cynmar

Didn't work as a guide but spent a summer near Englehart as a junior forest ranger. Worked hard maybe 6 hours a day, black fly bites everywhere, cold showers but it was one of the best summers I had. Camp right on a lake, got to "meet" the local girls, worked with a conservation officer for 2 days and spent the rest of the time getting tanned, fishing on the lake, growing my hair and enjoying nature. I loved it. Bill

This may seem like a stupid question but what is the best knot to tie your main line to the spool prior to re-spooling your reel. As well, if you have a newer reel with the holes in the spool, do you pass your line through the holes to tie or does it make any difference? I have always just used a slip knot and spooled the line on , however, that base knot does slip around the spool. Thanks for the info

Agree with most of the comments but let's be realistic. For these guys at this level it is now a business, more TV exposure means more endorsement possiblities, more leverage at contract time, more opportunities to make lots more money. Millionaires for playing a sport I loved to play in high school. Must be nice.

The first plant looks like pampass grass, an invasive species that has taken over in all parts of Ontario. Replaces cattails and other aquatic species Bill

Yes, I was up in Wolesley at Bryers Lodge the first week of July. One small muskie, one small pike and 3 missed explosions on a top water Pop R. Got a few other RockBass and had a large small mouth look over the Pop R down behind Lockhaven but that was it. Bill

Yep there 's a chickadee in there but I would suggest it may be a goldfinch or housefinch. Both have kind of the same high pitched whistle at the bird feeder by the front door. Bill

The gut wrenching feeling never ends. Got a new roof done in 2007. New 1/2 " sheeting all over, ice & water shield over all of low slope. Metal gutters and 30 year asphalt shingles. Roof had never leaked before. Following spring water damage in the office , whole ceiling ripped out and repaired but insurance wouldn't cover shoddy workmanship on roof. Spent another thousand for repair to couple of areas. Next spring water damage in office again but not as bad. I go up on roof and find no step flashing along siding but as was in March just roof patched the crap along the siding. Now another roofer wants another $2300 to repair as he believes roof gutter not coming down far enough. All told close to 13K so far. Ohhhh the pain. Bill

Went to five finger rapids, alll fine from the main channel once past the area I mentioned before. Stay to the centre of the bay when you go into five finger rapids area, down near end where rapids come in there are rocks that were under the water a year ago above and just beneath the surface. Down to 3-4 ft when I was there in July just before getting to the rapids outflow. I never went up the little channel to the rapids per se, not confident as didn't know the area. Bill

Did you have a polarizing filter on to get the sky so blue and to see into the water? Beautiful shots, excellent work. I'm old school , still shooting film so don't know the Canon. Digital? Bill

That's it , you have it now. Good luck, wish I was there. Only excitement I had was getting broke, bit off by something big (right through 60# Seaguar leader , teeth marks left on line) and seeing a big bass look over my PopR. Bill

No, that's not it, you are going south out of Wolesley Bay and you come to the island that has the cottage Shangri La on it. Big boat dock, nice cottage with two or three newer looking houses/cottages. You can go to the left between the island and the shore or go to the right/straight out to the main channel. If you go straight across you enter the bay where Lochhaven Lodge. is. Once you get out in the main channel if you turn east you will have this same island on the left, and be facing a smaller island kind of in the middle of the North Channel. If you go between these two, it opens up into a relatively big bay on the left and the channel going straight ahead. Now, just on the other side of this small island in the centre there was a shoal that was just above water in 2008, it's now about 6' out of the water and looks like a little island. To the south of this are the three rock piles/shoals whatever, that were only about 1 / below the water in July, not marked but will destroy an engine. What can trick you is they are hard to see even with polarized glasses if there is any chop on the water. and around them the water goes to 10' and more. I was drifting with the engine up and still scraped the bottom of the 14' aluminum. As well, they aren't right side by side, they're spaced out aboutn15 to 20' apart two on the same horizontal line and one farther east. Be careful, hope this helps. Bill

Just a quick note, Just out of Wolesley Bay in the North Channel just east of Wolsley Bay there are 3 huge rocks coming up within a ft of the surface. Last year these were under 4ft of water and held small mouth. Now they will rip your prop off and are unmarked. Just so you know, if you go straight out past Shangri La cottage and turn left be careful. The water had to be down 4-5 ft when I was there in July Bill

Thanks to everybody for their opinions. I have decided that the next reel is going to be the Citica 200E. Looks like it is on at Bass Pro for 119.99. Seems to be the overwhelming favourite for the range and I can't afford a Chronarch or something along those lines. Thanks again. Bill

