Paulus

Awesome bow! Must put our GL fish to shame p.-

Nice work for sure. Very clean build . It looks like you've got talent! CTS is an amazing blank, especially the 12 ft. I had a chance to test-drive Solo's last week and I was very impressed. Ridiculously light and very strong. If I may suggest... on future builds I would also experiment with setting the reel further back. You utilize more blank that way, which is good both for casting and fighting fish. Mind you, it all comes down to personal preference. But if you try it, you may find that you prefer it . p.-

I recently got a chance to fish with Solopaddler and Drifter16 who was visiting our part of the country, to take in the “summer”-like coniditions (those NWT guys are used to some pretty cold temps!) . Our target were some Georgian Bay tributaries that had had a recent dose of rain. The EPIC CHROME SLAUGHTER that we expected never really materialized, but there were definitely enough fish around to make a decent go of it. The motherlode was definitely out there, but we never lucked into it. All fish were bright, energetic and a little on the small side (from a Lake Ontario steelhead perspective), and, although we didn’t get quite the quantity we expected, we got into them fairly consistently throughout the day. As usual, laughs and chortles were pretty much non-stop throughout the day, so we did get the motherlode as far as that’s concerned, and that’s usually the whole point anyway. If you can’t enjoy yourself, you won’t have a good day – no matter how many fish you drag to the bank! I’ve included a lot of doubles, hopefully for your viewing pleasure . p.-

Too true. That trib has taken a beating. Too many posts. I hear from the old timers that it's a cyclical thing though... a few years of no fish will turn them all away. 5 or 6 years later, you have a fishery on your hands again. Still, c&r and a 1 fish limit would be extremely helpful. Then again, if you want to see some real lack of restraint, rent a charter out of any of the harbors in the area... As for timing runs of fish, sometimes they will start coming in just before the rain starts. Try that, too. Becoming a steelheader is almost the same as becoming a junior weather forecaster... p.-

Good job. I'm intrigued by your 'pin. What kind is it? I'm with Solopaddler on this one. This is also one of my favourite rivers to fish, even when they aren't there in as many numbers. It's just really nice to be there this time of year Stocked fish tend to have funny proportions, but that's their weakness. Their strength: tons of fish around! Congrats on a great trip! p.-

I like how you "trot" your float Brendan - looking pretty good! You must have a pretty amazing teacher to get you started so young . Keep it up! p.-

Agreed. I was lucky enough to know a gentleman who was part of HQ for the Queen's Own Rifles, and who was in Normandy on D Day. He passed away 10 years ago, doing what he loved, but I learned a lot from him while he was alive. It was through him that I came to understand how little so many of us know about the many incredible contributions of the canadian military in history. You're right. We can never thank them (you) enough. p.-

I'm groing a handlebar Mike Brown style... p.-

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I'm into Solo's sloppy seconds! I couldn't resist picking this one up when he was selling it, because I love the blank and I also feel that it's just a gorgeous handle. I wasn't wrong. It's a great all-around rod. That's the 2 piece XST by the way. On our last trip together, I also bought his 3 piece XST. It's got even more backbone than the 2 piece. So now I'm set for a good long while, with regards to rods (and those juicy seconds ); add the Demarco and it's like ice cream with your cake! p.-

Here's another pic of his other side. Notice the fresh huge lamprey bite, as well as the collection of older ones. I hope he fathers at least this year's generation of fish. They'll be champs! p.s. See Solopaddler's post about the Demarco reel, if you like the one you see in these pics

If you're going to use it, then it's worth it. Sell the 10 1/2 to someone who is just starting out, and get yourself a 13 or 13.5 - you won't regret it. p.-

hehehe I like you. I love your status moniker too. Fat guy in a little boat.

