Big Cliff

That's wonderful news! A lot more positive than the first posts we got after your accident! Don't know if I'll get a chance to get out fishing with you but looking forward to seeing you at the Tyler G2G.

Thanks for the update.

Well the weather cooled off quite a bit, 36 F yesterday morning when I got up and winds between 10 and 20 mph. but the forecast was for clearing and warming up to the high 50s so I decided to have a good breakfast and then head out. I got Sue to drop me off at the pier about 9:30 and met up with 4 of the fellows that I have fished with a couple of times now, they had set up about 1/2 way out on the pier where there was a utility shead so they had some shelter from the wind. (this pier is 1206' long)

The guys had been there a few hours and by now they were starting to feel the cold and the fishing hadn't been very good, they were just talking about packing it in so I decided to go right out to the end of the pier where I have fished the other times. The sun had just started to break through the clouds and the wind seemed to be dying down a little, it kind of reminded me of a spring ice fishing trip... you know, the ones where you are all bundled up to keep warm but you feel the warmth from the sun and it would be so easy to just lay back and have a nap LOL! Anyway, I was the only person out there so I got all set up and proceeded to fish.

It was slower than it has been in the past, I guess the fish react to a cold front here the same as they do back home and the wind was making it hard to tell if I was getting a bite or not sometimes but within the first half hour I had a nice little black tip shark, and by 2:00 had managed to tie into a huge spiney dog fish (broke 40 lb test line trying to lift him up onto the pier) and 3 nice size clear nose skate (boy do they ever put up one heck of a fight for their size).

Still haven't gotten out on a charter, my friend Gord is due to arrive on Sunday at some point so hopefully we'll be able to do something early next week. With only a week left to go on this holiday Time for a charter trip is running out but no matter, I have still gotten in some fantastic fishing.

Thinking of you all!

Cliff

I know you have a lot to contend with right now and really appreciate you taking the time to let us know what is going on. It really means a lot to so many of us who have been praying for you and Chris through all of this.

I never go to Toronto unless I really have to but if you ever needed me there...... well, you already know the answer.

We'll keep praying, keep us posted when you can.

Well, it is 36 F here right now with light rain but is going up to 50 and the forcast for the next 5 days puts it in the mid 50 range. Guess everyone North of here and inland is having a rough time. He have to head for home around the end of next week so I have been looking for a weather window but it looks like it's going to be a slow trip. Sounds like a perfect day to go over to BPS and drool.....Tomorrow it's going up to 58 and sunny, sounds like another good day for pier fishing.

I usually just take the GO train when I am going down there, it probably costs as much as the parking but I don't have to contend with the traffic.

Don't like paying their prices for food down there either.

I was planning on going to the boat show this year, thinking about a new boat but ended up here on holidays, from the sound of it it was the better choice!

Morning all!

Crokers and grunts sure are two different fish, most of the guys here tell me that the crokers are excellent eating but very boney, they use them for cut bait a lot and prefer to keep sugar pearch for eating (they look almost the same, silver, but the croker has a mouth more lick a carp.

GCD, the spiney dog fish actually looks like a shark, same shape, a lot of people seem to confuse the two (I sure did at first). The spiney dog fish however has white spots running the length of it side like a lateral line and has those barbs (much like a cat fish) at it's fins.

Proboat, haven't been there yet but might get to try it next week, any place special you can recommend?

Joey, Beans, from the sound of the weather reports up there (-23 C in Lindsay this morning)now might be a good time to head South......) I know I'm not heading North for as long as I can hold out LOL.

pikehunter, john, whopper, I have only been pier fishing twice before but this is one of the most fun trips I have ever had, much like ice fishing up North, everyone helps each other, and about two minutes after getting there people are coming over and introducing themselves..... I have meet some really neat people since I arrived. This is somrthing I will do again every chance I get and I'd recommend it to anyone.

By the way whopper, thanks again for the PM and your very generous offer, very kind of you and much appreciated!

No charters yet Maureen but Gord doesn't get here until Sunday so we will probably book something for Tuesday or Wed. depending on the weather. Jf it looks like it will be too rough I just might introduce him to pier fishing too LOL.

Keep warm, be safe!

Nice fish!

