dave524

My 12 gauge 870 is the special purpose model. When steel shot came in I was using an Remington 1100 in 2 3/4 " with a skeet barrel and a modified barrel as a waterfowl gun. I figured since I was finished skeet shooting and I could use the extra payload room of the 3 in. for steel shot went looking for a 3 in. 870. Local gunstore that I frequented traded me even for my 1100 and 2 barrels for a new 870 special purpose. The parkerizing is a slightly a more gray finish than the black express finish, also the parkerizing is a chemical reaction with the surface of the metal, much more durable than the express finish which is on the surface of the metal like a paint. The stock too is real walnut with a matt finish as opposed to a walnut stained hardwood, the stock is machine cut checkered as opposed to a die pressed-in checkering. The gun also came with a nylon camo sling and swivels on the forearm cap and butt stock. It also had the full set of screw in chokes, not sure if the express had this feature at the time. I was happy with the deal and it is still a good waterfowl/turkey gun. On the subject of the 20 gauge lightweight. Remington used to (maybe still does)make 2 different 20 gauge guns. The cheaper 20 was actually made on the same receiver as a 12 gauge as a cost cutting measure, as you can guess it really wasn't a lot lighter than a 12. For a premium price you could get a 20 lightweight which had a receiver scaled down to 20 gauge size so there was a substantial weight reduction, also most of the 20 lightweights I have encountered have had a mohagany stock further reducing the weight. As the receivers of these 2 guns are different they do take different barrels.

I voted zero, when I was 15, there was no PST, no GST, no fishing licence, small game licence was $1 plus 15 cents issuing fee, no duck stamp, no PAL, no FAC and I could walk into the local hardware store at 15, pick up a box of 12 gauge shells for $1.99, heck if I was short there were partial boxes with an X in marker on the top and he would sell them for 10 cents apiece and to top it off, The Department of Lands and Forest had more CO's in the field. Ain't progress grand ???

Very nice, I have both a 12 and 20 870, Dad has been using the same one since 1952 in 12 gauge. They are basically unchanged since than, he got a new slug barrel in the 90's, it fit , I am pretty sure that is still the case. One thing to check with yours is to make sure the magazine is still plugged for only 2 shells, hate to see you get inadvertently caught on that.

I'd use a needle and thread your tippet material through the knot then tie on your hook much like you would fish a corkie. We used to run little pompoms from a craft using the needle approach. FWIW I simply tie an egg loop style knot, this one http://www.steelheader.net/knots/whip_finish.htm Place about an inch of yarn under the line between the knot and the eye of the hook, slide the knot up to the eye and draw tight till the yarn flares and trim to shape. You can get creative with colours, a bit of hot pink added to chartreuse was killer on the Niagara. Also with a bit of dexterity you can change colours without retying the knot.

Nice photos and nice fish, encountered Pinks a few times down at Port Ryerse on Young's Creek. If I remember correctly the Pinks are the result of a single accidental stocking back in the late 50's . For the longest time you would only get a run in odd numbered years, but as time has progressed a smaller run has developed in even years as well. Probably the result of their equivalent of Jack Chinnies, fish that spawn a year earlier than norm, it is thought that this is nature's way of diversifying the gene pool. This is an odd year so your observations would make sense.

I used to fish it a lot, not a place for a 13 foot plus float rod, try something in the 7-9 foot class. Brush and undercut banks. Good technique is small skunk flatfish, work it downstream on a tightline into the brush and under the banks. This technique used to be called hotshotting, but I see little mention of it anymore with steelheaders. Caution: hold on tight and use heavier tackle and be prepared to outmuscle a fish quickly there. Best access is at the town of Vittoria, there used to be a park area just south of town at the old mill dam, fish there down to Regional 24, it was all parkland as far as I know.

Very nice fish. When I was younger, back in 74/75, I worked seasonally at Long Point Prov. Park and the Waterfowl Management Unit , lived in Port Rowan and got into some there and a few creeks very near to that spot. Now that I've just retired maybe a trip back there should go on my to do list. Getting a nice brown like that always was a thrill after the more usual fare of put and take Bows and the occasional Speck.

Third one looks a little different, orange hue to the fins and a little elongated profile. Never have seen one being up here in the Great White, but could it be a Warmouth???

Friend of mine was a CO, often if he suspected some one of poaching he would wait till garbage day and check for evidence there, not that they have to with their search powers, but it helped with the timing of a search of the home, he would know when to go in.

