adolson

Thanks for sharing! Love your guitar tone. Her singing is good - way better than mine, haha!

My wife and I shoulda did another Christmas song this year... Argh. There's still time... I'll think on it.

Even as a kid and teenager, I fished a lot but never have I had as much time put in, fish pulled out, and enjoyment experienced as this year.

Three or four years ago, my boss invited all of the programmers out to his cottage on Mattagami for a fishing weekend. We caught a bunch of walleye and I also got a pike, and I was sure it kick-started my passion again. However, I lived in North Bay at the time, was getting fatter by the day, had no money for a boat and no desire for a cheap canoe. I did do some limited shore fishing after that, but only pulled in a few little gross things (catfish). And that was that...

A little over two years ago, I moved back to where I grew up. Many good lakes no matter what direction I drive from my house, but south to the Temagami area is my favorite.

I had always liked the idea of photography, but never had a very good camera. Last Christmas, the wife and I tried to take a family portrait with our pets - it ended up in one smashed Canon A440. I was so angry - fresh alkaline batteries, fully-charged NiMH, new L-ion batteries, it did not matter - the thing would pop the lens out, then pull it back in telling me to change them. And so, thus the tale of the Canon A440 ended in dramatic fashion, with repeated hammer blows to the back of the head.

I had always liked the idea of photography, and being a photographer. Not to be a professional, but just to get outdoors, snap some pics of the tapestry God has laid upon the land, and preserve that beauty for future reference. I headed out to our new Staples outlet and after a couple trips ended up with a new Canon camera with many features I never had before. I got out in the winter and started taking pictures of sunsets, night time shots, bought a tripod, and so forth. I was determined to find and photograph water in the spring and summer, and get some cool pictures to hang on the wall.

In order to be able to hike, I needed to get into shape. Actually, I needed to get into shape, period. In March, I began a light workout regimen, which I will not get into the journalistic details here. Suffice it to say, I got a little lighter by summer time (my starting weight was literally off the scale, and now I am about 40lbs under the scale's upper limit), and much stronger in both power and endurance. I could now begin living again. That, of course, means I could get out and take pictures and - though I did not know it at the time - fish.

I did not touch a rod until this June, when my boss invited his small team back out to his cottage for a reprise of what went on a few years ago. I admit I was both looking forward to it and hesitant due to my strong desire to stick close to home. We caught a few walleye each day over a long weekend, culminating in a feast of pan-fried and lightly-seasoned fillets. As soon as I felt the first fish take my bait, I knew that it wasn't a walleye that was hooked - it was me.

A day, or maybe two, after bass opener, I took a trip to the Montreal River with my wife. An amazing woman, that one. She's stood by me through thick/fat and thin (well, slightly thinner), for almost ten years now (soon - 29th). She stood by me, camera in hand, to watch me achieve something I only managed to do in video games dating back to the Super Nintendo game, Super Black Bass. I landed my very first smallmouth bass. I was absolutely ecstatic. Any chances of fishing once again slipping away from one of the top slots of my hobby list absolutely vanished at that point. My wife was happy for me, despite being a vegetarian who thinks pike are cute and doesn't like to see them get hooked, and she's been amazingly supportive and happy for my re-found passion.

I bought an old Sportspal canoe that's been in the family since '67 or '68, fixed it up, and got out as much as I could. I caught fish at night on topwater. I caught brook trout. I tried lakes I never heard of. I met up with a stranger from the internet who thankfully slaughtered walleye, rather than slaughtered me.

And so, in a rather hurried fashion, my life became less about video games and sitting on the couch (I still do that - I've put over 120 hours into Skyrim on PS3 in the last month, but that's actually down from before, and in large part due to weather being non-Dana-friendly at the moment), and more about eating healthier, getting outdoors, living a more active lifestyle, losing fat... I've watched about four or five seasons of The Biggest Loser since April, and that show is so emotional for me. If you haven't gone through what those contestants went through to get to where they are when they decide to make a change, you might write it off, but I can identify with most of them, and they inspire me so much. The trainers motivate me, even when I'm just sitting there watching it. They teach the contestants to celebrate the small victories. I can do that now, too. The first time I ran a half-mile on a treadmill, that was an achievement for me. When I did 4K of walking/running intervals on the treadmill, that was something I never thought I could do. My ability to get out and fish like I did this summer - for example, walking up and down the banks of the Montreal for six to eight hours straight, without sitting down, without getting tired whatsoever - is thanks in no small part to the motivation and inspiration I got from that reality show (the only reality show that truly makes sense and makes a difference, I think). I set a goal for myself of catching 100 fish this year - lofty, considering the best day before that in my life was seven pike each for four of us, and that was over a decade ago. But, I did it, and then some. These are rewarding things for me. I don't mean to harp on fitness here, but they go hand-in-hand for me. Without one, I would simply not have the other. I just wouldn't.

