Hookset

Sorry to hear about your loss, but you honored your friend by doing what was best. Tough either way. The only true cure for that type of pain is time. It will get better. Hookset.

Thank You All Very Much for the replies. It sure looks like a lot of us are in the same boat when it comes to Family which is no longer with us, and the great memories they left us with. Thanks again, Hookset.

Holy Crap !!! If I was driving they'd never get the smell out of the seats... Hookset.

I lost my Pop exactly a year ago, in fact yesterday was a year since the funeral. The old guy never stood a chance since what started out as prostate cancer soon turned into spinal, then lung, and finally brain cancer. But this post isn't about cancer. It's about what fishing was like when he was young and the stories he told me from those days. I think he would say the years he spent fishing back in the 1950's were some of the best times he ever had in his life. He used to spend a lot of time in the Gogama area as well as parts of Georgian Bay around Honey Harbour. He used to say that back then it would take anywhere from 6 to 8 hours to drive up from Toronto and more if the roads were bad. He said that he would almost destroy his car driving down logging roads to get to camp. Kinda funny but the best stories were always about his friends and the adventures they had instead of the actual fishing itself. I remember how he said he could take crackers and break them up then throw them on the water next to his canoe. The water would "boil" with Pike and Pickeral (no Walleye to him lol) eating the crackers and he could actually scoop them up with a net. The tools of his trade were old steel rods or a fancy fiberglass rods with level wind reels. Casting ? who the heck needs to cast ? he'd say. If you want to catch fish it's either trolling or drop her down right beside the canoe. Black dacron line was the ticket and there was only 2 kinds of lures that any man needed. Lure #1 was a spoon. No brand names here, a spoon was a spoon was a spoon, no matter what size or shape. Lure #2 was a Heddon Vamp or as he pronounced it a Head and Vamp. Fishing was amazing, even if half of what they used to talk about was true. Points ? Structure ? Humps ? pffft not likely. I think they picked their spots by wherever they could get a good drift and which shoreline was the prettiest. The fish came in hand over fist no matter where they were. Being a lad that grew up in downtown Toronto, the Rouge Valley was "country" to him and his trips up north were in the true wilderness. Today, to us, it's just South / Central Ontario lol. What I learned is that back then the world was a smaller place, fishing was simple. It's was about friends, family and experiences instead of limits and shiny new boats. You got to be lucky enough to fish "wilderness" areas only after hours and hours of driving and kicking the crap out of your vehicles. It was a real effort. Not too sure where I'm really going with all this. Sometimes I can post or reply to a subject only to think later "hmm, I kinda sounded like a knob there" I 'spose it's best to stand by your convictions and be man enough to know when you've been a "knob" and admit it. It's gonna be a hell of a spring and summer, and it'll be the first where the old boy isn't around to tell me all the stories from days gone by. ...and to remind me why I love the outdoors and fishing as much as I do. And to remember what's really important in life...and fishing. A lot of members here have gone through worse than I ever have with loss of friends, family, and even children and I can't for one second feel disappointed because he's gone. Sad but never disappointed. You don't have to look to far to find someone who has it tougher than you do. In the end he said "I have no regrets" Thanks for letting me ramble, apparently someone needs to get out fishing signed, The knob.

Great post, The lady from Huntsville sure started something didn't she ? Proves that some time spent passing on wisdom from old to young is priceless. I wonder if she knows the impact she had... Hookset.

Classy move. Hopefully it works out. I bet it would make for some great memories... on both sides. Atta Boy.... Hookset.

Pretty Cool, Reminds me of something. Whenever you watch fishing Tourney's on T.V. and after catching a nice fish, the Pro yells "That's what it's all about !!!"....couldn't be further from the truth. Stories like this one are "What it's all about !!!" Thanks for the reminder. Hookset.

Went out from Beaverton on Sunday. 6" of good ice but it was melting up pretty fast. Went out with a hut operator (Hales). We were probably only half a mile out from shore. By the end of the day it was one big puddle. If the weather stays the same I'd expect it to deteriorate quickly. Check with hut operators if you want the real info. instead of trying to guess. The best ice conditions always come from the operators who are out there every day. Hookset. P.S. - The Perch were on fire

Sweet Perch. Congrats on the new PB You know it's a good'un when ya can lip her. Hookset.

Lake Muskoka froze all the way only yesterday. South east end anyway. When I went to work in the morning it was still open, and by early afternoon she was froze. From my work I can see across a stretch probably for almost 2 miles. So at the max. there is probably an inch. Small bays may be different but I wouldn't go out there yet. Rosseau won't be any different. Definitely not good ice yet... Hookset.

So I says to my Boss "Hey Boss, It's nice to hear we get a new holiday on Feb. 18th, pretty cool huh ?" The reply...."Holiday?...what Holiday???" I can see how this is gonna turn out. Nothing like educating people who make twice what you do... Hookset.

First off, I am not commenting on any accidents or drownings which have happened this year or past, I'm just trying to understand something. There are always circumstances surrounding any accident. The part that I have a hard time understanding is this: When people pay upwards of $10K for a snowmobile, plus insurance, trail permits etc. Then they go out and spend hundreds of dollars on a racy looking snowmobile suit. Why would you not buy a suit which provides flotation ? For me it's a no brainer. Is the reason due to a lack of flexibility or comfort with a floater suit ? I have a 2 piece floater suit which is Mustang Ice Rider pants and just got a new Nautilus Floater coat for X-Mas. The new coat is better insulated and has more flexibility than my old one. So I don't understand if it is a comfort or flexibility issue. I don't believe in making things mandatory, as in making the wearing of a floater suit mandatory if you snowmobile or ice fish on a lake. Common sense should be mandatory but good luck with that. I was a volunteer fire fighter for several years and had cold water immersion training. The speed at which you can remove yourself from the water with a floater or immersion suit proved their value to me. There must be a reason that so few use a floater suit. Maybe some members who snowmobile would be able to clue me in. Thanks, Hookset.

