NAW

To avoid any kind of trouble you'd need to call MNR and animal control folks to do it for you.

MNR take to long to get back to you! I'd be dead by then. The wife has a nasty bite.

"suspected the fish was suffering from a hormonal imbalance"

Does that mean I can harpoon my wife if she starts biting me??

There's a free launch site at the end of 89 (gilford) that will put out on to cooks. Just head north east to around Snake/Fox Islands. Should get something around the islands. You can also go north from the islands, and head toward long shoal. It's a good spot in the winter.

The boat launch at 89 is brutal for larger boats thought. No docks, torn up sand bottom. Lots a guys get stuck there.

There are a ton of Marinas along the west side of the lake, and most have launches you can use. Inisfill Beach Park is on that side as well.

As far as boat launches, it all depends on what direction your coming from.

Anyone have any issues with people cutting locks, and not returning the boat?

I just received a free 12' tinner. And I was going to find a backwoods lake to store it at. I planned on locking it to a tree.

I would hate to have the thing stolen though. I guess it depends on what lake I take it too. Somwhere between here and Sudbury.

I've been fishing there for about 20 years. Gotta cottage there.

There's a good mix of fish. Rarly get skunked.

I hate using my depth finder on the lake, cuz I mark so many deep water fish, and can never seem to catch them!

These posts make me laugh.

You guys are great!

A friend of mine is thinking about buying property in Armstrong.

Can anybody comment on the fishing in that area? I'm sure it's great. Lots of fly'in lakes from what I here. Nipigon, and Wabakimi Prov. Park seem like perfect fishing spots to me.

I also hunt. Does anyone know if there's a season for woodland Caribou in the Armstrong area? I would imagine the moose/partridge hunting is top dollar aswell.

Anyone been there?? Comments??

Thanks,

Excellent report. Great Pics.

Pesky Pike eh! Eatin you bass like that.

I called my insurance company (home/auto all in one) a few days after I bought my 14' 15Hp boat just to let them know that I have the boat, and if it gets stollen, i'm going to put a claim in.

My rates didn't go up. They thanked me for letting them know.

Gave me some peace of mind.

OFAH seems like a good idea if your worried about insurance on the water.

Same goes for me. If you’re in Simcoe county and want to cast a line, PM me. Always enough room in my boat for an experienced fisherman.

I'll pick your brain though !!

Anyone have any luck using the Strike King in Sexy Shad???

I've heard Izumi swear by them more then once. Was thinkin about pickin one up. Yes/No???

I havn't seen them in your top 5 yet.

A net seem like common since to me. However, the net that I currently own is about 30 years old, and I believe it would do more damage, then good. (please correct me if I’m wrong). It’s a very old, none coated net. Will this old net injure a fish if I use It??? I’ve posted a pic below, so you know what I’m talking about.

It's not in my budget to purchase a new coated net this year. I think I’ll try my best to avoid the Musky’s, until I can afford a good net, and some other important tools.

The last thing I want to do it injure one of these magnificent creatures. (Which I've already done, and don't feel too good about).

You also have to consider what you are going to be using the boat for.

A 25Hp 4 stroke, as previously mentioned, is a heavy motor. If you’re going to be taking the motor on and off the boat a lot, then you'd better have a strong back!!

I park my boat in front of my house all the time, and for that reason, I remove my motor almost every time I use it (15 Hp merc 2 stroke). It's light, and easy to move around. Not the case with a 4 stroke of similar or greater Hp.

However, the 4 strokes are far better for the environment. It's a bit of a toss up.

If I had the cash, I’d get a 4-stroke, 25 Hp for that specific boat. But I’d also get a real nice locking device so I could sleep at night, and not worry about my motor getting swiped.

My 15 Hp merc has a weak spot in the carb, where if you hold it on that one spot on the trottle during acceleration, it will stall out.

Will it cure that? My mechanic didn't... (i think I need a new mechanic)

Gotta love Lady Simcoe.

Ton a Jumbos.

That’s a nice one.

Last winter I had (x2) 12”ers on the line at the same time. Almost felt like a small whitie. (very small whitie)

Poor little guy.

That'l be a wallet wacker!

That’s terrible news Wayne.

I’m going to stop by my sisters on the way home from work and tell her I love her.

My condolences to you and yours.

Well,

Here's the pic of him swimming away.

It's not very good quality picture. The pic made the fish coloring look blotchy or spotted. However, I examined this fish very good while it was boat side, and it was smooth colored, with some very faint patterning down his sides. Had a real funky smell to it which stayed on my hands all day. The tail looked much different than a pike as well. Not to mention the fight was WICKED.

I'll be better prepared next time, and be sure to get one in the boat, for a good picture and safe release.

I'm geared up to go after some more of these monsters now!

Thanks to everyone for the advice!

I fished the Wab. chanel last weekend. I sayed between the bouys, and there was 8' - 12' steady to the bridge.

I didn't go to the east of the highway though.

Some guys where catching pickeral in the morning. I didn't catch any though.

I went duck hunting in the bay last year. I never saw my prop bounce out of the water so many time before. Some very very shallow spots in there. Lots of logs, and debrise in the water.

Thanks for the tips guys.

I used to bring a net with me all the time, but Murphy’s law, when you don't have the net, you get the big one.

Someone asked what lure I was using - it was a 3" multi-colored rattling crank bait (the loudest rattle i've ever heard, you could hear it rattling at least 20' from the boat).

One of the firsts posts that I read when I joined OFC was "You can call me capt'n Hook". If you remember, if was a little gory. I had that on my mind when I tried to slide my hand under his gill plate. Hence why I let go when he started thrashing real hard!

I was able to snap a picture if the Musky swimming away. I will upload it tonight if anyone cares to see it.

I do carry a good set of needle nose pliers, and clamps. But no cutters. As I was in the boat alone, I didn't have a chance to grab them. I will take your advice and go buy some good cutters.

Anyone know the best brand of cutters for cutting hooks???

So I hit Sparrow this morning to see if I could catch some pickerel.

No pickerel, but I did latch onto a ~40" ski.

I have some questions for you Musky pro's..

Here's the deal:

I was fishing for pickerel, so i didn't have a steel leader. I was using 10' braid, with a 4' fluoro leader (6.8lb test).

The fish rolled a lot during the fight, so by the time he was boat side, the line was wrapped around his snout and mouth several times, and the flouro leader was about to snap.

I didn't have a net, so I tried to get the lure out beside the boat. During my attempts to get the line untangled from the fish, the line snapped. I didn't want to lift him in the boat, because he was still full of energy, and I didn't want him trashing in the boat causing injury to him.

The musky ended up thrashing out of my hands, and getting free before I could get the lure out of his mouth.

What would you do if you had an energized 40" musky on, no leader, and no net? (and no musky catching skills, as this is my first Musky).

I only need about 4" of water to launch my boat, so the ramp worked great for me.

I can see what you guys meen though. If you have a big boat, that is definitly not a good launch.

I live about 1 1/2 Km to a public launch on Simcoe.

Head out after work atleast twice a month.

Perch bite is good in the evening.

That's good stuff.

I've had helicopter come pretty close to me on the water (not while I was fishing , the pilot was taking a second pass/look at my naked girlfriend, more like a long hover).

Had a plane land on the ice about 100' away from me while ice fishing too.

The fish thievin dogs have life jackets

How well do those dog life vests work?? Do they keep the dogs head above water?

My dog is only 11lbs. Do they come that small?

My dog knows no limits. Sometimes she'l jump in the water and swim away from shore, and not look back untill she's 100' out. Then she panics, and tries to rush back in. Only to turn around and do the exact same thing again.