solopaddler

Hand in hand with the other video I posted is this interview with Nathan Hulst on the Muskegon River. (Sorry about the wind noise ) Nate is a centerpin guide on the Mo, and is a truly great person to fish with, especially if you're looking to learn the sport.

There you go buddy! (I didn't know myself until I checked recently )

I've watched him play - he cannot play defense. He would make Jake Gardiner look like Scott Stevens LOL!

Thanks bud!!

I use heavy spinning gear a LOT! Have tried them all and I'd highly recommend either a Stradic 4000 FJ or a Stradic CI4 4000. If you check ebay there's some decent deals on the Stradic 5000FJ and the reality is it's the exact same size as the 4000 just a bigger spool. I think it gets overlooked a bit by the freshwater crowd. If you're looking for something solid and on the cheaper side, albeit a bit heavier, consider the Daiwa Whisker Tournament 1600. The thing is a tank and honestly has a better drag than any of the newer reels on the market. Lots and lots of great options for rods, but you're going to want something with a fast action, at least 7' and rated somewhere in the range of 10-20lb test. My issue with many of these rods is the short butt sections on them. An interesting option as long as 1 piece is okay is the St. Croix Avid series inshore saltwater rods. Really nice sticks with slightly larger handles.

Hey Rick I fully agree with previous comments suggesting round reels. As a lefty myself I've tried them all. My strong recommendation would be the Daiwa Luna 300L. Smooth, solid as a Swiss watch and a better reel at least imo than the Calcutta B series.

Wow. I thought the only way they'd get rid of Clarkson is by hiring a sniper. I am no longer an aetheist.

Not rude at all. The answer is a little bit of skill and a lot of luck. Bear in mind the law of averages played a role in the number of mishaps. For a great many years all I did - literally was travel the north paddling and fishing. When I write a book I'm going to call it "I almost died!"

Last year winter started early and with a vengeance. This year at least in my neck of the woods winter didn't get really bad until the end of January. I've been suffering for about a month now. Last year at this time I'd been suffering for three solid months.

It's been cold recently no denying that, but last winter was way worse as far as I'm concerned.

That was awesomely funny The sled story will be a good one for the campfire in June.

No Lew, but it works either way LOL!

Okay. I was in the midst of a really long 3 month solo canoe trip and was on the lower Winisk River maybe 10km's upstream from Peawanuck and the coast of Hudson's Bay.. In the middle of the night I was awoken by some loud noises and peeked outside my tent. There were 3 polar bears in my camp tossing my pots and pans around. They were between me and my canoe so I couldn't make a break for it. They also knew damn well I was in the tent - they kept glancing over at me. Bear in mind my panic level was rising, I had no firearm and there were no trees to climb. I put my shoes on then when they looked preoccupied I slipped out the back of my tent through the vestibule and started running upstream, FAST. I had passed a small cabin the day before and knew it was about 1/2km upstream from my campsite. I made it to the cabin in the dark with no light, expecting to be pulled down by one of the bears at any moment. Raced around the cabin in a panic and couldn't get in - it was boarded up like fort knox with thick heavy plywood over the windows and doors with nails sticking out to deter bears. I grabbed the eave and managed to dead lift myself up to the edge of the roof then pulled myself up onto it. Within 30 seconds all 3 bears trotted into the clearing. At any given time over the course of the next 21/2 days at least one, sometimes all 3 bears were siting there in the clearing staring at me. There is zero doubt they would have eaten me. I was starting to get weak and was desperate to make a move when a freighter with two natives came from upstream. At that point there was one bear in the clearing. They stopped, looked at the bear, looked at me, then burst out laughing. The guy in the stern pulled out a rifle and fired a couple of warning shots scaring off the bear. Then they helped me into the boat, gave me food and water and brought me back to my camp. Amazingly my tent and canoe were undamaged but all my pots and pans were crushed and littered with puncture holes. They helped me pack everything up, gave me a pot and small pan to use and I went on my way. Took me a good week to recover from that physically. Mentally I was pretty freaked out especially at night until I was far enough away from the coast. Finished that particular trip in Sioux Lookout 11/2 months later with some pretty amazing stories to tell...

Lots more to these stories but here's the highlights: 1.Capsized a 12' tinny at 1am fishing in front of the nuke plant on Lake Ontario. 2.Paddling solo north of Armstrong I dumped my canoe in heavy rapids on the Misehkow river - lost a lot of gear. 3.Travelling across Lake Muskoka in the middle of the night my snow machine went through the ice in over 100' of water. 4.In the midst of a 2 month solo canoe trip in Quetico I almost completely severed my thumb using a swede saw to cut firewood. 5.Was trapped on the roof of a cabin for 21/2 days on the lower Winisk River by 3 polar bears. 6.Fishing a small river for trout I jumped off a rock ledge onto a slab of concrete 6' below and my right foot landed smack dab on a chunk of rusty rebar embedded in the concrete that I didn't see. It went through the sole of my boot right through my foot and out the top of my boot. 7.Was swept over a dam in November while wading at the top into some heavy white water. Lost pretty much everything and was banged up pretty good. There are many more, but those are the ones that pop to mind.

Rob is correct.

Glad you liked the piece guys, I didn't even know it was out yet! Depends on precisely where Stateside you mean Chris. If it's Michigan which is where the Muskegon is located, it's the closest thing we have to a west coast steelheading experience here in the great lakes. It's a big, powerful, wildly beautiful river and is best fished from a jet boat or drift boat. We have nothing quite like it here in Ontario. Excellent, it's nice to know my master plan is working.

Hey guys last March I travelled to Michigan with Ontario Out Of Doors magazine to fish the Muskegon River with guides Kevin Feenstra and Nathan Hulst. The piece I wrote on the trip is coming out in the March issue of the mag. Until then here's a pretty cool video of some of the action. Cheers

Plan and book fly in trips for the upcoming season.

You know what would be really sweet? A giant ice hut sitting on top of the sled. March 31st is the deadline for completion.

Congrat's on the new baby! As far as the other stuff goes you'll get through it, it's only short term.

If all you need the battery for is light you might consider using a lantern. They also make battery powered fans as well you know, technology is an amazing thing.

This is pretty cool

No superstitions. There's lots of things I do on a regular basis but they fall into the category of preparation.

That is so ironic. I just got home from the gym and I saw bush too.

This little clip popped to mind