Big Cliff

Price is right, but Linux operating system? Not sure how that would work out with my Windows Vista. These are the kinds of questions that I don't know the answers to so I get confused. I'm sure there is a way around it but where do I start?

Got to know more about what area of the French you'll be fishing, different areas, different techniques. I actually prefer a lighter line (6 lb mono) for jigging. Dusk or later above rapids will often produce some nice eyes casting a small spinner or crank bait, let the current do the work for you (I switch up to 8 or even 10 lb mono for that depending on the current and size of the bait you are casting)

Stealing an IPod or a tackle box isn't going to generate much cash for anyone, I'm pretty sure this is kids out to get some jollies by stealing stuff. The IPod was reported to the police because we were able to supply them with the serial number but what is there to report about a tackle box full of tackle when the tackle box itself is a common one and the only thing special about the tackle is that a lot of it were special items that friends had shared with me; favorite style jig heads, plastics in some "never fail" colors or styles, I even had a couple of "very special" lures that TJ's son made a few years back. Those are things that can't be replaced but don't really have a lot of cash value.

Checked it out, thanks! Still trying to figure out which is the best way to go, wired, wireless both seem to have advantages/disadvantages. I know that to a lot of you guys most of this stuff seems easy but to be honest with you I have trouble figuring out my Blackberry and all of it's functions. Technology is moving much faster than my brain can keep up with LOL.

I already have a LMD system (Little Mouthy Dog) Problem is that my garage doors face the road and you can't see them from the house. Also, at night, if she barked at every noise around here we'd be shooting the dog because we'd never get any sleep LOL. The other problem is that we aren't always at home so if someone goes to the garage and the dog is in the house it isn't going to do much good. At this point I want to catch the PR that is doing this stuff. I don't really care if the police can do anything with the information or not, once I can prove who it is I can take care of the rest. It isn't even so much about the stuff that is missing, it is more about the fact that someone stole it from me and I don't know what they will steal next. If it happens again I will be ready for them though you can be sure of that.

Actually, that brings up a really good point, If I can get power to the camera I shouldn't need to go wireless, I might have to run some extra wire back to the recorder but with a bit of careful planning I might be able to figure out how to do that without having wires strung all over the place.

In light of recent events I have spent several hours now trying to research security systems but to be honest with you I am overwhelemed with all the technology. (getting too old to absorb all the bits and pieces). Here is what I think I need; 4 cameras, wireless, night vision, color would be nice. Must be able to recore about 1 week at a time, I don't need realtime monitoring but want to be able to go back and review a week worth of data if and when necessary. From what I understand SD card would be better than DVD for storage but suggestions would be appreciated. Distance from the furtherest camera to the recorder would be about 75-100'. Budget: $500.00 or less. I don't want to break the bank here if I can help it but saving $100.00 and ending up with a system that doesn't work well wouldn't be any kind of a saving. If anyone can help me selecting a system (and if possible even installing and setting it up) it would be very much appreciated. I am willing to pay for time and travel for someone that knows what they are doing. Thanks! Big Cliff

Well, I went to get my tackle box and there it was GONE! Living in the country like we do, we seldom lock our cars much less our house but I guess that is going to have to change. Last spring Sue left her IPod in her car, next morning it was gone. We couldn't believe that someone had actually gone into her car in our driveway during the night and stolen it but after searching everywhere (we are getting old and sometimes forgetful) we decided that yup, someone had decided they needed it more than we did. When our boathouse was destroyed by the storm a few weeks back I had to move all my fishing gear out of the wreckage and I put my big Plano tackle box up in the garage. Yesterday one of the young fellows staying with us for the winter asked me if I would mind taking him out fishing one evening so he could learn the lake and how to catch some walleye, naturally I said sure, I'd love to! (Any excuse to take a kid fishing is good enough for me) Well, yesterday I went up to the garage to get my tackle box and it is nowhere to be found. All my jigs, crank baits, spinners, plastics, well, actually all but a handful of my fishing tackle was in that box, I'm sure there had to be close to $1000.00 worth of tackle in there. The worst part of it is that a lot of the tackle I had in there was gifts from friends, special stuff that I just can't go to the store and replace, several items were handmade or just special because they were a gift from a friend. Now to be honest, it is my fault! I often leave the garage doors open when I am working around the property, (the garage is up at the road and if I am down in the back yard anyone could be in and out with just about anything and I wouldn't know it) in the 12 years we have been living here apart from last spring we have never had a problem and the IPod incident I kind of chalked up to probably being some local kids. (actually I think I know who but can't prove it) Sadly it looks like all of that is now going to have to change and every door is going to have to be kept locked all the time. I am also thinking that now I should be putting in some cameras so if anyone knows anything about setting up a surveillance system I'd sure appreciate some help with that!