Thanks to everyone for their information, it has helped a lot and clarified a few things. Now, I just need to go and hold one to see how it feels in the palm of the hand. Bill

I am looking at a new baitcaster, just posted for your opinions on another line. I am trying to understand something. For example the Shimano Caenan has 6 bearings and the Citica has only 3 The expert OFNers recommend the Citica over the Caenan. I am no expert on reels by any means, have just purchased a reel by name more than by specifics in the past and only get out maybe 5 or 6 times in a summer. Exactly what part does the number of bearings play in the quality of the reel. For example, the Quantum Van Dam Signature has 10 bearings and it has lower overall ratings by people than the Caenan? I always looked at the # of bearings as an indicator of the quality of the reel. Obviously I'm wrong. Please educate me. Garry2Rs where are you?

Alright, I've waded through a lot of info and got some views and I've narrowed my search down for a new reel. Can I get your opinions please and try not to be Shimano biased. 1. Shimano Caenan good ratings seems like it is better made and is better value than the Citica 2. Quantum Van Dam PT Baitcast good ratings , more bearings, like the external adjustment 3. Abu Garcia Revo SX good ratings 10 bearings, great reviews 4. Daiwa Tierra good ratings, already familiar with the Mag force system good reviews. I realize that there is a difference in price point here with the Caenan being the least expensive but I believe they are all around the 100,-175. dollar range. Thanks everyone. Suggestions are appreciated. This reel is for all around use from jigging to casting for bass on weed edges, to incidental pike fishing , walleye etc.

There are Beluga whales in the St Lawrence, immature ones are still a greyish colour. Possible? Bill

Gentlemen: a contract is only as good as your ability to enforce it. Read, monetarily able to enforce it. The average person, myself included, probably get taken advantage of by large corporations every day, is it legal for phone companies etc. etc. to change their "contract"s . Only a court of law and the attendant legal fees can answer that. I can't afford it , they can. That's the bottom line, not right but that's the way it is. I haven't met a pro bono lawyer in my 59 years of existence. Bill

I totally agree with you however, as the old adage goes money talks and bull walks. You have tried moral suasion and obviously that hasn't worked. Other than that, your only recourse as I can see it is to talk to a lawyer and that will blow $500.00 out the window real fast. Another avenue, may be to go public, for example and this ages me, there was an old local news add on with a guy called Goldhawk. He would investigate problems like yours where the general public couldn't get anywhere and he usually got some results. Call the local media, see if they want to exert some pressure on the situation. I would still consult a lawyer and be very careful with any accusations as you surely would not want to get into litigation. Perhaps the doctor should be forced to pay you for the information that you provided him originally so that he could start a file and charge you for it later. Bill

Thanks for all the input, it has given me some much needed information. I only have 2 baitcasters and one is on my slip float rod. This baitcaster has to deal with all the different lures, jigs etc. I may use so I have to change the friction knob and the braking fairly often. Your comments have really helped. Bill

I have to admit that I don't know a lot about the inner workings of my reels. I have owned a Daiwa Procaster for years but am looking at a new reel. Can anyone give me the advantages of the different systems? The Magforce system of Daiwa seems to work alright as long as you adjust the "tension" knob for the weight of the lure and then adjust the mag force. I see a number of reels with the right side plate coming off the access the centrifugal weights I imagine for more or less "tension?" . Do these plates have a tendency to fall off over time, or at least get loose? I don't change reels every year. Any advice is appreciated.

I'm going to say 8.67 lbs. camera makes them look bigger LOL, LOL Bill

Only excitement on our French River trip, hit while trolling two shakes and then a dead log. Tried to move him but two no avail. Line let's go 60lb Seguar flouro leader material. Could see the teeth marks on the flourocarbon. Yes, need a leader, BIGGGG leaders LOL.

Couple things I might think of, bookkeeping as you said she was in the financial sector may be available or assistance for a local accountant. If she was in admin in the financial sector, then she should be comfortable with filing, financials, maybe government requirements, there fore charge to provide assistance for local businesses and working from home. Possibly hook up with a publishing company to do proof reading and corrections from computer at home. Just a couple of ideas I had off the top of my head.

We stayed at Bryer Lodge the beginning of July, and the water was significantly down. I would say at least 5 feet. There were shoals out in the North Channel that I fished last year for small mouth that were under 4 ft of water and are now 1 ft under water or above the waterline. Careful when you are running as some of the new shoals aren't marked. By the way, during my week the fishing was TOUGH. Bill