That's AWESOME !!! I've never seen a Carp come up thru the ice before. Let alone one the size of a Cow... One heck of a scrap, and very well fought. Congrats, Hookset.

Ya I agree. They could add some of those Tarpon as well. Hookset.

Great post....gonna have to add afew things to my kit I see. About the only thing I can add is do not place your ice picks in your pocket. If you fall thru the ice the last thing you will be able to do is open up a pocket and calmly extract your ice picks. These are designed (at least the type I have) to hang around your neck for instant access. Having the picks stored anywhere else is probably useless. If you do not have the style that goes around your neck, I suggest getting a set. Have a great trip when you do go. Hookset.

Got out only long enough to check the conditions and see if I could find some fish. There was 4" of good black ice with about 2" of crap on top. No slush which was nice to see (or not see). These conditions were on a pretty big bay - south end, in 30 to 40 feet of water. I still wouldn't head out into the main basin though. Definitely was ok for walking and someone had a skidoo out there too. Managed to jig up a couple slabs then headed home. Gonna head back in the morning and see how we do. So I guess there's safe ice to be found up here, but definitely not everywhere. Safety first Hookset.

I live just south of Huntsville. We've been fishing some small lakes for a couple weeks now. But these are lakes we know real well. On average we have about 5" of good ice but last time out had a ton of slush from all the snow we have received. As far as the big lakes go....NO WAY. Be careful and check, check, check, for thickness whatever lake you try up here at this time of year. But I'm not heading to any big lake here yet. As of a couple days ago most large lakes still had no ice on the main basins. I'm heading out Crappie fishing this afternoon so I'll let ya know the conditions when I get back tonight. Hookset.

or.... Is this all just a reflection of how respect for our fellow humans has deteriorated in every aspect of life. I don't think the problem is the current style of hockey. Look around, read the paper, go watch a kid's hockey game. I have been to several of my Nephew's hockey games over the years. He's ten now. The parent's are brutal. I could go on for hours but I don't have that long. Respect starts at home, and equips us with how we deal with everything we do in life. How we treat people at work, how we deal with our neighbours, and how we play Hockey. I played hockey my whole life up until a few years ago. There was respect when I was a kid. The level of "verbal abuse" from parent's today is unreal. There is absolutely no way that would have been tolerated when I was a kid. And I can back that statement up. Imagine what these kids go through when you don't see them in public. Change the rules all you like, Hell, take away the puck, insert a ring and we can call it ringette. And players will still be doing the same as we are discussing in fact it will continue to get worse. Cuz' it ain't about the rules, it ain't about suspensions, it's about respect. If you don't learn that growing up, you sure won't learn it when you're a spoiled millionaire "kid" playing a "kid's" game. It's gonna get worse.... Hookset. P.S.----Don Cherry for P.M.

We've done my dream for the last 3 years now. Lake Nip and the "on ice bungalows" I know there are far more exotic places to go. But you get all 6 of us in the same bungalow, 3 guitars, a drum set made from tupperwear bowls or whatever else we can find, my mandolin (just learning) and we rock the joint lol, to our ears anyway. Add Walleye, Pike, Herring and big Whities. BBQ'd chickens at 3 a.m. and more booze than most liquor stores carry. Fresh Walleye for breakfast. And I can stay in bed and keep fishing - perfect for the nastier hangovers. The smiles last for weeks afterwards. I'm pretty sure it's considered my dream location more for the friends and good times than it is for the fishing. I swing back the other way when the ice melts....to a point... Hookset.

I know who he is now... You ever seen that old Bugs Bunny cartoon where he's in the Yukon ? Old Bugs has some issues with a guy named "Black Jack Shellac" = Lew Hookset.

Ya Brian, and in groups of 10 or more it's cheaper again. When we were there for New Years last year they had a Bar, Food, a big fire, and the Tunes were cranked. Think we tubed until midnite then they had fireworks and everyone wobbled back onto the bus. Opening trout the next morning was a killer. And no, I don't work there lol. Hookset.

This is where we go each New Years http://www.rockridgetubing.com/ It may be a little far for you though. Hopefully you can find one closer that is open on X-Mas. Hookset.

Go Tubing !!!! It's blast, good fun for young or old, and it's cheap. We have a large group that goes every New Years. About as much fun as you can have - sober with yer' clothes on that is... (ok scratch the sober thing) Every time we go we see all ages from Toddlers to old folks. just a thought. Hookset.

I Thought it was a very good show. I really liked the idea of showing the whole day as it really was. Big fish, small fish, or no fish. It's ballsy. I get more from that than I do from a show that's filmed over 3 or 4 days to get a half hour show. That is, if the hosts decide to let you know it took 3 days to shoot the half hour. Funny show too, glad I'm not the only one whose been blessed with "Bass Pee". Hookset.

Great looking dogs, every one of them. Afraid my story is a bit of a downer tho' Sorry about that. Just got back from the Vets yesterday. My Old Boy - named "Muskie" is having problems with his hind legs. He just turned 10 too. Having owned German Shepherds my whole life I figured I knew what the news would be. Problem is, during his check up they found a large lump under his rib cage and another one further down his ribs. I couldn't see much at all but that's why they are Professionals. It's a big lump she said. About 5" x 7" when she measured it. We're not gonna worry about X Rays for the hips right now until we find out about the test results on the lumps. I'm pretty much dreading the news cuz' my last Dog was put down due to liver Cancer. They found a lump. Sorry again about the downer. Those are some great looking pups you guys have. Anyway that's about all I can bring myself to type. Love them every day, Tomorrow is promised to nobody.