Raf

looks like 20lb braid on that reel.. which offers very little in terms of abrasian resistance. if the line came in without a leader i'm guessing the line broke when the fish had its way with you by rubbing on rocks, logs, whatever or, your leader was short and the fish chewed through your line. now you know why people use 65lb + line, 135lb+ fluro or wire leaders along with heavy rods.

beckman and frabill make quality nets that are easy on the fish. they will likely be the last net you buy. find one that fits your budget and the size of fish you plan on catching.

we catch big pike (40" class) in the fall by trolling large, deep diving muskie lures (hookers, plows, perchbaits, etc.). sometimes using wire-line, sometimes just braid. typically we keep the baits in the 18-25' range, banging structure (usually rock) often and hard. points, shoals, whatever, as long as there's deep water nearby.

boga grips are for americans and pregnant women. only time i see them being useful is if you are trying to release a fish out of a boat with really high sides. leech lake lip lock works great. support bigger fish with both hands.

there's a certain river, starts with a G ends with a rand.. it's a long river. Pick an area and explore it, there are smallies to be had along most of it! Not just the well known areas. Don't be afraid to get wet and walk it either.

they're just another tool - no doubt their catch rate is high because people are using them & internet lore has spawned 'confidence'. the two giant blades generate a lot of lift which makes them a great very shallow/bulging bait. they move a lot of water, their large profile and 'thump' make them a great lure in the dark too. i use all kinds of different inlines, from giant willowleaf bladed singles to indianas to double 13 colorados depending on the situation. is it a 'fad' bait? sure. is it meant to catch fishermen? aren't they all? is it the same bait as a single bladed? no.

stick to your singles then!

i got some pharma equities so... start poking people! myself, i dont remember the last time i've had the flu or a flu shot.

lebaron is tough to beat in terms of prices for common items. you should be able to find what you're looking for without the hassle of duties/exchange (although we're almost at par again). unfortunately, their online catalog sucks. http://lebaron.ca

have gotten away from drinkin' beer lately but whatever's in your cooler will do. beer has been replaced with tom collins, black russians, manhattans, or <insert booze here> sours.

there are many free launches, most are gov't run, on larger bodies of water. what is being talked about here are private launches.

don't forget about the effect of wind either. a strong wind can giveth and taketh away water levels pretty dramatically.

1. sell the scotty 2. buy a downeaster 3. profit

Okuma has their EVx series of muskie rods which in my opinion are a great entry level rod. They come in all sorts of lengths up to 9'3" (telescopic) with a price tag around $100 and a lifetime warranty. You will not find a better bang for the buck. I use their 8'6" XH telescopic. One thing I've noticed is that their ratings are a little generous. ie. a Heavy Okuma Rod = a medium heavy St. Croix. A good all-round rod is in the 7'6" range. If Okuma is not to your liking St. Croix has their "triumph" line which are decent rods as well at a much smaller price point than their Premiere and Legend series. If you want to read a little more about muskie rods in general click here.

harper's done an admirable job all things considered. i am sick of my left leaning peers here in southern ontario. you can spin it anyway you want but the fact is, his party won the election - deal with it for the whole term. the whole bloc, ndp, liberal 'power grab' last year was an insult to canadian voters. let's just piss away another $300 mill.

running the car, getting that exh. manny/o2 sensor housing hot will eliminate the need for a torch just be careful, dont burn yourself.

i dont know your particular model but O2 sensors are easy to replace, get the right socket.

sweet.. me too!!

so... anyone been fishn lately?

you assumed correctly. with the exception of the great lakes (with the exception of georgian bay)

how do you intend to get up there? there's an outfitter on hwy 69 just south of the french r. bridge that may shuttle you and your canoe but you'd have to rent from them. i don't remember their name off the top of my head but they're at the cutoff to grundy lake PP.

those aren't the same terms i agreed to when i signed up way back when as user #56.

a fine example of ontario's best fishing resource.

there have been instances where large fish (muskie) have broken their backs while jumping during a fight vs angler. it can happen & many anglers have started keeping their rod tip low to try to prevent the fish from jumping. lots of things can happen; it is fishn and there will inevitably be some injuries/fatalities but i think the more we can do to educate ourselves and minimize any damage the better. including supporting large fish horizontally.

best fishn is yet to come!