Big Cliff

They say that a good pilot knows how to get out of a bad situation: A really good pilot knows how to avoid geting into one! Therfore a good ice fisherman knows how to get out of trouble on the ice; a really good ice fisherman knows how to stay out of trouble on the ice. I'll opt for staying out of trouble!

Put me down for 5 copies (but I'd like them autographed) Cliff I love listening to those! Thank you so much for sharing!

I'd be more than happy to share with you but I want to try a few different things first. I'll probably start with a basic brine and refine that as I go. The stuff I had out West was done with just salt, water, and brown sugar then naturally smoked and dried. I'll try to replicate that first then go from there.

For several years now I have been making my own beef, venison, turkey jerky. The kids all love it and I thought I'd share how easy it is and ask a favour too. Go to the butcher shop, get a 4 lb rump or inside round roast and ask him to slice it into about 3/16 slices. When you get that home, cut those slices into about 1" wide strips. maranide. 3 cups soy sauce 1 cup packed brown sugar 3-5 Tbs of pickling salt (depends on how salty you like things) 1/4 tsp of cayenne (leave it out or add more depending on how spicy you like things, this is mild) now, if you are doing it in your oven or a dehydrator, I use some liquid smoke. I use a comercial grade, about 1/4 cup but the stuff you buy in the store, I'd probably use 1/3 a cup. If you are going to use your smoker to dry it, omit this step. Mix up the brine, let it stand for about 10 minutes. Add the meat and make sure it all gets covered in brine (I put mine in a big plastic container with an air tight lid and shake and turn it every couple of minutes) for about 10 to 15 minutes. Drain it (I just dump it into a collender in the sink) let it drain well, about 10 minutes I use a dehydrator but you can also use your oven set at about 100° and leave the door slightly open. The dehydrator takes about 30 to 34 hours, the oven, about 18 to 24. Beef jerky sells in the stores for upwards of $30.00 a kilo you can make your own for about $4.00 a kilo (and it is better)' Now for the favour: I want to try making fish jerky, a native indian friend gave me some home made stuff when I was out in BC many years ago and I loved it. (I've tried the commercial stuff, it is not good). I need some salmon, rainbow, browns and white fish to work with. So, if anyone can help me with some fish (just cut the fillets off the side ie. cut behind the gills to the back bone then along to the tail through the ribs, leave the skin on and the lateral bones in, I'll take care of that. You can freeze it as long as you make sure you make sure the fish is kept moist or freeze it in water. I will gladly work on perfecting the "fish jerky recipe" and gladly share 50/50 with you what ever I get out of what you supply. Please don't give me stuff that has been sitting in your freezer for two or three years now. It will get given to a friends dogs. Good in Good out!

I'm up for a road trip anytime there is enough ice and the smelts are in. You wouldn't believe how much Sue likes those ones we caught last winter. I rationed them out so we'd have enough to last us until I could get some more. 1 package left. (acctually I had to hide them in the freezer or Sue would have eaten them a long time ago LOL) She still keeps asking if you are coming for a visit Bruce.

Well, first of all, thanks for the replies and Fang, you have some really good points there and I really appreciate you taking the time to type it all out for me. It's funny how when I go shoping for fishing or hunting stuff, I can spend hours looking, I don't understand a lot of the new electronic stuff and the more time I spent, the more confused I was getting. We do have a DVD player in our home entertainment system and a DVD burner in our computer so to symplify things I ended up buying Sue a Bell PVR system. It was $499.00 plus tax (They offered me a $200.00 programming credit if I would up grade to HD but Sue's TV isn't HD so there was no point) but I'll just take back the nice dimond ring I had bought her and still be way ahead of the game (JUST KIDDING GIRLS, I'm not that brave LOL). Anyway I figure it will save me having to have a receiver and then a recorder and our daughter needed a new receiver anyway. Anyone want a Phillips DVD recorder and remote FREE? It doesn't work but you might be able to fix it? Oh, and you can have a DVD player too, I tried to fix that myself; I think I'll just stick to motors LOL. Thanks again for the feed back! It did help me in making my decision.

Terry Satellite. Thanks guys, I'll go and see Bell today, it sounds like the best way to go. Cliff

Jer, can you buy these or do you have to rent them? We are with Bell satilite and don't want or need HD TV. If you can buy them, where and how much (basic unit, nothing fancy, Sue has trouble trying to figure out how to use her cell phone).

