irishfield

Thanks Rob!

Black flies were the worst Mike. Digging in the dirt for post holes etc and cleaning up years of mess under the deck sure stirred them up. Ratchet strap on the gcan... you'll see why in July's thread when I get it up tomorrow.

Yes there was Connie.... we're just not allowed to talk about it yet!

Early in June we had Leslie Cameron (Lakair Lodge co-owner) out to the island for a visit. She'd stopped in Temagami on her way back from Timmins and wanted to clear up our accom issues and convinced us to attend the OFC gathering later in the month. It was a fluke meeting... Leslie stopped for Breakfast at the gas station and called us on the phone, but we weren't home. We had gone to town for some trim and as we went to get back in our boat Leslie called out my name. She spent a few hours with us and left just before the hail storm hit. Leah couldn't wait to get that patchwork deck torn up and went to town with the crow bar. She shouldn't be doing any of this stuff, but hey I can't stop her short of ratchet strapping her to a chair. (now there's a thought for next year) Me... I'm just considering a good psychiatrist! Thanks god we were able to borrow a neighbours "barge" for $50... or it would have been many loads in the boat. Approx 200 boards that took us 8 hours to carry up the hill from the dock. Framing coming along and my workaholic finding out why the old owners had a flower garden in the deck! BEDROCK. Took me a day and a half with the sledge and a 5 lb sledge and a chisel to get this puppy low enough so the deck boards would go over it. Good part of the decking down. 3 screws per joint that totalled 3900 dang screws when all done. By now our flooring had finally came in... so took a break from the deck on a rainy day and got it all down. The look of ceramic in laminate. Took me about 2.5 hours to do the whole kitchen. We then went and visited our piece of property up the lake and cleaned up after those "enviromental" canoers....before heading off to Lakair. Leah in West Bay Lake Nippissing Some of the OFC gang at Lakair Lodge. Most that attended the OFC get together. Leah with the biggest catch of the week. Spiel with his monster and next Muskiestudds big entry for the tourney. (was longer than what I caught = 0) The prize table for the tourney. Can't beat free stuff!! TJ giving Pointed a lap dance and sharing his ice cream cone! PRICELESS! A pike for Leah and I each in the pouring rain. Hitchhiker dropped by the boat. Joey and Tybo over for an evening of laughs and beverage. Back to the lake and finished the back walkway. Deck and steps all done. Just waiting for our aluminum railing to come in that we ordered in North Bay on our way back from Lakair. Also while ordering it... we found Lakairs cook from last year running a store next door to the railing place. Weird to say the least... considering we also met an OFC'r in Home Depot minutes earlier. Duckdog was working the railing section of HD and he's the fella I'd sent rivets to to fix his boat in Owen Sound last winter. Weird for sure. July/Aug/Sept to go....

Yes Craig.. couldn't remember the name of the village. We turned West right in the village and drove to the lake and then North into a dead end where new lots were just sold. When I get June/July/Aug/Sept put together you'll see we didn't stop there.... This summer was mainly work and staring out the window! Weather/bugs/etc/sucked this year.

Great stuff fellas !

