chrispyke

Nice report ! Absolutely love Cranes, Sue, Ed, Larry, and all the staff...very friendly. The atmosphere can make up for a so, so fishing trip. Glad Tyler was able to find the Walleye for you, he struggled early in the year as this is his first year as a guide. Sounds like wonderful time with the boys.

When I talked to Harald about the buffet and told him that we really enjoyed it. He went into a long response that there was only enough people for one sitting and he couldn't afford to pay a chef full time and his exact words were 'I'm not running a charity'. We ended up reserving for the fish fry at 5pm, we were not served until 6:30 pm....every other guest was served before us. I won't be going back...sorry. Bryer and Lochaven only for me now.

Harald's Friday night buffet is no more. He only serves to the public on Fri, Sat, Sun by reservation only with 3 choices of entree on the menu. Imo that place is going downhill quickly !

We were up 2 weeks ago and raised 3 musky...none in Wolseley Bay. In the spring, when we were stay at lochaven, someone caught a 47 in the small channel to Resolute Rapids. They are all over. I've heard that Wolseley Bay is very good, just haven't seen one there yet, although haven't fished it much either...Always heading up river !

Was on the french river side of Restoule Rapids a couple days ago. Water temp around 72 - 73. A few Pike on spinners, some small smailles, but no walleye in the 30' holes. May not be you exact area of interest, but gives you some info.

That is awesome dude!! Not everyone would release a world class, potentially world record fish!! Great Job !

Were the 'little' guy and the PIG caught on the same day ? If so did you not have the scale....or worse did it run out of batteries ? Could you imagine thinking you've caught a WR and the scale blinks out....

I've seen some big whities off the trawlers in GB in 10 - 12 range this seems bigger, longer and FAT !

Nice Fish !!! How big?... gotta be 10 lbs +++

That's too bad, I just had a client transfer title by himselp into his name after the death of his spouse here in durham region. He had to provide proper documents, but service ontario walked him through it all fine. If you time go to the service ontario and ask for the help of a conveyancer. They are the ones who file paperwork on the lawyers behalf and should still save you some coin...maybe Bratford has different rules...shouldn't this is a straight forward transfer.

You can do it yourself ! Go to the nearest service ontario and they will walk you through everything. It costs about $200 for registering the documents. You will have to prepare a Deed/Transfer or a Document General. The Deed/Transfer would transfer from you and your spouse as an example to your spouse. Although you can be removed from title, being removed from the mortgage is more difficult. Good luck !

Just got back from Bryer Lodge last week. Bill and Louise are great hosts...very accomodating. Cabins have been updated and modernized and very clean! It is a family oriented camp and is quiet as well, no late partiers when we were there. Enjoy and good luck !

Thank you will try my luck and let you know !

I know thre is an absolute wealth of information on this board ! I'm heading to Florida tommorow and will have a chance to fish the keys for a few days in mid-April around Marathon?Ismoralda. Has anyone been ? I will be renting a 22' boat for a few days. Looking for tips, tackle, bait suggestions? Anything that would help me catch some fish! I've hear there is a reef 6 miles out on the Atlantic side that may be good, but have access to Florida Bay too. Thanks, Balsam Laker

I spoke to Andrew Graham a couple times yesterday. Huts are out. i'm heading up Sunday with the boy. If you go up Saturday...leave a couple of lakers !

Solutions: 1. Pay the natives the amount of money they would get for netting fish and have them stop netting. (How much could that be per year $10,000 $20,000 $50,000 $100,000) Money should come from resort owners and fishermann. 2. Have a CO on each section of the French enforcing slots, limits etc...(Most fisherman and not meat keepers would welcome seeing a CO on the French...I've yet to see one since 1990. Again the $50k - $70k salary would have to come from resort owners or special licence to fish the french. Would you not pay an extra $50 - $100/week dollars to fish the French knowing the nets were gone and the fishery was protected and enforced ? I would. I know it's dillusional and a pipe dream but I would like to see it happen !!

