adolson

I keep a fishing journal of pretty much all of my catches and the last fish of 2011 came on October 10th. I tried many times afterwards, and came up empty-netted, not to mention usually soaked and cold and tired (especially on aurora's closing day).

Late last year I switched my fishing focus to trout, and haven't looked back.

I don't have access to steelhead or salmon anywhere near me, but I am fortunate enough to live within day-trip distance of many, many lakes, including a bunch of year-round trout lakes stocked with brook trout or lake trout, as well as various splake lakes (and a handful of rainbow trout lakes, but they're mostly harder to access without an ATV). So I don't have to quit fishing in the fall, but I kinda feel like I'm wasting my time.

The lakes I fish are usually fairly small, so I can cover them usually fairly well. The fish have to still be in the lakes, obviously, but they don't seem to want to come out and play with me. I don't think it has anything to do with the moon or the wind or weather, since I've tried on full moon, new moon, and everything in between, wind from N, S, E and W, rain, snow, sun, clouds.. The good days seem to be very random, even during the summer. Some days I can catch them on hook and worm under a bobber, other days they want spinners or spoons. Sometimes they want them in close to shore, other times in the middle of the lake. Sometimes near the surface, other days you need to go deep. Retrieve fast, or sometimes slow, and sometimes at a medium pace...

But none of this seems to matter once the fall season kicks in. I can try everything I can think of, but I just wind up with shiny lures and frozen hands (gloves don't help much at all on the rainy days, I've learned). It's like they're hibernating. Or just pointing and laughing at me.

So, I must ask: do you have any tips for me? Or should I just give in and take up hunting? I see a lot of grouse and rabbits around here... But I'd kinda rather have a trout on my plate.

Great report, man! It looks like you have a beauty spot there, and when I saw the first pic, I wished I were there.

Nooooope!

Dana, I didn't realize the Sportspals were so light!! A friend of mine trips with one but he's very strong. He put a hole thru the hull with some 'beaver lumber' while pulling it over a big dam.

 

Stability is a function of hull shape rather than weight of material used.

Yeah, a Sportspal is just a bunch of foam held together with a thin layer of aluminum, so it winds up being lighter than they look. I do realize there are other options out there, including ones that are as light or lighter, and likely some that are very stable. But I own two Sportspals that I paid a total of $150 for, and the important thing to me is that I knew what I was getting - a light, stable, leaky fishing vessel.

I'd love to try some lighter canoes out some day, but I think the chances of me finding one at a price *I* would pay is probably slim. I've not used very many real canoes in my lifetime, but the ones I did were not very stable.

In fact, last summer, I don't know what brand or model but I tried this one canoe out. It was a calm day and I was in 4 feet of water, but still, it was so tippy, it felt like there was a drunken A.D.H.D. epileptic in the middle of having a seizure in the boat with me and I was afraid for my life.

Kevlars weigh about 50#, but it's not just about weight savings. Sportspals are like barges compared to the type of kevlar normally avail for rent. So., IMO, if you're doing a lot of paddling OR a lot of portaging, it will be worth the money.

In other words, it's not about the weight whatsoever.

A 12' Sportspal is around 34lbs, and a 14' is around 41lbs. I've yet to find anything lighter, especially without sacrificing stability. I feel safe in my Sportspals and fish from them exclusively. But I would never want to paddle them for long distances (and by "long distances" I mean I don't want to paddle them AT ALL). A real canoe will take far less effort, is much more maneuverable, and will go a whole lot faster than any Sportspal will. On a trip such as you're planning, you need to factor in more than just the weight of the vessel.

I'm speaking from inexperience here. But I'm pretty sure I'm right - I wouldn't do it myself, and I'm pretty sure I'll be buried in a Sportspal when I die.

Depends on the Walmart.

Yep.

My WalMart sells a nice selection with wider variety of Blue Fox spinners for at least a dollar cheaper than Canadian Tire does. The only true tackle shop doesn't even carry Blue Fox. It's like a music store that doesn't carry any Fender guitars. what the hell

That's just one example, but the same applies to the Little Cleos, though Canadian Tire seems to have the sizes I want more often than WalMart. And again, the "tackle shop" doesn't seem to carry them at all. It's like a music store that doesn't carry any Gibson guitars. what the hell

Awesome report, man!

