Big Cliff

poop Head! How dare you scare the crap out of your family and friends in the name of male ego! I've lived in your world, male ego..... and all that stuff. Did some damage that took years to undo but now I am back on track! Now it's your turn. I chalange you to meet me at Lacair next year, I will reserve a cabin for you, I, and two others yet to be named, you better make it or else! I'm not ready to loose another friend right now!

I just heard from a well informed source tonight that the MNR has been doing some testing regarding killing zebra mussels. Apparently this was done in Scugog and a few other lakes in this area. Makes you wonder doesn't it? OFAH, any input?

If you were in their boat, would you give someone a replacement? You don't mention how you broke it... your fault? or was it defective? I can't speak for BPS other than I have always been pleased with their service and support but I owned my own business for many years and I found that sometimes customers can expect the unreasonable. The phrase, "the customer is always right!" Doesn't mean that the customer is always fair or reasonable! Let your consciense be your guide!

Well, I never stayed at French river lodge, but I have heard a lot of good things about it. I lived in the area so I never stayed at any of the lodges. Groceries.... The lodge will have some of the basics available but I would make sure you bring your own food. You can always call the lodge and ask! That might be a good idea! Fishing.... Pike, I have always liked Williams wobblers, silver or silver and gold. Red devils, Five of dimonds, Those will produce pike most of the time, some larger.... #6+ mepps in silver or bronze are good choices too. There are some nice bass up there too so don't sell yourself short on that, a few top water and a few plastics. Pickerel jigs tipped with a twister tail especially in the morning or evening and anywhere you can find a back eddy or a bit of current..... a few husky jerks or rapalas cast into the shallows above any fast shallow water or into a bay near deep water should put a few fish in the boat for you. Don't rule out after dark fishing either. There are some monster chanel catfish in the French River system and boy do they put up one heck of a fight. You'll want a heavy rod and some strong line for those brutes. A dead frog or chunck of fresh liver works well for them. Fish on the bottom in a shallow inlet but near deep water. If you hook one you will have a fight you will never forget. Pound for pound they are one of the toughest fish I have ever run into. so many years of experience is hard to impart in a post like this but ask your hosts and they will do everything they can to help you, that is their business! I truly hoope you enjoy your stay and look forward to your posts to tell us of your trip! Big Cliff

Please let there be a happy ending to this thread!

It is so nice to see your business continue to grow Sam. I guess Belleville was a really good move for you! I'll be sure to stop in first chance I get!

There has already been a significant decline in the use of the water in the Kawarthas. I know of cottage rentals that have been cancelled. I wouldn't keep a fish out of these waters until I see some official reports that tell me they are safe to eat. In fact, after cleaning up some 20+ dead and smelly carp in the psat week, I really don't even feel like going fishing. Would you like to go water skiing and dodge dead 30 lb fish? Boat traffic this past long weekend was much slower than we have seen in past years. CTV news aired a report last night, their report wasn't very accurate, they stated Sturgeon lake is upstream of Scugog. It may be North of Scugog but I can assure you that the Scugog River flows into Sturgeon Lake. The report answered few questions and did little to highlight the matter and force the powers that be to provide us with some actual facts. Now I'm told it may be a few more weeks before we know what is causing the problem. I'm still waiting!

You too Moe. Drive carefully!

I'd like to thank each and every one of you for your phone calls, PMs, emails, and replies. Some made us laugh, some made us cry (but in a good way), all were very much appreciated and helped so much these past few days. From the very bottom of our hearts, thank you from the Matthews/Bignell family!

Herb would have approved Beans, as you know he wasn't fussy about what he caught as long as he was fishing. Thank you!

My brother-in-law, AKA justherb on this board, passed away some time last night, I found him this evening when I went to take him his groceries, he had passed away quietly while watching the food chanel and drinking a beer, two things he liked to do when he wasn't fishing. He had been sick for a while now surviving a very risky open heart operation only a few years ago and never really getting back up to speed. He had been in and out of hospital a few times in the past few months and was on a lot of medication. We had been fishing buddies and best friends for more than 25 years, he was a lousy fisherman but that never stopped him from trying and we shared so many wonderful adventures. (Besides if he did start to out fish me, I would just tease him about me getting home to his sister; that would usually throw him off his game). We have one more fishing trip to take, it was something he made me promise to do and do it I will. I will not mourn his passing, he wouldn't have wanted that but I will miss him very much. There won't be any viewing or funeral, he had left very explicit instructions, just the fishing trip. Next fish you catch please say "this one is for you Herb!" he'd have gotten a kick out of that. Forever in my heart Herb. Big Cliff

You just have to submit that one to Readers Digest. It is just too funny not to share!