You are not allowed to fish for sharks within 1/2 mile of shore in Myrtle Beach because they don't want to the tourists to know they are around. If you do catch one accedently while fishing for other species, you are not allowed to use a net or gaff to help you land it, mind you the ones we are catching here are considered big at 10 lbs.

Jan. 15... 74 Deg.F... wind light out of the East.... sunny with a bit of light cloud.

Lunch packed, Sue drops me off at the pier about 9 am.....ahhhhh it's going to be a good day.

Met up with a couple of people from my previous venture, and it didn't take long before I had a line in the water and the action started. First up a skate about 5-6 lbs. (sort of looks a bit like a sting ray), they tell me they are good eating but I was on a C&R mission. Next, a horse shoe crab (guessing about 5 lbs), ugly...A spiney dog fish 8 lbs, (looks like a shark but has white spots and barbs in the fins), a blue crab, about 1 lb, he had clamped on to my bait and didn't let go until I set him down on the pier.A black tip shark about 6 lbs, several small crokers, and a sugar perch. Oh, and a salt water eel, probably about 3-4 lbs. One of the fellows I was fishing with asked if he could have it, apparently they are excellent eating. (I have pictures of all of these that I'll post when I get home)

Anyway, by the time Sue came back to get me about 2:30 I have to admit, I was ready to call it a day, it had been pretty much non stop action (and they called this a slow day LOL.), Final count for the day..... I have no idea. Several Skate, sharks, and spiney dog fish, a nice tan with a bit of wind burn, and a bunch of really nice fishing buddies. It doesn't get much better than that (except when I looked at the weather you guys had yesterday).

Glad to be on a pier in Myrtle Beach!

Well Garrett, if you need a hand with anything (pun intended) while you are recovering, just let us know (and there are some things I won't do for even a fellow OFNr .)

Sorry I don't have any pics to show you right now, I'm working on a borrowed lap top with limited software and a VERY slow dial up connection. I'll have to wait untile I get back to post pictures.

Got an old fishing buddy coming down next week, he and I are going to see about doing a charter trip, I'm really looking forward to that one. Haven't decided what we are going to go for yet, seems we have lots of choices. As long as it's fishing I'm happy!

Talked to the friends that are taking care of our house last night, they tell me that Sturgeon Lake still has open water, Looks like we might not have much of a problem with winter kill this year and I bet the lack of ice is going to keep the pressure off Scugog and other lakes in the area.

Sun shining, light breaze, warm...... I had talked to a couple of locals and it seems that the fishing is picking up. They suggested that I go to Bass Pro Shop and buy a rod ($20.00) as apposed to renting one for a day ($18.00)+$35.00 deposit so buy a rod I did. I couldn't believe it, a Shakespere heavy duty rod, reel, line, everything I needed, $20.00. Sorry Sue, now it's 15 rods and reeles LOL.

Everyone here is so warm and frendly, the people that run the pier let Sue come out fot free to see what it was like, and everyone out there treated you like you were long lost family.

So, I start to get set up, got to cut the tiewraps off my new rod, woops, filleted my finger, not a cut, a nice clean fillet right off the top about a 1/4" of flesh gone nearly to the bone (I think a sea gull got it). So, wrap it in paper towles and head back to the office at the pier. Fortunatly, the guy use to be a medic or something, blood all over the place but he managed to do a heck of a job with some tape and gauze and I headed back out on the pier.

Sue bless her heart, keeps wanting to take me to the hospital, (no point in going, nothing left to stitch and only a little blood had soaked through the bandages) no way I was going anywhere until I had caught some fish, so fish I did!

I finally convinced Sue to go do some sight seeing or shopping or something (she chose shopping, wouldn't you know it!) and she left me there to enjoy the sun, warmth, and a bunck of new friends.

Well, they tell me the fishing is slow this time of the year but I had a blast, I caught a shark (8-10 lbs) but you can't keep them; I caught a small sting ray (about 5 lbs) but let it go; and I caught several (crokers) and sugar perch (crokers are boney and you don't keep the small ones).

In short, I had a fantastic day, meet a pile of wonderful people, made a ton of new friends (all of which would fit right in as OFNR's, (TJ, you need to make up some cards "you have just been invited to join the OFC family".............. I'll bet I could have added 10 new members today alone.

Anyway, thinking of you all, wish many of you were here to share it with me.

Be safe, play nice!

