Spiel

I think there may be some behind the scenes work going on in the gallery area. I couldn't even directly access my gallery with the link up top. Perhaps Rick will know/look into it.

Hmmmmm, perhaps it's time to get my boat out, been some time since I wet a line there. Nice work guys.

Nirvan indeed. Nary a day passes where at least for a moment my thoughts have wondered to Nipigon. Thanks for taking the time on this one Al, stellar.

It's so shiny and, and, and, and.............................new. I'm betting your gonna love the performance Lew.

Now I'm not one to throw stones but..... :D :D

I don't care what anyone says Wayne, you're a hell of a nice guy.

Great shots Dan. I know what you're saying about border collies. Brook (my pup) may only be border collie on hers dads side but my lord she's a smart as whip. I hope to get her up there to run and play with Abby this year.

NRAA contest a sure sign of spring 3/01/09 Will Elliott / buffalonews.com One certain sign of spring comes when anglers enter the Niagara River Anglers Association’s (NRAA) Steelhead Contest. Held in late February each year since 1986, the Roger Tobey Memorial event continually draws diehard trout anglers no matter what the weather. In more than two decades, contest officials canceled the competition just once: Ice was jamming the lower Niagara River and all Lake Ontario feeder streams were frozen over one Saturday morning. Like participants in the St. Patrick’s Day parade in mid-March, steelie contest entrants show up no matter what weather greets them at the sunrise start. The sun shined brightly over the embankment at Lewiston Landing on Feb. 21 as anglers filled out last-minute registrations before heading to a boat or feeder stream. Anyone not familiar with ice conditions in the lower river might look out from what once was a sand dock at Lewiston and think that these guys launching boats into floe-dotted waters might not be all that stable. High winds across Lake Erie ice the previous Thursday and Friday had pushed massive chunks of ice over the ice boom that retains surface and shove ice on a span between Buffalo and Fort Erie. Most floes are flat chunks ground to small pieces when passing over Niagara Falls. But some monsters retain their 2-to 3-foot diameter and have enough substance to move boats and big outboard motors sideways. Those big floes gave us bump-and- grind rides everywhere from the cliffs above Stella Niagara up to the drifts in Devils Hole. Capt. Frank Campbell has been a regular in this NRAA contest and in recent years I’ve gone along to see how they run. The quest is to catch the biggest steelhead trout that can be weighed in at Lewiston Landing before 2 p. m. that day, but it’s the camaraderie that counts more when Campbell books these annual trips with Bob Lerch and John DeLong, two guys from the Seneca Falls area who fish the river and Lake Ontario with Campbell throughout the season. Lerch and DeLong conduct the most spirited intramural competition ever seen on the water. Both can find ways to outscore the other. From first-caught fish, to most in the boat, and finally the heaviest (on the contest board or in our boat), competition patter is the matter. Lerch won the contest a couple of years back, but he had to pass this year because his daughter was getting married that day. DeLong saw it as a “likely excuse.” In place of Lerch, DeLong invited John Keeler of Hector as the fourth member of our four-corner follies. Campbell is good at finding and catching fish, and the fish (mostly steelies) showed just about everywhere in the lower river that morning. He started our drifts just below the landing along the cliffs that eventually settle into the embayment at Stella Niagara. Fish came fast, and so did other boaters. We had three fish on the first drift and two on the second. Trouble was, all the fish weighed in between four and eight pounds— nothing worthy of a weigh-in—and the catches drew steady boat traffic, which turned off the bite. We worked various drifts up river, mainly in Devils Hole, netting 18-20 trout, including a brown and a laker, and kept five for filleting. The biggest fish may have nudged nine pounds, but all three of the winning steelies passed the 12-pound mark. And all the winners came later in the day from the same drifts we worked and left earlier that morning. Fishing guru Gary Roach says, “You don’t leave fish to find fish.” Our problem was getting over fish willing to bite the minnows, egg sacks and Kwikfish we sent down through surface ice floes. It was a good day for catch numbers. At the cleaning station, I chatted with many anglers. All boaters I met had at least a few fish and the charter guys averaged 10-20 fish totals. Top two honors went to a crew of regulars from southeastern New York; most of these anglers have fished the NRAA contest regularly since 2000. Mike Reeves of Warwick took first with a 12-pound, 10-ounce steelie. Reeves, fishing with Capt. Ted Kessler of Rivermaster Charters, hooked his prize fish a half-hour before the contest’s end. Robert Grant, from Morro, fished with Capt. Chris Cinelli and came in a close second with a 12-pound, 6- ounce entry. Shannon Santee of Avon, Ohio, landed a close third-place finisher at 12 pounds, 3 ounces. March may come in like a lion or a lamb, the St. Patty’s Day Parade weather may be delightful or dank, but the steelie tournament marks a rite of winter’s passage and the start of springtime fishing fun—with or without an ongoing competition and a boat full of pranksters.

