Headhunter

Lloyd, there's an article in I think, this months "In Fisherman" discussing mortality rates of released fish. I'll try and dig it up. I have fished Pickereyes as deep as 50 ft... yah, some fish do come up with their bladders in their mouth, but I have learned that if I take my time and I really do mean take my time, bringing them in, most don't. From an anglers perspective, it difficult to not pursue fish that are obviously there, based on your finder, especially when you have fished for some time with no or limited success. Many will push the limits and their own "value system" in an effort to put a fish in the boat. I think we both know that by in large, those deep fish are not active fish and any bites that you do get, may well be reaction bites as your lure almost knocks them in the head. With Quinte in mind, I think success can be had fishing the upper regions of the water column, but there a few factors that come into play. And I think getting away from the armada that happens every year is a good place to start. For me, I have the ability trolling, without riggers to get to the 50ft level, but I have imposed a 30 ft limit on myself. Again, taking your time to bring them in really does contribute to a successful release, but it in no way ensures that every fish will live. Killing them is simply not an option for me anymore. So, in answering your original question... yes it does kill. HH

Lloyd, a trip locally in the winter sounds like fun! I'll buy a crate of lemons! Bernie... we just may have to try some trolling up at your place... just before hell freezes over! Old school Bernie, old school! GDC... we were romancing the pickereyes! HH

LMAO! HH

Thanks for posting that Mike... it would have taken me until the next GTG to get it done. I had a blast, in our cosey little cottage for two! LMAO We found a section of water that was holding active fish. By inlarge, most of the fish we marked, had their noses in the mud... but in one particular spot, we found big marks 10 ft off the bottom and it was at that hump, if you will, that we beat the crap out of most of the time. All our fish were caught within 15 ft of the surface, except one, which was caught down around 20ft. All fish were caught on "The Doctor" except for the deep fish, which was caught on a "Power Dive", in hot Perch. The real keys to our success were two fold... obviously finding active fish was huge, but, I think our speed was the real difference maker for us.... we were originally trolling at about 1.5 to 1.75 mph, but we decided to try slowing down and that was what got us going... .75 to 1 mph netted us our first fish, within minutes of slowing down. Mike, had a blast, would do it again in a second! Oh, and having active fish within 300 yds of your COTTAGE, sure didn't hurt. So this one time, at band camp... HH BTW - the folks at Perfect Vue are not very pleased with the OFNer's who bailed on them two days before they were due to arrive. They had TURNED DOWN paying customers to keep your reservations and ended up with a mostly empty camp. Mike and I had to listen to her as we checked out and it was a far less then exhilarating experience.

I get what yer saying Dog, but I find it ironic that if it was that easy, how come the vast majority of boats out there, numbering I'm sure in the hundreds, got little or nothing on the weekend? If you think that trolling is as simple as letting out line, sitting back and waiting, then you are kidding your self. Sure, an experienced captain helps a lot, but the angler has to recognize what they are seeing on their graph and use that info to garner fish. You don't need to have or be a captain to do that. HH

The sleeping business is a direct result of "Lloyd o'clock"! LOL LLoyd, Terry, Dano and Wayne... I think I had a blast and certainly do thank you guys for visiting us at the Hay Bay office of the OFC GTG. If laughing adds days to your life, I think we all added a few months! Lloyd, the Lemon Drops are always available to my friends! Dano, it's always time! Terry, nice to see you get the skunkerou off yer back and I still can't believe that Wally Bomber caught a fish! Wayne, thanks for putting up with us on Saturday... my cell phone bill is going to be through the roof! LOL HH

Doc, the bitterness will come! Trust me, especially when you get to a point in life where your long standing ideals have been beaten to death, by those who we empower to do good on our behalf. HH

Doc... I understand where you are coming from, I think... I thought that way as well, when I was young and hadn't gotten tired of over paying for everything. I have gotten to the point I am now, based on paying huge income taxes, huge property taxes huge _______ you fill in the blank, for decades. I feel like I am trying to fill a black hole, with money. The more I give it, the more it needs... So Doc, with that little bit of perspective for yah, can you understand the frustration many of us feel when we are under the impression that we are yet again, getting hosed. There is only one true comparisson, between driving a bus in Toronto, (where I live) and driving a bus in London (where I grew up) and that is that both are driving a bus! You simply can't compare driving in London, to driving in Toronto...PERIOD! In a time when most people's incomes have been slashed, to ask for, no strike that, DEMAND that kind of an increase, jsut goes to show the mind set of the "entitled" FIRE 'Em ALL! (Aesthetically speaking of course!) HH

I would "Regan" them all! HIt them so fast they didn't know what happened to them... isn't funny how those in the public service feel that they are "entitled" to anything they want?... with no care what so ever to the ramifications of their actions, on others. Regan them, -plain and simple. HH

