solopaddler

Great report and kudos to Chris for the nice streamers!

That's interesting about LSPP. There's a 50/50 chance I'll be in the park next week with my son, was wondering about conditions.

Thanks for the kind words everyone! Miro we left on Sat night before the weather turned really bad on Sunday. We had great weather except for Friday. It started raining heavy around noon and didn't stop 'till late that night. Sorry to hear about your luck, it's been just a crazy spring for sure.

Hey you finally chimed in!

Looks like a great trip!

Nice fish! Interesting where you caught them as well.

I can just picture it, great stuff!

Not cyborg, BORG. You will be assimilated into the collective the next time you dawdle.

There's more to the story actually. I threw my back out badly on the very first portage carrying my pack and the canoe (getting old sucks btw). But I still left Julian in my dust. Sometimes you just have to suck it up. That's where the weak link comment came from in the video LOL! (He's going to kill me now I know it )

That was a low blow Ron.

I was hopping out of the canoe into almost knee deep water with absolutely no leaks. Will they stand the test of time? Who knows? But I would gladly buy a new pair every 3-4 years if necessary.

It's elementary, we all go to the same campsite. It's an OFC secret society that only the cool kids are a part of LOL!

I don't normally do this type of thing, but these things are so incredible that I want to share. These things slip on over top of your hiking boots (or even running shoes or sandals for that matter). They're super lightweight and 100% waterproof. The only thing I wasn't sure about was how would the soles grip on the trail? That question was put to rest in Algonquin recently as I wore them on the portage trails and they performed superbly. Surprisingly grippy and super comfortable. Best of all they allowed me to keep my feet dry in the very wet and muddy conditions. Beyond canoeing and trail use these overshoes will be fantastic in the boat in rainy weather. Especially in the summer when it's hot and you don't want to wear a pair of heavy rubber boots. Just slip them on right over your running shoes and Bob's your uncle. All in all I came away hugely impressed, check them out: http://www.overshoesonline.com/trs7/NEOS-Trekker-Overshoe.htm

I don't think so Chris, not the one you're thinking of anyway.

For me the true harbinger of spring is ice out in Algonquin Park. Winter weary muscles strain under the heft of a pack as you pick your way along a wet portage trail. The rich smell of earth and fallen leaves waft in your nostrils as you plod along. There is little new growth, yet the forest seems alive and reborn. Being a part of it all is panacea for the soul. This is where I belong, it is my Church. Recently I was able to share this experience with a good friend and fellow board member. We set up a comfortable base camp and did day trips into several small, isolated lakes, none of which had groomed trails leading into them. It was bushwhacking at its finest. Fish are always a bonus on these trips and we did catch a few. None were large, but that didn't matter. Here are some images: End Of The Trail Fresh Bear Scat Struggling A Comfortable Camp Camp Cuisine Ascending A Steep Hill In Search Of Trout The Wolves Were Busy Our Pulses Quicken When We Spy The Lake Success! Picture Perfect Slippery! Hope you enjoyed, Cheers, Mike

Been looking at the Coastwatch satellite images of your area and the amount of ice still there is amazing for this time of year. Hope it's gone for you by next weekend. My trip out of Nakina on the 25th is still very iffy too

Thanks for the update Brad, very glad to hear.

Wow, nice bunch of slabs!

Awesome fish Ron!

Well done Matt, thanks for posting.

Oh good Christ Brad you've got to be kidding me! I'll be thinking positive thoughts for you, and you better get well. I'm counting on you to guide me into that little brookie lake I never made it into last spring.

No worries Paul I don't think any have been spoken for, beyond the one I'm fishing. I'm in Hamilton if you want to check out mine, Edwin is in Mississauga. Cheers Edwin warned me he might not answer pm's or emails right away. Him and his wife just had a new baby boy so they're preoccupied. All in due time my friend.

Anybody who's interested in a reel can likely pm spinnerdoc for details. Also Jeff, you're welcome to check out the reel I have in my possession. That goes for anyone else who lives in the Hamilton area too. Cheers

Glad to see your camp made it through the winter unscathed TJ. Great inaugural trip! Cheers

It's totally fine, same spacing that's on my DeMarco. Only issue is with the handles themselves and Edwin will fix that.