This should answer your question http://www.ofncommunity.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=36378

I think Killex and Roundup are on the prohibited weapons list in Ontario

Thanks for the heads up on that, I've been aware of its reputation for a long time. Living by the Niagara Escarpment here in Grimsby we have two other invasives that are making life difficult for our native wildflowers. They have been occurring with increasing frequency the last few years and I would urge anyone who has them on their property to eradicate them. Japanese Knotweed http://ontariowildflowers.com/mondaygarden...icle.php?id=110 Garlic Mustard http://ontariowildflowers.com/mondaygarden/article.php?id=54 On a upbeat note, Purple Loosestrife, while still present, I don't see the massive fields of purple that were common a decade ago. I believe they imported a weevil from Europe that feeds on it, seems to be keeping it in check.

A rod holder and going downwind if possible makes life easier, downwind is almost necessary when alone and setting riggers or planer boards.

I strip a loose fish into a nylon stocking, actually pull the nylon up over the vent and milk the fish. This works well, no eggs are lost and you can knot it and water harden them in the stream and drain them all in the stocking. At home I will mix up a solution of boracic acid powder and water. Boracic acid can be found at the drug store, it is commonly used as a eye wash. It is also used as an antiseptic and to treat yeast and fungal infection, so your eggs are free of anything nasty that might grow and ruin them. Run the eggs in the boracic powder solution for a few minutes and drain them in a collander till they are dry. Next I put them into quart sealers , the kind with the snap lid, guess you could swish some of the solution around in them too to kill any nasties. Fill the jars to about an inch of the top, then lay a piece of aluminum foil over the eggs, take a small piece of paper and light it , drop it on top of the foil and quickly put the lid on and ring. If done correctly the flame will burn off the air generate some heat and when it cools the lid will snap, sealing it. That's it, use your eggs and do the lit paper and snap lid thing every time you use some. I found that they will stay good in just the fridge this way all winter and till the end of spring fishing. We got one of those expensive vacuum bag sealers lately, the ones with the real heavyweight bags. It has too levels of suction. One flattens a beer can so that it resembles a road kill, the other is for softer foods . Going to try it for a few bags this year and see how it does on the lesser setting. EDIT: I would still do the boracic wash to sterilize them and only refrigerate the bags. Nothing will grow on them if there is nothing to grow. Don't ask about the nylons in the back of my vest

I started in the early 80's with a Grice and Young, it was a lightweight but serviceable bearing reel. They went out of business but I see that a company called " Eagle " has bought the tooling and is building several models again. Centerpin Angling has them for $99 new if you want to go that way.

Historically, were any of the Brook Trout strains in Lake Ontario and its tribs anadromous ? I wonder too if he actually went to the lake, it has been my experience with southern Ontario brookies that the larger fish will migrate somewhat, hitting smaller triblets or nursery type water to spawn but often spending the rest of the year in water that would perhaps be considered marginal for the species further downstream.

You really want a challenge at Long Point, try hunting the Waterfowl Management Unit, imagine trying to find your camoflaged duck blind in the middle of a marsh in the predaylight hours. I haven't hunting there since the age of GPS, but I would hope that someone had the brilliant idea to provide coordinates for all the blinds now.

Nice fishes, you could send a bit of that rain up here, 21 days without here in Niagara and the steelhead are waiting for that first cool rain, expect a big initial run when it happens. As for the sonar question, I couldn't find what I wanted online but I think the output signal (what the fish hear)on most sonars is constant, the sensitivity adjustment is precisely that, you are adjusting the sensitivity of the unit to the received signal/echo . Hope you understand what I mean, turning down the sensitivity in that case would have no effect on spooking the fish. Maybe there is a sonar guru with tech knowledge could clarify if this is the case?

I always understood that if you put water in a well it just seeps away if the water table is low, go with a cistern for a backup.

If it had rained any significant amount this week I would have said steelhead, I'd say you better go bass fishing.

Maybe try a different issuer for your licence, you might find one that knows what to do. I would suspect you would get temp piece of paper and the real card would be mailed.

While I've never had the opportunity to sample them or if they really exist, I really liked the names and labels, using the " Steelhead Pale Ale " as an avatar and this one was given serious consideration. Would love to see friend's reactions if you opened a case of these after a day on the river.

I find I have to fight the reflex of setting the hook at the sound of the strike in the dark when using surface lures, pulling it out of their open yap or away from them B4 they actually have it, could this be a possibility?

"Carling Ice" for over ten years now, prefer it to a lot of the premiums and the price is better. Still over priced but better.

Great pictures, gourgeous fish