Why we dropped it before I started on the kitchen ! LOL

Not that many probably care, but Leah and I headed off for our 4th summer on the lake on May the 12th. After putting it off for three summers it was time to get that big tree down off our deck that not only leaned back over the cottage but the power line as well. Up the tree I went with the end of 300 feet of rope and tied it off to the tree and the other end to the steel boat/25 HP Honda. Leah in the boat with orders to never let the rope go loose and me on the saw and we got lucky.... it fell right where I wanted it so we could get it out of the way in preparation to rebuild our deck. Leah with the look... "Okay... the tree's down... now quit screwing around and build me a new deck so I can quit falling thru this one!" Opening day I started the day on the dock casting. 2nd cast I landed a respectable 33" pike and released for another day. We then decided to go out flat lining for lakers later that afternoon as a squall line traversed the lake. Spent about 2 hours without as much as a sniff. We were out again 2 days later with the same results. That weekend we went up the lake a bit to survey the piece of land we bought. With TJ's thread currently up with what you would invest in...this is what I invested in last fall by cashing out some of my investments (before the fall of the market) and put it into 26 acres of waterfront with approx 4000 feet of shoreline. Here we are walking the flagged line that goes from water to water marking the property line that shows where our peninsula starts. Leah's in the heavy growth there somewhere. One of a few old growth trees in the rear section of the property dwarfing Leah. And finally Leah making it to the other sides marker after about 950 feet thru the forest. This year we decided to get all our work done early before visitors arrived thru the summer. Not sure what the rush was considering most that had reserved a spot cancelled due to weather or the cost of fuel (of all things).... but we got to work getting the kitchen redone. Next year I'm taking deposits from folks saying they're gonna visit. The old panelling with patch work from where I filled in door ways 2 years ago. Leah scouting for panelling nails while I get the sheets ready for the wall. Can you guess where our bedroom is located behind the wall? LOL I've found that drywall doesn't like the heated and then -40C winter fluctuations so redid the kitchen with 1/4"G1S plywood. Makes a real nice smooth wall after puttying the cracks and a good primer coat. Joint effort on the ceiling with Leah doing the cracks and me doing the (easy part) rolling! Who says second had smoke is harmless... look at the colour difference. Ceiling done, walls painted and still needing trim. Note that I don't pick the colours.... I just apply them! Then Leah decided she'd like a double sink! P trap leaked on the old one anyhow and needed replumbing... so why not. Some days I wish I was dumb and had no ambition though! Going into the 4th year of turning this sagging/rotted place into a liveable environment. Late in the month Jim Krech from Dad's Outdoors asked me if I could give him a hand with some docks and a boat lift over in Quebec... so off we went to do that for a couple of days. We're looking straight across at Hailiebarry (sp) from the Quebec side of Temiskiming. Also... if anyone is considering a boat lift... DO NOT get the canopy. 3 days after we put this one in the water it was picked up by the wind and carried 1500 feet down the shoreline! Definitely not how to park your wife's new boat. He thought he was in a different spot on the lake, in the dark, and turned left. Unfortunately he wasn't in his bay towards his cottage! Leah trying to give me a hint I think! Leah caught her peeping "tom" on camera. (working on the window trim before repaint) TV watching vista trimmed. Not as much a chore to do the dishes when you can watch TV at the same time.... or at least so she tells me! LOL Now to tackle June.. then July.. then August.. and September.

All I see are red x's !

You had the Quantum PT up there in your original post... and I'll tell you I've enjoyed my 501PT for the last 5 years or so. Flawless/smooth/easy to cast.

LOL Shawn.. there's no "club".. but if there was I already belonged! This one just tops it is all. Last years was just 50 inches without a tail pinch and it's great to catch these monsters casting!

Brian ! Wished I'd got her up for a standing fish forward shot with my hand under her belly!

Figures eh... out salmon fishing and catch a muskie ! LOL Some great fish there fella !

