Photoz

Another good reason for not dumping your fish tank or minnow bucket near ANY body of local water . . . . amazing just how hardy these possibly invasive creatures can be!

Try going through this (http://www.fenwickfi...om/warranty.php) site . . . . a few years ago I broke 3 Fenwicks, ALL 10' 6", ALL HMX's, in less than a year. I had to mail them to an address in Winnipeg, which I no longer have. There was no problem getting the rods replaced, it was just a pain in the a s s. Their excuse at that times, they had recently changed suppliers and got a whole raft of bad blanks! When I got #3 back, I took it, sealed in the shipping tube, receipt in hand, to Lebaron's and asked for a credit against a 13' Loomis GL2, which I got. (It was at Lebaron's that I was told about the shipment of bad blanks!) But that is the problem with buying over the Internet . . . . nobody to take the rod back to . . . . yer on yer own! I don't even know if Fenwick in Canada will honour warrantys on rods built stateside. Anybody else know?

The happiest 4 years of my life . . . Grade 4 . . . . . where I wuzz stuck larnin' how two spell! P.S. While we're at it, how many people dislike the offbeat font I use . . . . easier to read?[/font]

2011 Ontario Fishing Summary . . . Page 6 IT IS ILLEGAL TO: Catch a fish by impaling or snagging it with a hook through any part of the body other than the mouth - ANY FISH hooked in this way must be released immediately. It would be very interesting to hear how a C. O. who dinged somebody for 'snagging gobies' would present his case before a judge!

I generally keep 4 colours ready, 5 salmon eggs to a bag, up to 6 small styrofoam beads (neon) red, white, lime green & peach bag on a #10 or #12 red Gamugatsi hook, 6 pound Seaguar fluorocarbon leader & 8 pound Seaguar main line. No self-respecting trout can resist this floating by under his nose! If things get really desperate . . . . 1 white marshmallow, or for browns . . . one of those wee Powerbait red worms!

Fenwick USED to have a policy where, if you broke your rod, they would also give you a new one, for about $50.00 can't hurt to give 'em a try . . . . . a few years ago I had a big ol' carp on a 9' Fenwick . . . . it snapped . . . . I called Fenwick, and they gave me the shipping info, I sent my old rod (paid $150.00 for it, new) back to Winnipeg with a cheque for &50.00, I had it back (via C. P. both ways) in under 3 weeks! They likely still have that policy?

I just assumed that since Fed Ex was transporting this tube to their depot in Mississauga, and St. Croix is footing the bill to get it the rest of the way to Wisconsin, they'd cut me a break? But, technically speaking, they want to be paid TWICE! My bet is that we (Canada Post,) will get it there, (Dixie & #401) regular mail by tomorrow, and the cost less than a third of what FED Ex wants. We might get birched at a lot, but we're STILL dependable, and our rates are reasonable!

Actually after going to the St. Croix website, I was pleasantly surprised. The lady with whom this was discussed looked up my serial number and found this particular rod had the design changed in 2004 . . . . . I bought it in 2005. Since the tops manufactured today wouldn't fit the pre-2006 she said I could have a brand spanking new one for $50.00, tax, shipping & handling included, which I was happy to accept. The only problem I encountered was when I went to Fed Ex to ship it to the Fed Ex depot in Mississauga . . . . I only went to FedEx because I thought it would be cheaper . . . . WOW!! They wanted $44.00 . . . . . the tube I got (compliments of Lebarons) was 7' 3" and weighed about a kilo. I went to Canada Post . . . . to send by regular mail (with signature) was just pennies over $13.00! T'anks for the tip . . . . that will be my spare rod now! Look out trout!

I wuzz havin' a bad day today and THIS just made it PERFECT. My van was pointed slightly downhill, with the side slider open. I got my rod tip stuck in a seatbelt buckle . . . finally got unhooked, and left the rod kinda hangin' out the door. As I was walking around the van, the door slid shut . . . . with a distinctive loud 'CR R R R U N C H!!' Uh oh . . . . oh dam!! Yup, snapped my 10.5' St. Croix Wild River between the 2nd & 3rd guides. Can this be repaired? Or do I have to buy the whole top half? Where? Just on a whim I stopped in at Tightlines in Pickering and fell in love with up new St. Croix Avid so, since I'm gonna be laid up for a couple months, starting in November, I should be ready in the spring . . . . love the feel of it . . . . LOOK OUT TROUT, eh?

Hey y y y y, there's still time to do a carp fishing report if ya get right to it, eh? Nice to see ya back!

Depending on what area you are looking at, what you expect to pay, and what size apartment you are looking at, for you only, or a family . . . . . if you're interested in Victoria Park & Finch area, let me know. I've lived in this building since 1974, it's still as spotless as it was when I moved in. Very quiet & family oriented. About 5 minutes away from either #404 or #401. I also know pretty well what areas to steer clear of!

If you can get over to Port Hope, just hang around the fish cleaning station for a bit . . . . . I got enough roe that people didn't want, to do me for the next 2 years, in one fell swoop. there were 3 guys who had 3 roe laden females, they only needed the roe from 1, they gave me ALL the roe outta a 30+ pounder . . . . about 5 pounds at least! Better hurry, the run is nearly over. The best time is between midnight & 04:00, people are leaving & cleaning up their fish. Good luck.

If you are reasonably close to a fish-cleaning (Port Hope has one,there must be others around) station, just watch when someone goes in to clean their fish . . . . most just disgard the roe. Often there is a few pounds fresh roe just laying in the garbage. Beats killing a fish, then finding somebody who wants it?