One of the many highlites or our recent vacation was when we spent a night in Riviere du Loup. I was a little apprehensive because my French is quite limited but decided to give it my best shot anyway. We had a blast, most of the staff spoke some English (about the same as my French) but because I was trying they tried. We didn't have any trouble communicating at all, enjoyed one of the best meals and service I have ever had anywhere and had a ton of laughs! I couldn't always think of the specific word I needed but was able to work around it, they taught me some French, I taught them some English, I'd go back there in a heart beat. On the down side I really wish they would post road signs and such in English as well as French, it sure would make traveling a lot easier!

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Well, I did say don't worry about the size of the bait (among other things) LOL. Now I feel bad because you are probably going to have to fish a life time to match that catch. Congratulations! Now, without spilling the beans, did you catch it and most of the pike doing what I suggested?

A couple of keepers for sure! Glad to hear you got your engine/fuel problems sorted out, you'd be amazed at how often I find water in carburators when I am cleaning them.

What a wonderful opportunity, you deserve it!!!!

Working on it, will visit a couple in the area today and see what I can come up with for you. Cliff

There are several in the Kawarthas if you are interested I would be happy to put together a list of them for you.

We use to catch sturgeon in the French River all the time when I was in my 20s. We never kept any and I don't know anyone that did so why do they have to stock them now? Is the environment not a good one for them? Oh, and I agree, the money would be better spent on stocking other species or protecting the fisheries that do exist.

Had a banty rooster many years ago, he was one mean, tough little bugger. He would chase the dogs, the kids, anything or anyone that got near the hens. I finally had to shoot the darn thing, you couldn't catch him. Wife cooked him up; I came in the house and CJ was sitting at the table crying. When I asked why he was crying he said "I can't eat roostie". I told him it was no different than any other chicken and he looked at me and said "well, you try" so I did. That bird was just as tough cooked as he was when he was alive. Needless to say we ate something different that night!

That is the problem Dan, as a parent you can't even raise your voice to them anymore let alone give them a swat on the backside. I have some friends, their 15 year old daughter took the car keys out of her mothers purse and stole the car. They called the cops and darn near ended up getting charged because they left the keys where the kid could get them. To get back at mom the daughter claimed her mother had verbally abused her. It took months and countless interviews for the mother to finally clear her name. The kid ended up getting her own apartment as soon as she turned 16 which her parents had to pay for. My kids were both brought up to understand that there were consequences both good and bad. I think anyone on here that has met them will say the same thing, they are both polite, respectful, hard working kids! The differance is that my kids are now in their 40's, they were brought up in a different time where "if you do that I will smack your ass so hard my hand will hurt" meant something. Try that today and you'll be in jail and the kid will be laughing at you!

And you wonder why you have to work 7 months of the year just to pay taxes?

It's called responsible parenting and that is what is lacking in todays world. I too grew up with guns in the house and I was taught at an early age how to use them but I would never have dared to touch one of them without permission. Kids today are taught there are no consequences for their actions; we don't keep scores in games because heaven forbid little Johnny might feel bad because his team lost. We don't fail them in school if they don't work hard enough to pass because that might expose them to failure. Kids do whatever they want and as a parent you are very limited in what you can do about it. Just try smacking a kid on the ass, you'll be lucky if you don't end up in jail. I had plenty of smacks on the ass when I was growing up, taught me to respect authority. Got the strap in school a few times too (and I deserved it) taught me that there were rules and that not respecting them wasn't acceptable. When my mother said "go to your room" I went because I knew I was going to end up there one way or the other and mom had a pretty good back hand (it only took once to learn that, never tested it again). Tell a kid to go to their room today and they will tell you to go play with yourself (well you know what I mean).

I too have seen the same thing on more than one occasion. Not trying to defend the officer but until you have walked a mile in his shoes!!!!! Fear does strange things to people in a time of panic. Saw a thing one time where a cop had shot a guy that had a gun pointed at him, turned out that the gun wasn't loaded but the cop didn't know it. A reporter started getting mouthy about it and was asked by a senior officer how he would have handled it. The reporter replied "well, first of all" and the senior officer stopped him and said "by then you or an innocent bystander could have been dead"! I don't know what really happened or why he kept firing but that is for the courts to decide!

I would love to meet the person that wrote that letter, alone, in a dark alley!

Where specifically on the French? I might be able to help you out a little better. I use to guide up there (many years ago) I am most familiar with the lower French, Recollect Falls down to G Bay.

There are so many variables; time of the year, how thick are the weeds, even the time of the evening......... We have observed that the walleye move through here just about dusk and that they seem to move through as a school, the bite might last 10 minutes or it might last an hour but the pattern is always the same, they come in from the South and move North. Things that seem to work well in the spring don't work in the summer or fall, I have had evenings where we got 14 walleye in just over an hour but they were mostly small (under 16") mostly in the spring. We have had lots of evenings where every fish we caught was 3+ lbs but the bite only lasted 15 minutes then shut down and you couldn't catch another walleye if you stayed up all night. Sorry I can't be more specific but you really have to adapt to whatever the conditions are at the time.