I still have much work to do, but I'm off to a good start. And of course, getting outside and living - fishing - is the greatest reward.

It doesn't look like the ice is coming this year. I can not freaking wait for spring.

Back when I was younger my user name actually meant something.

 

I've completed a great many lengthy solo canoe trips but the summer of '96 was special.

 

I started my trip on May 12 and finished it on Sept 15.

 

Over the course of those 4 months I paddled over 1200 km's by myself and managed to fish some of the finest brook trout waters in the world.

 

Fabled trout rivers like the Asheweig, Winisk, Frog, Fawn and Severn were my playground.

 

I ate when I was hungry, slept when I was tired and fished 'till my hearts content. I carried my shelter on my back, transportation was my canoe.

 

It really drove home to me how little one needs to be truly happy.

 

Every day was an adventure seeing new and amazing country at every turn.

 

It instilled a confidence in me that I still carry with me to this day.

 

That year will never again be repeated, I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity.

I wish I could let go of everything and just do that. You lived the dream. I can only hope to experience small parts of that, spread throughout the remainder of my life.

Check your local codes and talk to the township. OLD foundations might not be allowd to biuld on but the "foot print" may be used if your willing to put a new foundation in thats up to code.

 

From my understanding at this piont in my carier whenever structural ellements are involved in renos or rebuilds. Any alteration to existing fundimental ellements must be brought up to existing code requirements and inspected. Involving enginieres/architechts and munnicaple code inspectors. $

 

Having said that some townships dont realy have strict rules so do your home work regarding municaple building code requirements.

 

Caution should always be taken when altering foundation/framing/plumbing/water source!!! and septic for those that like rual comunities.

 

This is why they try to save foundations as it is the most expensive and important ellement of any structure.

Pretty sure they were just joking. If your house burns to the ground the concrete basement is unscathed and useless. Hence the joke, we saved the basement.

I thought that, but... The above reply seems to make some sense to me.

My anger will perpetually be fueled by those who continually search for the absolute most precious portions of our province, country, and world, and seek to permanently scar or destroy it without any thought aside from greed-driven monetary flow to their pockets.

Hey, fire guys. This is may be a stupid question, but what good is "saving a basement" anyhow? Presumably it makes rebuilding easier, but there must be something more to it?

If that's the only thing, and my house burns but my basement is "saved," it's of little use to me, as the town here probably wouldn't let me rebuild due to changes in the building code or bylaws or whatever. I own a lot that used to have a house on it, and I was told I would probably not be permitted to put a small garage on it now because of such issues.

Anyhow, I was just curious.

I thought this was a report about some unlucky family loosing there house,not a pissing match about which fireman can and can't enter a burning house.

Why can't it be both? We feel bad for the people who lost their home, and see whose firehose is longer. Or something.. It's not the length of the hose, it's how much water it sprays!

3 times a week? Less than 1% of a fire departments call volume is an actual fire. Once a year is more of an accurate number.

Once every year or two is probably accurate here.

If three houses went up in flames every week, this entire town would be ashes in 2-3 years.

You should mail that fish to The Biggest Loser for the next season's cast!

Whoa, guys. This is a pretty small house, and there were 6 hoses going at one point, that I could see from my window. It was hard to count all the firefighters, but there were at least a dozen at one point, many outside, some inside. They were here very quick to get here too, and I believe (not 100% sure on this) they're volunteers. This is a small town, and I recognized the names on at least three of them (probably went to school with a son or brother of theirs). They were here all day, one or two of them (one who knocked on my door to ask if he could use my power... No, you may not! Who do you think I am, Ontario Hydro!?? ) are out there again today with the marshal and OPP.

I have much respect for them, and I was in awe of watching them work tirelessly for probably 6 hours. They controlled and contained the fire, and despite a report I read online, to my knowledge the fire did not spread to trees and telephone poles (something my mom read and panicked about). In fact, the house right next door looks untouched (the roof practically overhangs the other house. Separated by just a sidewalk). My house heated up pretty good, and our power (therefore heat) was out for hours, so it had to be pretty hot outside too.

Looks like some nasty beef jerky haha.

So much effort put into building one of those... Couldn't you just buy a port-a-potty and drill your hole through the toilet? Lightweight, built-in seating, and when you get a bite, you'll know it.

Dana, was there an actual explosion before the fire or could you have heard the noise of the windows blowing out ??

 

Alot of pressure builds up inside a house while a fire is burning, specially this time of year when the building is closed up tight against the cold weather. Once the pressure is high enough, it'll blow out the windows and sometimes that can be pretty loud.

 

Coppers will probably ask the same question.

I tried typing up a reply three or four times.. I can't get the wording to how I want it, as I don't want to go into much more detail in public.