Big Cliff

I Like where I am right now, but I'd rather be in Cuba. Have a super trip! Oh, and take some packages of chicoletts (sp) with you, the kids love them! Enjoy!

I Like where I am right now, but I'd rather be in Cuba. Have a super trip! Oh, and take some packages of chicoletts (sp) with you, the kids love them! Enjoy!

Enjoy your cruise, we did the Western circuit, quite an experience but not my cup of tea. It was good to try it though. I'll look forward to a report on your return!

Sue and I took 4 1/2 years looking for our place, there were a lot of factors involved in making our decision. We wanted a place where we could catch fish right off the dock, we were looking at it as an investment so there had to be potential for growth in the area. Because of Sue's health problems, we wanted a place that was close to medical facilities.

We are on Sturgeon Lake in the Kawarthas and love it! I can catch Muskie, Pickerel, Carp, Bass, and almost any pan fish you can think of right off the dock.

It was affordable, when we bought it, we knew we were going to have to do a lot of work on it so we came up with a five year plan, this is year six and most of what we wanted has been accomplished.

Lindsay is a vibrent and growing town, there is little that we have to travel out side of the area, taxes are reasonable compaired to similar properties elsewhere, there are new businesses opening every day and lots of job opportunities, propertie values are still reasonable but growing at a nice steady rate.

If you would like to come for a visit let me know and I'd be happy to spend some time showing you around our area and even talk to a few realestate people for you.

Oh, and fishindevil, "the Kawarthas" is a big area, why do you think they "suck"?

Trolling off a cruise ship LOL....... well, I guess you could but it would be easier to troll while ice fishing! Where are you going on your cruise?

I haven't had any problems with passports but I always keep ours up to date and renew as soon as the old ones expire. I did have a hassle trying to get my new health card though. They sent me a notice telling me I had to phone for an appointment, I spent several hours trying to get through on the phone to make an appointment and could never get through. I sent the ministry of health a really nasty email and told them that if someone didn't get back to me within 48 hours to set up an appointment I was going to contact my local MP, MPP, and every media outlet I could think of and raise such a stink about the way they were treating seniors......They called me back very promptly with a time and date for my appointment. Not sure if this tactic would work with passports though, you might just find that it accidently got cancelled while you were out of the country LOL.

Well, we got here safe and sound then I got one heck of a cold so I haven't had a chance to do much of anything yet but I have checked out the local pier and some fishing charters.

So far the days have been beautiful, a few showers, and a bit of wind but reasonably warm. This morning the sun is shining, the seas are calm, I think I am goingto have a steak and eggs then spend the rest of the day sitting on the pier enjoying the sun and meeting some of the locals.

Have a super day all!

Well gang, I know I haven't been around much for the last few months, working on a computer for 8-10 hours a day, by the time I get home at night the last thing I want to do is sit down in front of my computer.

Just wanted to let you know, I haven't forgotten about any of you!

I am leaving tomorrow morning early for North Myrtle Beach and won't be back until the end of Jan.. Hope to come back all rested and ready to go again with my batteries recharged.

Take care of each other, play nice, be safe! I'll check in if I get a chance to, otherwise, see you all at the end of the month.

P.S.

I still haven't gotten any offers of food donations for the Tyler G2G so pleas, if you can help out post here or email me at home.

Sorry it has taken me so long to respond but I only have dial up at home and this new site is so slow. Moe you know you can count on me to help manning the BBQ's and stuff and I'll have some nice prizes for you too.

I think we better plan on having 100+ people this year though, we did run out of food last year.

If anyone is willing to donate burgers, hotdogs, saussages (they were a big hit last year) buns, mustard, relish............... please email me [email protected]

Good post and so true. I don't mean to hijack this thread but Verno hit it right on the head.

I had a good talk with the son of a friend that just returned from Afganistan. He didn't mind the heat, the dirt, the lack of supplies. He wasn't crazy about being shot at and worring about the roadside bombs and suiside attacks but the thing that bothered him most was the lack of support and understanding from the people here at home.

Rick told me that the Afgan are a wonderful people, kind and generous and that they appreciate what we are trying to do over there, it's the terrorists that are trying to take over. We fight there to keep that sort of lifestyle from coming to Canada.

I'm very proud of Rick, I'm proud of all of the fine people that make up the Canadian Armed Forces, I'll stand sholder to sholder with any of them any day!