I musta somehow missed your post . . . was just checkin' back this mornin,' and there ya wuzz, proudly displaying a 20+ pounder, so ya STILL got it! I was up on Saturday & Sunday, 5 fish both days, same as Ron. I think there was only one over 20 pounds . . . most were 'turbo-charged 10 - 12 pounders. I had to give up the best fish of the weekend though . . . . I just got 'im on, and I received a rather urgent message from Mother Nature, that I would be needing a 'nest' within the next few minutes. I hollered for Ron to 'reel in,' and navigate my fish in . . . . I NEEDED TO DO SOME BUSINESS . . . . . NOW! I didn't have a prayer of breaking off the 65 pound Power Pro, and was considerin' tying the fish to my back bumper, and reefin' 'in with the van! Lucky the 'nesting area' was only 2 minutes away . . . 3 minutes would have been messy! I have next Thursday & Friday off . . . might go to Peterpatch, maybe to Trent River . . . interested . . . . Ron & the Brit are going too?

Without your photos, I just, in my worst nightmares, wouldn't have been able to imagine the devistation. Many happy hours were spent 'hangin' out, at June's, back in the '60's . . . . my best memories were when June first got the chip frier . . . . she would 'comandeer' a bunch of us teenagers hangin' around out front, and into the back kitchen we went, were issued a 'tater peeler,' and put to work, doing something useful, and not gettin' into mischief. And June didn't ask, she TOLD you to get yer lazy butts in there . . . and she didn't take no for an answer, she was 'den mother' with a heart of gold & the patience of a saint, to at least 2 generations of 'those wild redneck Mag teens! They coulda made a sitcom outta the situation . . . . there were certainly enough characters!

I was raised in Magnetawan, when 'Junes Restaurant' and Schneider's General Store made up the main hub of the village. There was a variety store (Jim Dunk's) in the late '50's & early '60's sandwiched between them, and a second 'general store' (Shier's) across the road. (It too burned down back in the 50's, never to be rebuilt.) About 15 years ago the marina just across the river also burned. Something like this could not have come at a worse time, right at the peak of 'tourist season!' Without these 2 places, the town will NEVER be the same . . . . to me, it's like losing an old friend . . . . which was a big part of my life. It's been about a year since the last time I visited Magnetawan, I certainly hope they rebuild, the village will slowly die with the marina, general store & the 'Magnetawan Inn' all gone. I thank you for posting about that . . . . and will watch for further news about it.

Peterpatch ain't what she used to be, carp-wise. I was up on the Otonabee yesterday from 05:00 till noonish . . . 3 in the 12 - 14 pound range & 1 about 17. Hits were few & far between, I MIGHT head down to Hammytown today, there should be a few hangin' around Eastport Road just past the lift bridge by now. I never heard about any 'die-off' down that way, but it certainly killed off a good portion of the carp population, especially the ones over 20 pounds, up in the Kawarthas. If ya want B I I I I G ones, Hamilton would be the first place you should go! Good luck.

I'm not a fan of Jack's political leanings, but I believe the man truly believed what he preached . . . , and he made a lot of believers this time 'round . . . . . I hope to see him have many more years to keep everybody in Ottawa on their toes! I wonder if he knowingly went ahead with his campaign, cancer be damned, and it will eventually cost him his life, a very high price, if so? I've been there . . . . twice . . . still givin' the ol' can another kick. It is truly a terrible disease, but CAN be beaten!

Yeah h h h . . . . . and if we poke postal management in their ivory towers & aggravate 'em enough, we'll ALL be on the outside lookin' in, with a lock-out. Then the waiting game begins . . . . who do you figure will run outta money and yell 'uncle' first . . . . . then it'll be too late. There are plenty of us who'd be happy to take the money offered now & run, but there's a stumbling block called C. U. P. W., who are determined to get what THEY want for us, even if it kills US!!

C. U. P. E.?? . . . . Uh h h . . . . . knock .. . . knock?

Let us vote on the latest offer . . . . my bet is now that we're faced with the reality of getting $175.00 strike pay, instead of $1040.00 regular pay, there won't be many takers! Next week I have to renew 3 prescriptions . . . . . for about $240.00 instead of $48.00 . . . . many, many more don't want a strike any more than I do!! I'm also waiting for a knee replacement . . . . the result of dragging a heavy satchel of mail up & down (broken) stairs for nearly 25 years! I just want to do the job I was hired to do . . . . peacefully . . . . . .

NOBODY I work with WANTS to go out, but if we screw around enough with these useless 'hit & run' tactics long enough and really PISS off Canada Post, they'll just shut 'er all down, the wait and see who runs outta money first? I think I know who that'll be, eh? The part of this whole exercise in futility I hate the most . . .. playing 'ring-around-the-burning-trash-barrel' on a hot summer day! Just stinking lovely!

I'm just lookin' up my carp recipes . . . . I'm told that if ya use enough curry it'll kill the taste! I think I'll start on carp 'n' chips . . . . . I've likely had them before,only they were called halibut 'n' chips?

Who can afford gas on $175.00 a week to go chasing carp?

As a member of C. U. P. W., I have been notified that as of 11:59 P. M. June 2 I will officially be involved in a strike, against Canada Post that I know we can't possibly win! Too many alternatives out there now . . . . . who REALLY needs us these days? Is ANYBODY gonna even notice we're gone? BTW . . . . this doesn't necessarily mean a nation-wide shut-down . . . . it'll likely be in different centres, a day here . . . . a day there . . . . stay tuned . . . . they'll likely be announcing BEFORE the Friday strike date what they have planned?