I've always heard the stories about netting. Most guides I've taken on the French have said there is netting by natives. It is sad and repulsive ! What voice do we have ? If the owners of these million dollar lodges and resorts all along the French can't petition politicians to stop netting, what chance do individual fisherman have ? The resort owners have a lot more to lose financially than any individual fisherman. Why isn't more done on that end ? The resort owners have told me the French is stocked every year. The skeptic in me doubts that very much. Last year I stayed on the Hwy 69 to crooked rapids section of the French. I asked ahead of time if we could fish for walleye. He told me walleye are very hard to find...almost like an extinct species !! I've done ok personally with a lot fewer walleye, as I love the scenary so much. How much longer will I go and not catch as many fish...still to be determined...

I'm in pm me for details, entrance fee etc.... Love hockey pools !! BL

I had my hut out on South Bay last year. We didn't fish that much but ended up catching about 30 perch and 20 OOS walleye and saw a huge musky ! There were Pike caught in West Bay closer to the opening of the Trent to Mitchell. There were a few caught in North Bay as well, by the Park and a few caught up closer to Coby. I'm not sure if I can mention another board on here or not,(I'm sure the mods will remove if need be) but try the kawarthaanglers dot com board and you will find some posts from people last winter and where the pike were caught. If you fish low light with live minnows EXPECT to get a fair amount of OOS walleye that have to be released dead or alive. Good luck ! BL

Nice Report Rich. When you go to the French River in September, you are usually rewarded with good fishing. Too bad the fishing and the weather wasn't better...not for a lack of effort. I was really looing forward to your report. Maybe a few spots and techniques into the mental bank to try next year. BL

I was lucky, I could trade my damaged one in for a rebuilt, it cost me $110....I thought it would be a lot more. BL

That's awesome !! Did you get out there at night again or scoot out after breakfast service ? Don't let Dan fish that spot out if you know what I mean... Also, be sure to send me any muskie pics of your upcoming fall trip. Hope to get up to SBL again, tell Brian to logon and read posts about SBL, there are a few posts. Tightlines BL

Yes, I think you will see some changes and watch for them at the upcoming sportsmen shows. Ryan, the chef, is an avid fisherman and has recently joined OFC. I'm sure some of the suggestions will be getting through to the owner. BL

Took the family to Sand Beach Lodge on the French River the last week of July. If you haven't been before the accomadations and food are excellent, some of the best on the whole river system IMO. The meals are first rate with 4 course sit down dinners, something you might see at a 4 to 5 star hotel. Chef Ryan, who is an excellent fisherman does a great job. They really do well to accomodate your needs. The fishing wasn't as good as it has been. Although we did well on the smallies with over 150+ up to 3 lbs caught and released. Thanks to OFC members we were able to get on a few walleye but they were harder to come by with only 10 from 12" -22", all in the slot released. The walleye were in 15 - 25 ft of water caught in the middle of the day in front of cross island ! We managed only 8 pike to 6lbs that were also in the slot in the weedbeds off the main channel, Deer Bay and Horseshoe Bay. All the smallies/walleys were caught on single hooks with live worms...we went through a whole flat almost in the 5 days we fished. A few days before we arrived, Ryan hooked into 5 walleye in the weedline directly in front of sandbeach with a 1/2 oz jig head and worm, so they are around. We also fished at night with not much to show for it. Daytime live bait presentations did not work well for us at night. We spent 2 consectutive nights fishing 9 - 2am with very little to show for it. I did catch a nice channel cat around 8lbs around midnight....do they ever fight hard ...hoped it was a trophy walleye...no such luck. Here is Ryan holding the Channel Cat I hooked into. In search of walleye we ventured all the way up and through the crooked rapids. We went the first time with the guide who got us through without incident. When I went myself not so lucky. I went in with some speed and had my motor trimmed right up, but we had myself, wife and son in the middle or back of the boat. So with the rapids pushing the bow up and weight in the stern the prop basically sat in the rocks churning . Once, I repositioned everyone, we through much easier, lesson learned !! Here is what the crooked rapids did to my prop. I didn't realize until I pulled my boat out. All in all it was a great time ! SBL is going to make some changes to accomodate fisherman. There 2 hour sit down meal for dinner, in prime fishing time, is too long and they know that. They may go to flex breakfast and dinner times to accomodate people who come mostly to fish. BL

Balsam, I've fished the lake for 20 years and it has always produced. If you launch at Rosedale, come out and turn left, there is a rock pile that is marked with a bottle. Fish all sides for panfish, smallies and walleye the evening. I usually fish 10 - 18 feet of water. Areas off long point and indian point are good as well. Good luck ! BL