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Here are a few accessible pics of recent times in the Georgian and Calgary Bow River:

Went to visit the lady's family near Massassauga Provincial Park this past week. The boat's motor was having trouble and there was tons of family and kids meaning time spent on the water wasn't as ample as I would have preferred. The first morning we fished only 3 hrs on a 12ft tinny with nothing but a trolling motor and managed 3 pike in the 25-28" region. The first pike pulled a hit and run on the Koppers LIVETARGET smelt. I did a follow-up cast and boated him. The same fish hit again 4 casts later. I requested an early return to shore since the previous night's drink was working overtime on me. The next morning we rented a 16 footer and had 4 of us in it. All fishing bass baits and none to show for it. 3 pike around 26" were boated on spinnerbaits and a little perch too over a 5 hr period. All fish caught in 8-10ft of water near shore. I'll add some pics as soon as they get sent to me. No broken rods or lost lures on this trip, BONUS! 2 weekends from now will be my inaugural trip to Rice Lake and will rent a boat from one of the many recommended places from you gents. Can't wait. Happy fishin' Rigged

I was fishing around the Massassauga Provincal Park this past weekend (not too far south from you) and we couldn't find any bass. Pike in the 25-30" range were caught in common bass areas using bass lures. The Koppers smelt in silver/blue was the most productive (the same pike was caught twice on it within 5 min of the first catch), and white/purple or chartreuse spinnerbaits were 2nd. Some pike hit silver top water Pop-R's as well. Trolling would be your best bet for bigger fish, craw patterns should be effective in and around rocks as well on windy days. Boat slow and keep a spotter up front for inch deep rocks.

Great pics and good times. Keep 'em coming!

excellent, thanks fishandchips.

So I'm off to visit the mom&pops next weekend in Bob Izumi's home town Blenheim. It's right by Rondeau Provincial Park and thought I'd check if any of you know a reasonable place to rent a boat or a productive shore location to kill a few hrs?

Good job, one of each! lol I'm still waiting for my first bass of the season... Hoping that comes tomorrow.

I just showed my girlfriend, I've never seen her laugh so awkwardly...

I'd go redfish, snook and tarpon fishing inshore flats, offshore and maybe some on the fly down in the keys. Although - BP may have killed that dream. Does that count as a pain and suffering lawsuit? lol

I really like my bandits in the 200 or 300 series. Great value there. I picked up a mix of shad and craw colours as well as goby magic and baby bass.

Agreed on the Wally Diver and Taildancers....Go get the Koppers! I think they're cheaper at CT though. Lucky Craft has a nice lookin' jointed wake bait with a dressed tail I have my eyes on. Anyone have thoughts on the Ardent Denny Brauer Signature F-700 Flip-N-Pitch Reel? Last time I went in there I walked out with the Calcutta 300 for muskie and port credit salmon.

Have... have you seen my baseball?

Nice report. I fished the same grounds in the same boat as you in late May. Tried jerks to daredevle to bucktails to spinners on a hot, bright and choppy day without any luck. Only two OOS spawning smallies on the jerk were caught between 3 of us. I'll probably head back sometime soon now, as those are some decent fish!

Sounds like good times had by all. Can't wait to catch the episode, remind us closer to the date.

Ouch... and I thought my rod breaking was a bad day. That hurts.

Thanks for the advice Ryan - I actually purchased it online at BassPro, so I'll try contacting them for an in-store exchange if possible. Unfortunately since the purchase is well beyond 90 days I doubt I'll get much out of them, but as always you don't get if you don't ask. Otherwise, I just called St. Croix customer service and gave him the basic story and he said to send it in and that they'll waive the return shipping since it was a "first time out" scenario.

I have these bookmarked for my visit in the next few weeks: http://www.captainsmarina.com/rates/alumium.php http://www.fishingricelake.com/boats.htm

I was at Mountsberg for my first time to do some shore fishing on Sunday at 7:30am. Waited outside the park entrance (which opened at 8:30) getting everything rigged. I didn't realize there was another entrance. When park security arrived to open the gates they recommended the other location around the bend, over the hill and enter on the left. I drove by 3 times and couldn't find the freakin' entrance but did see a couple guys fishing from a little bridge along the way. So I pulled over and started casting. They were using live bait on bobbers, and apparently had a few pike earlier in the morning. I started with poppers from both sides of the bridge for about 30 minutes. Nothing. They all took off about then time to catch the England/Germany game. I stayed and tried the jig'n'pig for another 30 minutes.... nothing. Next I pulled out the jitterbug and took a few casts... you guessed it, nothing. I went to make a cast under the bridge and the lure just barely knicked the side of it and caused the hooks to snap off. So far... nothing and a broken jitter bug. I went for the black and red 1/2 oz. spinnerbait and gave a few casts, nothing. On my 4th cast it got hung on an underwater branch and I couldn't jiggle it free. Using 10lb Yo-Zuri Hybrid I figured I give one good pull to try to yank it free. What do you know, it snaps my 2-piece St. Croix Avid Spinnig rod in 3 pieces and the line didn't even snap. A few expletives later and I was on the road home 2 hrs after wetting my line. 1 broken lure, 1 lost lure and broken rod. This was my first time using the St. Croix (off-season purchase) and hopefully the lifetime warranty will upheld, as I'm sure I did not abuse it. Glad to hear others had good luck, it keeps my spirits alive for my trip to Moon River over the long weekend! Cheers

Lots of us are heading out of town this weekend for the first of many bass trips. We've had lots of heat followed by cool spells, then heat and rain again. For those of you that have been hunting the Georgian, Kawarthan and Muskokan waters regularly I'm wondering what your general opinion is as to the current state of the bass from those OOS you've seen or caught recently? Would you say the spawn beds are clear and they're in the lethargic post-spawn or have they recovered from that already and starting to feed actively again? Rigged

Beaut of a fish, nice catch!

Where are you going? Mountsberg - wet line by 7am What baits do you plan on focusing on for the first few weeks? Super Spook & Pop-R early morn, Koppers Bluegill/Pumpkinseed mid-morn, jig & pig afternoon What baits do you plan on avoiding? Anything that swims deeper than 6ft What aspects of bass fishing do you hope to improve on throughout the season? Using FishFinder effectively, Flip&Pitch, Working drop-offs, Truly understanding/figuring out my own patterns

I wish I caught this yesterday, would have been there...

Got yourself a good deal there - whereabouts if you don't mind my asking?

I picked a few of these up in different colours: http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_10211227____SearchResults I guess you could consider it an underwater buzzbait or spinnerbait on steriods maybe. Lots of vibration, longer yet more slender profile than an spinnerbait yet just as weedless.

I'll be at Mountsberg piking early morn Sunday and slopping my jigs for LM mid-morning onward. I'd like to try some chatter baits that I picked up this off-season. Anyone have thoughts (good or bad) on these?