Jonny

I picked up this copy of "Real Fishing" on a trip to the Rideau area last week. Henry N., you can't miss this one... your favourite girl is featured! There's a good article on turkey vultures (which we never used to see in the Nipissing area), and a rather so-so (non-commital) one on cormorants, which we see WAY too many of.

The Royal Navy has a long history. In the Days of Fighting Sail, they renamed a few of their own ships. They captured many enemy vessels - French, Dutch, Spanish. For many they kept the original name (sometimes simply anglicized), for others they changed the name. Browsing the list, which also gives the eventual fate of each ship, I didn't see any pattern of particularly bad luck if the name was changed. It's an interesting list... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ships..._the_Royal_Navy "BU" means "Broken Up". Give 'er a proper christening when you change the name and you should be fine.

Thanks for the pics. Poor people! It seems there's nothing as freaky as a tornado - one house demolished, the next house pretty well unscathed. It's a lottery you don't want to "win".

Nice boat! What does the new name mean? (I lead a sheltered life.)

Hey, Sorels are good boots. Don't they still make them? Sorry the thread got hijacked. Back to the pike? .............

We just came through a tornado warning. It was scary. A friend saw a waterspout from her condo in North Bay. She's on the top (7th) floor and can see the lake. She gave us a call, as she said it looked like it was heading our way. We had already seen the warning on the internet and had opened the trap to the crawl space and had some stuff handy. We watched the lake (we look East toward North Bay) and were ready to jump down in the crawl space at a moment's notice. We didn't see a waterspout or funnel cloud, though, maybe because of the poor visibility. It was stressful just the same. We had water, blankets, a flashlight, the laptop, external hard drive (both with lots of family photos on them), wallet and purse, cell phone, all set to pull down into the crawl space, and we made sure we were dressed in long pants and had jackets on, even though it was warm. Environment Canada in its warnings says "take necessary precautions". It doesn't, however, mention what those precautions should be. This is not something we have any experience of. Thank God nothing developed, even though some dirty-looking clouds headed our way. Attached - a bulletin from the North Bay Nugget on line site... maybe the funnel our friend saw...

At my age, "a few years back" is a euphemism. But the picture was actually taken in the 90's. (Early 90's granted) That was one of my most memorable outings... that's why I dug back in the "archives". It was so warm that day that by sunset the bottom had gone out of the snow and we had a hard time getting back down the lake (7 miles) to the lodge. There was a foot of slush, topped by a foot of wet snow. The whole get-up? Blue jeans, hooded sweatshirt, checkered flannelette shirt, ball cap. I still dress that way when fishing or hunting! Are you saying I'm old-fashioned?

Well that's good then. Your topic was worthwhile... and not only for you. Yep. Myself, I prefer a combination of the two. I love catching fish (and releasing them) but I don't tend to short-change myself on fish for the table. My family and I like eating fish too much. I guess it's more of a "big fish don't taste as good" thing. I must not be that discriminating because I can't really tell any difference between 1 lb pickerel and 5 lb pickerel once the fillets have been battered or breaded, and fried. You'll have to decide for yourself, as you say.

But every big fish you keep saves a lot of other little fishies. The most dramatic thing I ever heard was when I was touring a pickerel-hatching operation near Port Loring. The guys running it said that in one of their rearing ponds, which is usually good for thousands of fish, one year they emptied it and got only a few "monster" (for their age) pickerel... all the rest were gone, eaten by the fast-growing cannibals. No, I'm not advocating targeting big fish, nor am I saying there's anything wrong with your practice. Pure C and R is certainly commendable if that's the way you like to do it.

Not bad, Canucker. Warm.

It used to make my day to bring my grandfather a nice fish. Wish I could still do it.

I'd rather not call - it might sound like I'm 'checking up'. But I could stop by the store the next time I'm in Sudbury if I get the chance. I assume he's still in Gatchell on Lorne St. It's been a long time since I was in the store.

And your point is....? Actually no, it's not that far back. Good memories, though. We used to have a crew of guys (8-12) from our gun club who rented a cottage for an ice-fishing weekend every winter and we had some dandy catches. This was one of the biggest. I'm wondering what you keyed in on... the boots? Hey I still wear those boots even now! It's a scan of a photograph. There was a pre-digital era, ya know, not that long ago! This one goes a little further back... guess the year... Sorry, no pike.

True enough.

Another source for Seafoam is Benson Auto Parts, if they have a store near you.

No, I don't think Tarini would be selling illegal fish either. I just wonder what his source is for pickerel. A native fishery on Manitoulin maybe? Wikwemikong? He made it sound like just anybody could do it, but I'm sure that's not the case. I don't think non-native commercial fishery of game fish is allowed anywhere in Ontario. But I'm not sure. I found another article that mentioned pickerel being sold in a store in Hanmer.

Thanks, HF. Now here's something really funny... I think they call it seafood way down South...

One of mine from a few years ago. 5 FOW, on a dead smelt, plain hook-and-sinker, black nylon line. West of Timmins.

I like a laugh as much as the next guy, but not when there's a barb in it.

To me, the Tarini quote sounds like just any fishermen, not commercial boats. This is something I don't know enough about. Are there non-native commercial fishermen in Ontario who are allowed to catch and sell pickerel?

Bring some Seafoam with you when you go up there.

From the title I thought you might be getting serious about a girl. Why would you want a truck with mud on it that you can't wash off?

I've been browsing through some old newspaper articles from the North Bay Nugget and the Sudbury Star. Here's something that caught my eye about the native fish store than operates from the dry-docked Chief Commanda I ("The Old Chief") at the North Bay waterfront: So you can have a large amount of pickerel (in addition to your own posession limit for fish you yourself have caught) in your home. Interesting too is the price per pound. This article was published last summer so the price may be higher this year. And this from a column in the Sudbury Star (Aug. 8, 2008): That makes it sound like local fishermen can sell their catches to Tarini's Market, which I am sure can't be the case?

If I thought you had "stupid" names for your local fish down there in Alabama, I wouldn't make a big deal out of it and tell you because: a ) I wouldn't care enough b ) It's not polite So who's ignorant? We call 'em pickerel. Like I suggested, get over it

Guaranteed to drive GCD nuts!