John, you need a setup like this: Let me know if you ever decide to turn to the dark side. It's my GDP setup. God D___ Perfect. Lots of fun to feel this connected to the fish p.-

Here are a few more looks at Solo's friend's reel . I have to say that since I bought this reel I've felt no desire to fish anything else. One of the things I really like is that, despite the high tolerance, sand and grit are easily gotten rid of. The reel grinds it out quickly and you don't have to take it apart mid-trip. Lovely reel. I sleep with it under my pillow at night... p.-

Sweet chromers! Thanks for sharing. p.-

Very cool. Oh look!... a PINK UNICORN! Go figure, and in character too! But seriously, awesome catch and thanks for finally showing me the pic p.-

Thanks for the great comments everyone. I haven't shared too many stories lately, but I knew that this one would be well received. It's easy to tell a good story when you're heart's in it . The oil is probably the next step, then. The camera works fine, but it's that little lens cap thingy that won't open all the way. I'll give it a week or so, and if it hasn't corrected itself I'll try it. Thanks for the advice, spincast! p.-

I know! He kicked up a splash just as I was taking a pic. lens cap won't open now... dunno what I'm gonna do... p.-

Again, it depends on where and when. I've seen big fish taking large dew worms in late November when there was ice on the surface, and roe bags weren't doing much. My usual go to is hot pink. I also tie scads of white and chartreuse. I find hot pink is good in almost any condition, especially if there are aggressive fish around. If I want to be more stealthy I switch to white. Cure or not cured, again, seems to depend on water clarity, temp and speed - and I change my mind all the time as to which I prefer. p.-

Excited by the recent rainfalls, as well as all the reports of successful outings, I eagerly awaited today. I knew that, with my shift in T.O. starting at noon, I would have time to hit one of my favourite small rivers by daybreak. When I got there, it was low and clear, despite all the 70+mm that have fallen in the past week. And the only vestige of last night's rain was a greenish tinge to the water, with about 2ft of visibility. Didn't matter though. They were in. It wasn't a bunch of chromers, but I went 2 for 5 in the first hour between 7:45 and 8:45. The first was a smaller hen, probably no more than 3lbs. I caught her on one side of the river. After I released her, I changed color on the roe bag and tossed it to the other side. One drift, two drifts and down goes the float! After a surprisingly long fight, this little scrapper was on the bank. Within that first hour I had one missed giant take, another big take that tore a roe bag clean off and one where the fish immediately rolled and spit the hook . For the next two hours I pretty much eeked out a meagre existence in the NE wind and the drizzle. I did ok, though, missing a small hen, and a male about 6lbs - I had him almost to shore for a pic, then he pulled the hook...believe me? Then... it was almost time to leave ... As I was fishing a slow, deep section my float did the best thing it could do... the sunfish nibble. You may know this one. It means there's either a goby or a smolt, OR there's a very nonchalant - and therefore big - mature fish sniffing at my bait. The float did its little dance and seemed to halt, so I pulled the trigger - whiffffff! ; air. I reset my hook and roe bag, and poked a salmon egg. Sweet juice started to flow... I cast up again... No more than 5 feet of drifting and the sunfish tickles start again... they stop. Two more feet of drift. I'm getting really tense now. They start again, get a little more serious and stop; but so does the float, and it goes ever so gently down. BOOM! Fish on! Log! A freaking log but; no! It's moving. Head shakes, only a few. Then it was on. I fought this guy up and down the river, knowing he was a tank - Tank, with a capital T. I had to disturb the guys fishing on the other side of the river, because this fish ran up there like a train. I got him to come back over, then purposely maneuvered him to head down river, where there was better gravel to make a landing. All in all, after about 10 minutes worth of battling, the big buck lay on the bank at my feet. Sweet, big, prime, dime bright fish. He's worth a whole day and then some. (p.s. for a better perspective on size, the handle on my rod is 21" long and the reel has a 5" diameter, where his beak is now is at about the 33" mark - trust me I measured it afterwards lol!) I Feel GREAT right now p.-

Comme ils sont beaux! Nice chromers, men! p.-

I thought it was a male?

wha??? ...

I will call him .... Mini Me .... p.-