Should have fished Sunday as Mike... the fog lifted by 9:30 and we got right back at them. Funny how guys will say thing some times.. I thought Wayne, Lloyd and the boys were just some good friends gettin together to catch some fish... had I known Lloyd was being utillized as a "guide", I would have tried to pick his brain for info... but I really thought of him as a friend. Wayne, sure would like to the the pic from Sunday! Bitsmith is putting our report together. HH

Good catch U.B.! Congrats to you both, uhm... ok congrats to you! HH

ok... a wind from the north will have a full run from Deseronto all the way into Picton Harbour. That will make the bay area, in front of the cement plant pretty nasty, should the wind have any shoulders what so ever. For a north wind, I'd suggest launching at the Glenora Ferry, which makes a north wind an off shore breeze. A 17 ft boat should fine in that area, assuming it doesn't get too windy. HH

Turn, fall get up, repeat! HH

Is LLoyd plying folks with Lemon drops?! I expect residual commission cheques for each drink supplied! Bitsmith and I will be there probaly mid-day Friday and fish'n Friday afternoon. HH

Quite a turn out at Toronto city hall today... seemed to me anyway that there were many more people than in prevoius years. Here at the office, we were quietly reflecting on the days events. I told my co-workers, who really didn't need to be reminded, that we will do no work, from 11:00am to 11:15am. We talked about our own feelings when suddenly, the phone rings at 11:11am! I picked it up and it was Bell Canada calling trying to sell us some kind of service. Well, the guy on the other end of the phone won't be sitting properly for a while as I tore a chunk out of his I will be taking both of my kids to a local retirement home for a service tonight, honouring the fallen. My son will be in his Beaver uniform, my daughter in her Sparks uniform. They have been asking me about Remembrance Day, what it means and what war is. At ages 6 and 7, I think it's important that they get some level of understanding about the day and the sacrifices people have made for them and me. Respect. HH

Lex, the smoke only bothers you for the first couple of days, after that, you are pretty much accustomed to it! Let us know if you change your mind, you are welcome. HH

For those who may have missed it in the sticky above, we have open space in a cottage for someone to join us... at Perfect Vue. HH

Gerritt, life gets in the way of our plans, take care of your family, Mike and I will survive... although we may not want to! LOL SPot in the cottage is still open.... let me know! HH PS... violent chats while sleeping are highly encouraged.

*****UPDATE***** We have unfortunately had a cancellation with one of our crew (Gerritt) having to cancel due to a personal matter. Bitsmith and I are now looking for one person for our cottage. Unfortunately, we will not have room in the boat for this person, but we are in a position to offer a place to crash, at Perfect Vue. (Should you have a boat and are looking for two to join you, that could work as we are now going to be using Bitsmiths boat, which will only accomodate 2 people.) We expect to be arriving on Friday, still working out details as to our arrival time. We have the cottage until Sunday. We are looking for someone to share expenses and of course, the odd beverage. Pm me for more details... HH

Well, this is going to be the strangest "GTG" I've been involved with! As we have found a way to GTG, well, sort of! Let's see, we have folks staying at Perfect View, Merlands, the Sportsman in Picton, Deseronto and well probably some other places that I'm not even aware of... should we really call it a GTG or should we call it a semi-gathering? HH

Well, if we have 60k winds for the GTG next week, I'll be heading for the local liquor store, cause we aint going out in that in Gerritt's boat... of course you can always find a place to fish, regardless of the wind, it just doesn't seem to me anyway to be that much fun. HH

Nice! But I must say, that Pickereye makes yer head look small! LMAO 60K winds on Quinte are well shall we say NASTY! Good on you and Lloyd for toughin it out. HH

i live in Scarborough, with one of Highland Creek's feeders running through my back yard. We are on a ravine lot. I have seen numerous or the same fox countless times this year. I've seen him criss crossing my neighbours backyard, nose to the ground, looking for mice and moles. Heck, just this past summer, I was sitting in my front yard, having a smoke and a fox almost ran over my feet while is was quietly enjoying my smoke... I yelled at it and it just looked at me and kept walking. I figure they are keeping the mice population down so they are a good thing. Don't think I would take to kindly to coyotes and the like. HH

Gus's was good the last time I went there, just be sure to STAY AWAY from that "Family Restaurant" next to or near McDonalds... can you say cook, re-heat and repeat! Oh and by the way Lloyd, drunks are people to, ya know! LMAO HH

It would be cool to over run a local restaurant with OFC'ers, but speaking from experience at these GTG's, my guess would be that some of the folks coming, may be too drive to drunk. Better left at the cottage! HH