As for your specific question, I don't know - and that's not for me to figure out, thankfully. I know what I heard and what I saw, and how it fits together is up to someone else to piece together.

Yes, all three people got out fine (edit: news says minor injuries for the wife, from the blast), and I think they got their pet(s) out too.

Cruiser is still parked in the middle of the street, and the cops will be around later to get our account of the explosion and following events.

Pics of my neighbor's house, taken from my kitchen window (except the last one, taken from my upstairs window):

Took the fire department a whole 4, maybe 5 minutes to arrive from the first sign of smoke. I was impressed. Yet, that was not enough to save the house whatsoever. They fought it for about 5 hours or so. Police tape sectioned off the portion of the street beside my house and a cop was posted all night.

It sure sucks for that family. I am not aware of an official cause as of yet, but I'm really curious considering how things went down... There's glass all the way across the street to the side of my house. The fire marshal is coming to investigate today, and will probably talk to me.

OP, I feel the same way about pike. I don't enjoy eating pike.. I have, but it's so hit-or-miss. And I will handle them, but I need a chemical rinse afterwards. Here's a picture of me catching my last pike of the season, when I was actually targeting bass:

After musky fishing I already can tell there will be alot less bass fishing for me.

Same for me, but trout instead of musky. I am not giving up on bass entirely, but definitely spending more time going for specks and friends. (I am neither equipped nor in the correct part of the province to take up musky hunting. Some day I will give it a shot, though! (And hope it doesn't ruin trout for me.))

Haha strike a match and light the fuse. You know what is really easy? Getting bass guys going. OhFN.

Yeah, I used to be one... Then you showed me that walleye fishing can be not boring by pulling them in hand-over-fist.

Dude:

 

I asked for porn but that is freakin sick!!

2 Fish, 1 Guy?

Very nice fish, indeed!

Look at the size of that eye of that eye!

Put spandex on me, and i look like Chris Farley in American Ninja

That wouldn't be so bad, if you lived IN A VAN, DOWN BY THE RIVER!!!

Dana

i have been looking at these for next year.Tried a pair on and they are very comfortable

http://www.basspro.c...ct/73534/142605

I saw these, or something nearly identical, at Remakko's in Sudbury, but they felt too thick for fall fishing to me. One of the sales reps told me they usually carry this other kind of glove that is exactly what I am looking for, but it was out of stock the day I was there.

These ones do look good for ice fishing though, especially on the days I plan to go (warm days!).

I could go with the cheaper ideas, I guess. But it's a bit late now - the snow's a-fallin' and there is a layer of ice this morning on the lake near my house, and sub-zero temps all up in the forecast, so... Can't be long now.

I'm not equipped for cold weather fishing yet, so my boat has been in hibernation for 3 weeks already.

If i can get some good outerwear next year, i plan on fishing till freeze up.

Same... I put the canoe in the back yard about a month ago, and I have only tried a couple times off-shore since, with no luck. My hands were freezing the last couple times so I just stopped. I want some nice thin gloves that let me feel the hits, but also block the wind, for next fall... Withdrawal is not the word - I'm fishing in my dreams, and in my daydreams! And I am only now acquiring winter gear. Put this off for too long.

:drool:

I can't wait...

Those are some nice fish - you lucked out. I usually target anything but pike, and what do I catch? Pike!

Dana... what flavour of Linux are you running

I've run many of them over the years, from my early days getting my feet wet with WinLinux and Mandrake, to Debian, then Ubuntu (I actually started Ubuntu Studio, but it was originally a wiki with tutorials and stuff, and then I started packaging music software for the distro, and then someone took over from there and made it into its own spinoff distro). Then, once Ubuntu's head got too big, I jumped to Linux Mint Debian Edition. I've tested countless other distros, but that was my main path to where I am at now.

I'm mostly happy with LMDE. It's maybe not the best for a newbie, but it's got a bit of polish that is lacking from Debian. I run it on my work PC, my living room PC that is mostly used by my tech-illiterate wife, and my server in the basement that streams my media to my PS3s.

tldr; LMDE.

I've got Turtle beach PX21's which are a bit older and therefore cheaper ( about $80 I think). For the price they are very good. I have never used real fancy surround sound ones so I cant really compare but the PX21's do the job for me.

I guess I didn't say that part, but that's the headset I have, that came in the bundle I bought. (If you ever want the surround, you can just buy an EarForce DSS. The effect is generally mild, but sometimes I can really tell.)

I actually own a pair of those gloves. You can purchase them ($350.00) in Alderville, Ontario on the reserve. They are AMAZINGLY WARM... My wife purchased them for me last christmas....if I could find a jacket/pants/boots I wouldn't hesitake

Can you even feel a fish bite, through 8 inches of fur?

I saw ice on a lake near my house on my drive home! Wonder if it'll hold me...