Thanks for the links Cliff. Every little bit of information helps!The numbers are growing at a very alarming rate, I pass by a shallow weedy area on my way home and there are 100's of dead carp floating. Kemper, you posted: "I also think that we need to slow down with the conspiracy theories, im fairly certain that a stealth MNR boat flying under the cover of darkness isnt spreading a carp disease...." You could be right but it wouldn't be the first time the Canadian Goverment has tried or tested something without telling us about it or admitting it. Perhaps it is just a coincidence that two MNR boats were seen putting some sort of chemical into Scugog and it might have nothing to do with what is happening to the carp but they were seen doing it. Why? Why is the carp kill limited to down stream of Scugog? if it is a virus then you would expect that it would spread upstream as well, infected fish would also swim upstream there by spreading the infection that way too. Chemicals on the other hand would tend to spread down stream. It isn't only the carp that are being affected, they may be the only ones dying right now but there is a distinct difference in the weed growth this year, the fishing for other species has been very poor this year. Something has hapened to change the whole area. Conspiracy or not, I'll feel a lot better when I know what is going on.

I would not deal with these people at all! Anyone that has to use pressure and deception rather than logic and facts to get customers to sign a contract isn't trying to do me any favours. They showed up at my door last spring and told me if I signed up with them I would be getting a rebate from hydro but if I didn't sign up, I wouldn't get a rebate. Then he just wanted me to sign this "form" so his supervisor would know that he had been here and I "declined" the rebate. I didn't sign, he is lucky he left when he still could, and I got my rebate in the mail about a month later. Buyer beware!

Biscotasing? I don't know if you will get 100 fish a day without doing a fly in to some remote lake but Biscotasing is beautiful and has some good numbers of fish. It would be within your range of 10 - 15 hours.

Well, something isn't adding up. If it is a virus then why aren't we seeing muskies floating in. The only fish that seem to be affected in any numbers are the carp and they are the only fish which are primarly vegeterian. They claim that this was probably spread by fishermen transporting bait and balist between lakes, why then is it only down stream from Scugog and spreading? I know for a fact that some people have fished Scugog and Balsam lake which is the highest in the Trent Severen system. I haven't heard any reports of dead carp over near Fenelon Falls but the current flows from Fenelon Falls into Sturgeon Lake then off toward Bobcayegon. According to my neighbour there was a hilicopter flying about 100' up and about 100' out from shore here yesterday. It came down as far as the marina near our house (where the Scugog River officially opens into Sturgeon Lake) then flew back up the shore line and followed the Scugog River. Paul suspects they were surveying the number of dead carp. There is a very distinct difference in the weed growth in our area this year, Paul has lived here for 15 years now and has never seen anything like it is this year. Mother nature or the Ministry?

Last night there were three along our shore line, tonight there were six. I was told by a friend this evening that as soon as the ice was out on Scugog there were a couple of Ministry boats seen dragging hoses in the water and applying some sort of chemical. The person was telling me that they thought it was something to try to control the weeds. Carp are for the most part vegetarian which would explain why it is mostly carp that seem to be affected. I wonder why it is taking the ministry so long to figure out what is killing these fish? Could it be because it is related to something they have done and they don't want to admit it?

Ahhhh quit your whining and get to work. At least you got to have a week at Lacair. Sounds like a wonderful time was had by all, wish I could have been part of it but a man with a sharp knife had other plans for me. I will be there next year no matter what!

I live on Sturgeon lake and I just came back up from the dock. There is something strange going on here too, the weeds are much thicker than I have ever seen them in the six years I have been here. We only have 70' of shore line but there are three huge (easily over 20 lbs each) dead carp floating. I have also noticed a big decline in the fishing this year. I'm not sure if it is related or not but there is something not right. What I'd really like to know is; why is it taking so long to get the test results back? This is SERIOUS. Do they even know FOR SURE if it can affect humans or not? There are a lot of people that draw their drinking water from these lakes. If this is a virus could it have any long term health affects? If it can spread to other fish species, could ingesting any of the fish cause problems? There are a lot of questions that need to be answered now, not in three weeks!

You know, it's not that long ago you had us all worried sick. I got to tell you, it's a real pleasure to be able to say Happy Birthday big guy! All the very best! Big Cliff

We think BIG in the Kawarthas Whopper LOL! Hope your day improved!

I might be way off base here but would a shorted coil correct itself after a couple of minutes of being under load? Is there a chance that there is some kind of "limiter control" in this CDI module or that part of the circuit? I know they have them in some weedeaters etc.

"Progress" just another word for a lot of work LOL.

Next time you are coming up to Sturgeon Lake, why don't you give me a shout, I have all the charts on my computer and we can sit down and compair notes. If you have a GPS, I might be able to upload some spots for you to try. Might even be able to share an afternoon on the water.

WTG Steve. You have worked hard and you deserve a day like today!