay safe!

Woke up this morning, the sun was shining and it was +6, what a beautiful day! Had a super breakfast then off to Bass Pro to pick up some tackle and bait then on to Apache Pier. The wind was a bit cool but I had dressed for it so all was good. Once I got setup it didn't long before I got the first hit but try as I might I couldn't get a hook set. One of the locals came along and we started talking, he just happened to have some smaller hooks with him and offered me some and I changed up. Then it started, one after another, nothing big but the action was pretty steady, the fish were called whities by the locals and apparently they are great for eating and/or bait depending on their size. A couple of young boys were there and asked if they could have any that I didn't want so I was happy to help out. I fished for a couple of hours and I lost count at about 50 fish but it sure was fun (sorry no pictures, Sue forgot the camera in the car). Tomorrow it is more pier fishing, hopefully I'll have some pictures to post tomorrow night.

You need to borrow that beagle for a couple of weekends, the cats will get the run put on them pretty quick! All kidding aside, if these cats are causing a problem I would consider calling animal control, you might have to borrow a live trap, and catch them but animal control will take them away for you.

We had to drive about 6 miles back into town last night to find a good place to eat but it turned out to be worth it! Had a wonderful dinner then back to our motel and I crashed! Got up bright and early this morning, those that know Sue won't believe it but she woke me up and was all excited about hitting the road. There was a light dusting of fresh snow again but the temp had warmed up to -3 over night. I warmed up the car and away we went, we were on the road by 5 am again, usual for me but not for Sue LOL. I love driving through the mountains even in the winter time, we watched the temperature drop as we climbed a little higher and looked at each other sort of wondering if we were doing the right thing LOL. Slowly but surely though it started to climb and we had little celebrations for every deg. it rose (should have heard us when it finally made it to the + side of zero LOL. We were treated to 6 of the most beautiful sun rises all in one day (try that in the GTA). We would go down into a valley and the sun would be hidden behind the mountains, as we climbed the next mountain the sun would crest again, beautiful, simply beautiful and the scenery, was spectacular! The trip into Myrtle Beach took us a little longer than expected, it seems my trusty navigator, plugged the wrong address into the GPS and we ended up in Surfside Beach instead of North Myrtle Beach, added about an extra hour and a half to our trip today but WTH, the sun is shining, it is +14, and I love her, no big deal! Our motel is super, we are only a couple of minutes from the beach, shopping, and Apachee Pier. The room is very clean and has everything we need to be comfortable and all for only $54.00 a night CDN. (that even includes a real breakfast). Tomorrow it is off to Bass Pro to pick up a rod and reel then Apachee Pier to spend the day fishing and relaxing in the sun (it's only going to cost me about $20.00 for the rod and reel but probably about $100.00 for the shoes Sue said she is going shopping for. Sounds quite reasonable to me Anyway, good night all, my navigator is calling me, somthing about making it up to me for having to do all that extra driving today

Well, we pulled out of Lindsay at 5 am on the dot, -3° C and snowing lightly. By the time we hit the border at Buffalo it was -8, lots of slush, and traffic was down to about 40 kmph. Not to worry, we were headed South. Only problem was, the further South we went, the colder it got but at least the snow eased up. Pensylvania, - 11C and it stayed that way until we got to West Verginia and it finally warmed up to -8. Actually the drive was quite beautiful as the trees all had a beautiful coating of snow on them. (I could see that crap at home) We got to our hotel at about 2 pm, that was enough driving for this old man for one day. We are at the Comfort Inn in Morgantown WV, nice and clean, quiet, but the closest place to get a meal is about 6 miles back the way we just came. I didn't see that one coming LOL. Hey, but there is a Walmart right across the street, I do need a few things! Anyway, we are off the road for the night except to go out for a nice dinner a little later. Tomorrow morning we head for Myrtle Beach (and it better be a lot warmer there or How far South can you go by road? LOL) Take care, stay warm, miss you guys already.

Yes, and you are still a young man, wait until you get up in my age class and we'll see how many holes you want to drill in a day by hand LOL.

Thanks for the CC idea and that wonderful invite Art. I know we won't get over there on the way South but might do so on our return trip. We'll keep in touch!

Then throw out the fish and eat the stuffing! I am just kidding LOL. Whitefish just like most other fish will depend on how you handle it after being caught. Keep it cold, keep it clean, and it will be fine. But, you can always make fish cakes or smoke it!

That was cute! When my grandaughter was about three she caught a little speck about the size of a hotdog. It fell off her hook and onto the grass so she picked it up to take over to show her mom. Our dog Andy came over to see what was going on so Tara held it out in her hands so Andy could see it and "SLURP" it was gone, he just inhaled it. Boy was she ever mad at him LOL.

Some how "artist" just doesn't seem to be good enough to describe the beauty and quality of the workmanship. These are truly masterpieces! Time well spent my friend and as beautiful as ever!

Thanks!!!!! Super information! I love almost any kind of foods (that's why I'm called Big Cliff LOL.) The napoleanhouse link just takes me to a advertisement to buy the domaine name though.

Well, it is official, starting Saturday morning Sue and I are heading out on a road trip South bound. Myrtle Beach, Clearwater, New Orleans, Texas, and wherever the heck we feel like going from there. Not sure when we'll get back, probably somewhere between the first and the 15th of Feb. but you can be sure I'll be fishing soft water every chance I get. I'll try to post some pictures along the way and I'll be thinking of you all, retirement is good! If any of you have a trip planned to any of those points in the next couple of weeks, let me know, perhaps we can hook up for a day of fishing!

Was in the CTC store in Lindsay on Saturday, plenty of generators still in stock! I haven't heard anything about propane companies only filling tanks half full and I have a buddy who drives one for a living. I know from my last bill they filled mine right up.

I don't think I have ever seen it this bad at least not in the 12 years we've lived here. Right from the shore to as far out as I can see there are huge areas of slush. I steped off my dock onto the ice and it had to have been a solid 10" deep. There was a sleader last night trying to go past our place on the lake and he was having a really hard time. Just becareful if you are planning on going out on the ice in the next few days, getting stuck out there with a sled wouldn't be much fun.