OK, Sue doesn't ask for much but she likes to record her favorite programs and watch them later. For years she got by quite happily with a VCR then it got worn out tapes were harder to find, so I bought her a DVD recorder. That worked great for a couple of years, it did everything she needed record/play back. Now that just quit working and I have been trying to find a replacement for her but hardly anyone seems to carry them. Am I just getting too old? Do people not record their favorite TV programs anymore? Is there another/better way to do it? Am I looking for the wrong thing when I ask for DVD recorders. HELP! Christmas is almost here, I need to do something fast and I've spent hours trying to find something.

Awh come on and you are an early bird too? Sounds like you have a good sense of humor and enjoy helping others you'll fit right in here! What product lines do you represent? The shop I work for sells Husqvarna, Echo, Poulan, to name a few. (but we work on just about anything) If you ever need IPLs or anything and I can help, just let me know.

Hey, wait a minute, first I was the only Cliff then some guy called ccmt comes along and I have to share that. Then I was the only really old fat guy and some guy named Beans had to out do me on both counts, at least I was the only "admitted" small engine mechanic, now I have to share that too? OK Welcome to the board! Where you located Mike?

It looks beautiful Lew, congratulations!

Maureen, I am sure that must have been a very difficult decision for you to make. I wonder if there would be any intrest in trying to do something over here on Sturgeon Lake. I know I could never do anything nearly as well as you do but if I can get some help we might be able to at least do something.

Oh Cliff, that is absolutly beautiful, thank you so much for sharing it and we'd love a copy of it too to share with our friends and family if you could manage it!

The deer was brought to them as a baby fawn, they helped it survive, apart from that they let nature take it's course (read the story)with the exception that during hunting season they put two orange collars on it hoping that a hunter would respect the fact that this wasn't a "wild" deer. My issue isn't so much that this guy shot it as it is with the fact that he did so illeagily and if he was crass enough to violate the law by shooting from the road, then ignorant enough to leave it, was he stupid enough to have shot it realizing that it wasn't a wild deer and shot it just for the sake of killing something?

I read it in the Toronto Sun this morning, I hope they throw the book at him! Shooting from the road; maybe he couldn't see the two orange collars on the deer but you have to wonder. Some people just have to kill things! I think it is very sad that when a wild animal becomes tame and looses it's fear of humans and it gets killed because of it. We feed ducks here every year, we have two that have returned for the last three years now, we've even named them Quackers, and Cheese. Every year they have their young and they get so tame that they will come and take food right out of my hand, I can usually pick the ducklings up and hold them without mom or dad getting too upset about it. I am realistic enough to understand that come fall they will be fair game, as long as it is done within the law!

Boy does it ever look small in that picture Beans. it is actually 16 x 24. I figured that would make a good ice hut, now I just have to figgure out how to get it out there LOL.

How much? I have a friend that might be interested. I have an FL8 and love it.

OK, since ice fishing is opening up here this winter and I don't have an ice hut (but would like to) I figured there might be someone out there that would like to have an ice hut but doesn't have a place to store it or a way to move it. Sooooooooo! If someone wants to build one, something nice, I would be willing to help you build it (but I have no money so you supply the materials) I'll take care of storing it for you in the off season, and I have an ATV that we could use to move it when necessary, parking at my place but you might have to help clearing the snow occasionally for the extra parking spot (I have a snow blower but I'm getting old and lazy). We might have to work out details later but I thought I'd see if anyone is interested first.

I am really excited about it, living right on Sturgeon lake and having to drive an hour each way just to go ice fishing for a couple of hours didn't make much sense to me. Now at least when my son or grand kids come for a visit we can go out, drill a couple of holes and catch a feed of perch or crappie. My auger is all ready to go and New Years day I'll be ice fishing!

I didn't think permanent huts were allowed?

I don't know how long this has been around, a friend just sent it to me. I thought it was too beautiful to not share it. The attached YouTube video is of Ginny McIlmoyle, The song was written by a local writer and a production company saw Ginny perform it on a show in Warkworth and got everyone together to do this video. It is a great song and video shot in Belleville at the Armories with footage from re-patriations at Trenton.

I'm sorry, that wasn't very nice of me to tease you like that. PM me your address and I'll drop a package of saussage off to you tomorrow.

LOL, You'll just have to come for a visit and find out for yourself! Got some venison, honey garlic saussage from last fall's batch, What you got to trade?

You have never had my venison pepperetts have you If you can find someone that has some extra venison or moose meat, there are a few Mennonite places in Elmira and I'm sure other areas that will make it into pepperetts for you. If I get a deer before the season closes I'll be getting a bunch made and let you have some, you just cover the cost of them. IF I get out and get one that is. Also, can you say venison summer saussage? Try it if you can.