I apologize for not introducing myself, certainly like most on this board I'm a fishing fanatic and outdoorsman.

TL;DR

Wow! I love these pics almost as much as I love these fish.

i have a WalMart brand, I forget what it's called now... EverStart? Maybe. Something like that. I bought it last year. I already need to replace it. To be fair, it worked great, then I kept it topped up over winter, and it quickly declined this season. Now I can charge it fully and within 10 minutes on my Minn Kota 40lb's built-in battery checker it says Recharge... It still powers the motor for I don't know how long, I've not fully tested it, but I don't trust it. It used to say Max or Good for hours. I do use it and my trolling motor as my only motor the vast majority of the time, though, so I couldn't tell you how many hours that came to. It seems that the motor runs noticeably slower than it typically would with a full or even low charge last year.

Did they re-attach it?

"they were here yesterday... and back in the 70s we were allowed to do it".

Was it moxie?

Just squeeze the gill plates, no reason to put your fingers on the inside.

It's a pike... Just shake your rod until it falls off the hook and back into the water.

Seems like everyone uses something different, haha. I like the look of those neoprene gloves w/ the finger slits. I'll try and find some of them in Sudbury.

Don't cast...lol

lol

Some days, the trout seem to only bite casting or still-fishing.

I'm very interested in the answer to this as well. Last year I had to quit early because I can't seem to cast very well wearing gloves and couldn't find a good pair around here. And it seems it's getting colder faster this year, or my memory isn't what it used to be, or my memory isn't what it used to be.

"He's still there... Wonder what he's doing!!?"

He's enjoying your comedy, sir.

I am a big guy aver 260lbs and do a lot of snow shoeing in LSPP and with the terrain we punish the snowshoes. I have atlas showshoes and they have withheld a beating.

 

Atlas

I liked the price and hybrid design of the Winter Guides, but I know one local shop here sells Atlas' 8, 10, and 12 series. So I looked at them on the site, and am curious which ones you use, yourself?

Although the price is a little more, there are some nice additional features and it looks like a lifetime warranty.. If I went with Atlas, I think I'd have to go with the 10 series at 35", as it will do 350lbs (I don't plan to gain weight, but why not be safe, right?). However, in the videos, these things look tiny - will they actually hold me up on powdered snow?

My only previous experience with snowshoes was in my teenage years and younger, and back then I only used those huge traditional ones that were annoying to wear.

http://www.aluminumsnowshoes.net/

 

Make sure you get the right shoe for your weight and conditions that you will be normally walking in.

None of those ones will hold me and my pack. This is why I had chosen the Winter Guide 1140s.

With mashed potatoes as bait!

I've been eyeing a pair of Faber Winter Guide 1140 snowshoes for almost a year now, but before I pull the trigger, I was wondering if anyone has ever tried them or have any experience with Faber's products at all?

Here's a link to the ones I want: http://www.fabersnow...140&P_no_cate=5

The main reason I want them is for accessing some trout lakes to fish. I think I can get more lakes, more easily than if I were to try just walking through in boots like I did last year. My wife enjoys snowshoeing as well, and I did when I was a kid, and being that I'm far more fit this year than last year, I'm a little more ambitious.

I like mashed potatoes!

I have another pic to contribute - this tiny creek speck I caught this morning (also my first).

And need a fishing partner? Preferably a trout fishing partner...

Most people here seem to be further south, from what I can tell. But surely, there must be someone else on here who lives around this area and also can't find anyone else who loves to fish as much as they do?

Anyhow, PM me if that's you.

The next time you go after those rainbows try various sizes of white twister tails on a jig. I have caught some smaller rainbows on panfish sized ones when they were active and near the top of the water. I also had luck with larger rainbows through the ice using a walleye size twister tail. Give it a shot, it can't hurt and isn't a big cost.

Thanks for the tip. I actually eyed a white jig that somehow got into my trout tackle tray, but I didn't try it.. Maybe I should have.