Big Cliff

Glad you made it safe!

Thanks, that sounds about my speed.i will look into it today.

Thanks for the information Bill. I did start looking into it but it seems most of the trips offered involve "floating the river and camping out". At my age walking down to the dock and getting into the boat is an adventure lol. As a younger man I might have been able to handle something like this but not now. I need a quiet, comfortable place where I can fish without too much effort, have afternoon naps, and just relax. I have caught my share of monsters and enjoy the fight of a 1 lb speck as much as anything else I have ever caught. 😊

Not to hijack this thread but I would love a trip fly in or not for some specks. So if anyone can help out with suggestions it would be appreciated. I am 78 so long paddles or portages aren't what I am looking for. Trophies.... well I would rather get lots of fish and enjoy the fight than one or two fish. The only other thing is I intend to bring home my limit so a strictly catch and release place is not even going to be considered. If I am going to pay that kind of money for a weeks fishing, I am going to bring home some fish to tease my friends and neghbours😊

My son and I bought new 650s in 2021, we have had several wonderful experiences with them. It has sure made life easier for me, I can just hop in it and go fishing. No heavy motors to lift, no need to flip boats or haul gear. My son is a marine mechanic, I supply the materials, he supplies the labour so the machines are always in top shape and ready to go.

I can sure attest to the fact they work, when my son was down last week the fishing was a little slow until we started using the grubs. Many huts were reporting a dozen or less fish, we brought home 30 and easily released at least that many. The herring seem to like them too. 😊

Well, the first thing "I " would do is look into having it converted to either natural gas or propane depending on what's available in your area. That would eliminate all the problems with maintaining cans of gas for long periods of time. In my experience people start out with great intentions (going to change out the gas on a regular basis...... ) but then life gets in the way and things get forgotten. Just when you need it the most it's not ready to go. The second thing "I " would do is have it professionally wired into the house with an automatic system that will allow it to start when needed and shut off when not. Having to run extension cords isn't a great option at - 20 in the middle of the night or if you aren't home. What happens if you are away or sick, is your wife going to be able to hook everything up and run it? Yes, it's going to cost you to do the above but you have already invested in part of the system, might as well do it properly so you can get the maximum use out of it. Just my $0.02 😊

I was out Monday and again yesterday with my son, we were on a solid 10 inches of ice. I only go out with Tim Hales, they know where it's safe, the huts are clean and warm and the fishing was pretty good as a bonus.

A 650 Argo weighs roughly 1200 lbs, if you drove over the ice before you broke through there's a good chance the ice you just drove over will support the weight of a man. However you are right, if in doubt stay safe and wait for help.

And that's about the best way to do it. Both my son and I have Argos and love them and IF I was going out onto the ice without using an outfitter I would use the Argo especially because it floats and would keep me dry. We are even out fitting ours with rope instead of the traditional cable because it's easier to handle and we are adding wireless remotes.

First these guys were lucky it was an Argo, had it been a side by side the outcome could have been very different. Second, although an Argo will go almost anywhere, transitioning between water and ice takes some skill and experience, it is my understanding that these guys had little of either. They may not be the smartest dudes but they sure were lucky. As for all the rules and regulations (desigined to protect us) it won't be long before you have to take a carpentry course before you can use a hammer because you might hit your thumb with the hammer😲

Well done🤗

Yup, one of misfish's creations. I tipped it with a small shiner, a couple of pieces of split shot about a foot above it. Dropped it down to bottom then lifted the split shot just off the bottom. They were inhaling it, I easily caught 4 to his one.

Got out yesterday with Tim Hales, a solid 8+" of ice where we were. It started off slow, didn't have a single bite in the first hour. Then I landed a nice one and as the day progressed so did the bite. It never got crazy busy but the ones we were getting were all good size most were in the 11 to 13" range with several over 13. Now here's the interesting part. My fishing partner was using our triditional drop shot rig, he caught 10 fish all day. Of all the other huts we talked to, most reported 6 to maybe 15 fish, I used my new secret weapon.

Very impressive 🤗

What Bill said. I use to fish rainbows up in Elliot Lake area many years ago, almost all were caught just under the ice, 2 to 10 feet down (more in the 2-3' range) usually in about 7 to 20 feet of water.

These new regulations are becoming so complicated it's almost impossible to understand them. We have been trying to figure out FMZ 10 and the changes and even the boundaries. One of the places we fish is VERY close to FMZ 11 and the regulations are quite different but we can't find a map that clearly shows which zone we are in. There are so many exceptions for so many bodies of water and a lot of it would be up to the CO to determin what's what. As far as transfering live bait between BMZs my understanding is you are not supposed to.

Doug I bought this one on Amazon last year it was over $400.00. Lithium batteries have come way down, the exact same battery in now about $325.00. It has the BMS system and comes with it's own charger. The light weight, long life, and 5 year warranty were all factors in my decision. In my book the advantages outweigh the risk.

It certainly looks like there is some potential for problems, this one came with it's own charger but I sure will keep an eye on it and watch for any sign of over heating. So far I am really impressed with it.

At 60 (after being semi retired for about 7 years) I decided I wanted to do something different. I have always liked working with my hands so I did some research and decided "small engine mechanic" would fit the bill. Convinced a local shop to hire me with the understanding that I wanted to persue my apprenticeship. Two years of school (part time) and 5000 hours later I got my license. It was hard, I too had been brought up with the imperial system but I am glad I did it. Never stop trying to learn and advance your knowledge, I bet you will do fine you seem like a pretty smart young man!

Thanks everyone, much appreciated 😊

Ok so you have been banned from ever creating, advertising, or making any more fishing tackle in the intrest of conservation. That is just plain mean and crule, the fish don't have a chance 😂( can I buy a hundred cash ? 😊)

Well I am 78 (or will be tommorow) travel insurance for me is probably about as much as the cost of the trip (if I can even get it) Do it while you can because all of a sudden you look up and..... that place sounds amazing, beautiful, friendly, and affordable. Please keep posting your adventures I love reading and dreaming 😊

Thanks for the heads up. Not sure if it might be an issue with these larger batteries, this one has smart charge technology, we've never noticed any heat while using or charging it but we'll keep an eye on it.

Wish I was younger and could do trips like that. Beautiful!