Well they got to sleep in their own beds last night. Norfolk County : Ice Fishermen Safely Back on Shore Posted by Jen Waumsley Two ice fishermen from Tillsonburg are safely back on shore after cracks in the ice caused it to drift away from shore. Norfolk OPP say the stranded men were airlifted from the flowing ice near Inner Bay in Long Point around 5:30 last night with help from the Coast Guard. Both men were unharmed. Warm temperatures and high winds had caused the early morning stable ice to become unstable and break apart.

Husband, wife team sweep CIFC February 26, 2009 John Slykhuis / yorkregion.com The husband and wife team of Joe and Darlene Adragna finished Day 1 — perch day — win 36th place at the Canadian Ice Fishing Championship, but roared back Sunday to claim the title. The Beeton couple swept the CIFC in unprecedented fashion, winning the Georgina Cup and the $5,508 first prize, as well as the mixed doubles title and the individual top angler awards for the men (the Cliff Perry Award) and women (the Jean Power Memorial), plus the big fish honours. The Adragnas figured they were out of the running, then struck the day two piscatorial bonanza five miles out from Bonnie Boats. The couple, who fish together occasionally, weren’t even paired up for the CIFC, but Joe’s partner bowed out at the last minute and he was “stuck” with Darlene. “I had to give her a crash course,” he said laughing. She didn’t need the instruction, hauling out the biggest whitefish of the day — a monster 31-incher — to claim the John Redding Trophy, while Joe pulled out a lunker 35-inch lake trout to win the Dan Perry Trophy. Joe also won the Perry hardware in 2001, but he hadn’t fished the CIFC in three years before this past weekend. The couple hauled in four whities, two lakers and a ling on day two. The awards were handed out Sunday night at the Lionshead Resort in Jackson’s Point by CIFC organizer Rocky Madsen and Georgina Mayor Rob Grossi, who praised Madsen’s efforts and emphasized the importance of ice fishing to Georgina and Lake Simcoe. Madsen said he was delighted with how smoothly the event went this year, with 60 two-person teams taking to the ice. Georgina angler and CIFC alumni organizer Bill Hirstwood, with partner Ken Tamblyn from Stouffville, jumped into the lead Saturday with a limit of 15 perch weighing in at a hefty 11.02 pounds, well ahead of past champs Norm and Mike Burden, but day two in deep water saw two whities slip off the hook. The pair had to settle for fourth place overall. David Hamilton and Mike Levesque claimed second place, while last year’s champs, Jeff Bell and Mike Joyce, fished their way to third spot. Rules night Friday saw the prestigious Bill Bond Trophy awarded to long-time organizer Paul Nicholls for his outstanding contributions to the sport over the years. Past winner Ken Hackenbrook made the presentation. The annual CIFC is the second in the new Georgina Fishing Series organized by Madsen. The Great Georgina Fishing Derby, a two-week lake-wide tourney, finished up Feb. 15. Mike Riendeau won the $500 first prize in the lake trout category, with CIFC founding member Mike Burrows finishing second. Ron Josephson claimed the cash in the whitefish category, while Tom Shearer was top dog for perch. Next up is the Perch Attack March 8. For all the details and results, go to www.georginafishingseries.ca

Lorne closed up LG Custom Tackle a looooong time ago.

I've always had a fondenss for the Meaford / Thornbury area. South shore of beautiful Georgian Bay and central to most of the areas steelhead fishing.

Great looking wally and a terrific way to spend the day. I always enjoy spending a day out fishing with the GF, unfortunately it doesn't happen very often. Dishes, hell I have to do 'em everyday along with the laundry, the groceries, the vaccuming......etc, etc, etc......

I can also attest to being checked by CO's on a few occasions and they never said anything about beer in the boat. They do however carry radios and they can contact the QPP if they believe you to be impaired and I can tell you this, the QPP don't play games!

I used to make annual pilgramages through the 80"s in the first week of June. Walleye and laker fishing was great. Big eyes on shallow structure in the evenings and lakers all day using riggers. You might find more up to date info here. www.kipawa.net

You're killing me!

You could add the former Stelco to the list Cliff, they were paying the top execs "performance bonuses" for decades while they were losing tens of millions all the while steering the company towards bankruptcy!

Thank you and I hope your wife does indeed get her severance. "now they are bleeding more red than a floating fish factory." I like it, I'm sure I can find a use for that line someday.

I actually had to read "everyday news" yesterday while having my morning coffee and hated every minute of it.

Well I'm not hopefull of things improving in the auto sector anytime soon and that mostly all we cater to any more so this could be lengthy. In the mean time though I'm sure I'll be fine guys, thanks.

Imagine how I feel, just being a few years short of being able to collect my pension.

Sometimes I close my eyes and with a little luck the whole day has gone by.

BINGO....Nice brookie!