Well Dano and I took off for Montreal on Sunday morning, for what I guess we can now call our annual fall trip. Booked the same 4 day period as last year in hopes we'd see another 30+ fish come to the boat like we had last year with Marc Thorpe putting us on some great casting grounds. Arrived in Montreal about 4 PM.. hit a CTC @ Hwy 540/40 for our fishing licences and then off to Marc's in Terrebonne to move into his upstairs two bedroom apartment for the next 4 nights. Got settled in, cooked up some great rib steaks on the BBQ...that Marc had for us in the fridge... and then Marc arrived to see us after his day on the water. First words out of his mouth... "it's gonna be tough lads... The Larry is 5/6 feet higher than last year.. no weed beds in our charmer spot from last year....fishing has been slow all season for everyone....Sandy/Adam just left yesterday and we only got a couple in that 4 days...don't expect numbers but hopefully we can find a monster". Discouraging... but it sure didn't take the wind out of our sails.... we came to fish hard for 4 days and to also sneak in some socializing as well. Headed out 8am Monday and it wasn't long before Dano had a fish on casting a weed line. Got it close to the boat and it was a respectable pike... but hey... we're not here for them slimmers. A quick flip with the pliers and it's gone. Not gonna jynx us and get the camera out for that one. Shortly after that I had a follow right to the boat of a HUGE muskie that was swimming right beside the bait I was throwing. Lateral line is what it's all about... unfortunately she saw the boat and turned. Maybe we'd see her again later. A few throws after that Dan has one on and Marc is quick to have her netted and the hooks out, ALL DONE IN THE WATER with the net always used as a holding pen...never to lift the fish. Dan got ahold of it for a quick picture and quickly released. Just a wee fella... but hey it's a start/skunk killer.....and 5 years from now it will be a contender!! Hours and hours of casting 'till our arms felt like rubber....and good 'ol Marc not to disappoint gives us heavier baits as the day goes on. Thanks Marc! lol In total on Monday we had knowledge of 7 Muskie. 1 in the boat... 1 hook pop out... 2 follows to the boat and 3 rips when we trolled the last hour of the day. Somewhere amongst the fun Dan was washing his hands off the back of the boat and had a monster come up and take his hand off. ..but it was kind enough to spit it back out so we figured why waste it and had it for supper. Tasted great! Next day/Tuesday it was colder and rougher out there and we worked hard for over 6 hours without a sniff. Then we got back in the area I had the big gal follow the day before and we weren't disappointed. She hooked up this time for a great fight and Marc had her in the net none too soon as the hook popped just as she went over the net frame. Marc got the hook untangled from the net.. Dan and Marc got the cameras all ready. Marc then said... okay lift her out of there for a quick shot. Well I'll tell ya I gotta start lifting weights if I'm gonna keep chasing these things... cause it was a heavy lift from the water line I'll tell ya. And what a log. It looked like and was as firm as a chunk of rough sawn timber. She measured 53.5" long (without a tail pinch) in the cradle, by 24/25" girth. Marc estimates 41 to 43 lbs. She got her revenge as well and crapped all over me. I love her underbite jaw! Two hours later and just before quitting time.. Dan is into another fish. Gave him a good fight and into the net. Respectable fella for a hard day on the water. Wednesday the cold front arrived and we fished and we fished and we fished... for about 11 hours. Tired and bummed out we headed back to Marc's for a quick clean up and off to Roy's for supper. We told him to make hamburgers and he'd hear nothing of it. Some great pork concoctions and even better hospitality from his wife J and himself. Thanks again Roy and "J" for making us feel at home!! Yes they get along... just like brothers! lol Marc marking some secret spots on Roy's charts. Go out there Roy and hit them fella! Thursday it was COLD and miserable. 4 degrees..wind 30K gusting 50K. Casting out of the question so we put in 8 hours of trolling. Lots of bait changes, depth changes, location changes and not a single sniff/rip/nada ! We called it a day at about 4.. got back to Marc's threw our stuff in the truck and were on the way home at 6Pm arriving at Dan's about 1 AM. Another trip in the history books for the two of us and already have more in the planning stage for this fall..next spring and summer. All thanks to meeting folks on OFC !!

If I wanna see a fight... I'll just get two Muskie charter operators/guides at the same boat launch !

IT sure does Darsky.. could be the angle or it could be a 58.. not a 48. Nobody will believe my 53.5" x 24/25 from Tuesday is really that long if this one is only 48 inches! Beauty fish for sure!!!!

You get my Pm?

Steller Mike.. steller ! ...oh and I'm still waiting for a May phone call as well bud! lol

Christ Shawn... take a fall off from fishing/working for cryin out loud.......... or you'll be back in for the hat trick operation ya silly bugger.

She did.. she did.. she did see a bullwinkle !

Nope...we accosted them for the last 5 days.. nothing left to bite your hook !

Good luck Darren ! Leah saw a baby moose in our front yard yesterday!!!

TJ... from first and only time up. Was an empty can from your campfire pit! LOL We'll get up again next season for sure. Nice spot to shoot a landing over the downstream rapids! ...and yes Terry... looks like a creek.. sand bar and weed bed.