Spiel

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!

Well, belated anniversary guys. Congrats on two succesful trips out on the ice, I know I could sure use some time out there. Little tip for you Joey, learn to use that shiny new sonar with the "fish ID" feature turned off! Good to see you up and about Paul.

Ditto, though I don't shop Walmart. I actually have a $25 Timmies gift card in my wallet (Christmas gift) that I haven't used and Lord knows if I ever will? Praps on some wayward trip to Nipigon or something.

That's "totally awesome" Wayne. I could easily enjoy a day (or lifetime) of doing stuff like that! Could I get started with a few hundred.

Sweet jump'n Jesus, that's one big ling. I've only seen one comparable in my life, a buddy caught it off the mouth of the Bighead river and it was as long as his leg. It sure looked old with all sorts of battle scars (possibly from gill nets encounters?), anyhow we realeased it without any measurements taken. Congrats, it's truly a hog!

All the best my friend. I was going to send you a package but Brook wouldn't let me seal her up in the box.

Did anybody notice where I said the $600.00 repair for a five minute job was a Toyota dealer?

Welcome.

This is not good and may have an impact on many other harbours around the lake. Story in the OFC News

Ice fishing to get the hook February 26, 2009 PETE FISHER / northumberlandtoday.com Ice fishing in Cobourg harbour will likely be outlawed in the next few weeks by Cobourg council, and could be on the agenda as soon as Monday, chief administrative officer Steve Robinson says. On Sunday, two fishermen were seen augering holes at various locations in the middle of the inner harbour. The two men also set up a portable ice hut. Robinson said marina manager Phil Fardella told him the same two fishermen had been fishing on the ice a few weeks earlier. They were told at least twice it wasn't safe to be on the ice in the harbour, Robinson said, but they ignored the warnings. Fardella gave the anglers Cobourg's current fishing bylaw passed in June, 1991 stating: "No person shall engage in the activity of fishing in the areas of the Cobourg Harbour describes as follows: "· the centre pier of the harbour "· the marina berthing slips located in the harbour east basin "· the marina fuel dock extending from the north wall of the harbour to the centre pier "· the pedestrian walk way along the north wall of the harbour between Division Street and Third Street." Robinson said the fishing bylaw was not written with ice fishing in mind, as people have rarely, if ever, done it in the harbour. "The story in the newspaper obviously raised the profile and staff is looking at how we can incorporate into the fishing bylaw something that would cover ice fishing in the inner harbour," he said. Robinson said the proposed bylaw would be to ban ice fishing in the harbour. "We're concerned how there are creeks and storm drains entering into the inner harbour and we're really concerned about safety (of the ice fishermen). We're not only concerned about the safety, but then there is liability for the town as well," he said. He expects the amended bylaw would be presented to council in the next few weeks.

Existing protocols not halting invasive species spread into Great Lakes February 25, 2009 Jim Moodie / www.manitoulin.ca CHICAGO-A recent report from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warns that the current regime in place to catch invasive species won't prevent dozens of new exotic pests from entering the Great Lakes. The study, titled Predicting Future Introductions of Nonindigenous Species to the Great Lakes, identifies 30 non-native species that pose a medium or high risk of reaching the lakes and 28 others that have already gained a toehold and could proliferate more widely. They include such ominous-sounding critters as the monkey goby, the fishhook waterflea, and the doctor fish (technically called a tench fish). These 58 newcomers would join the 185 invaders that are known to have already found a niche in the Great Lakes. Not all, it should be noted, are wreaking utter havoc: according to the EPA, only 13 of the existing intruders, such as the zebra mussel and sea lamprey, have done extensive harm to the aquatic environment and the regional economy. Still, the report recommends prompt action to nip the ingress of more unwanted species, and points to a number of high-traffic ports as areas where tougher monitoring should be implemented. These include Duluth, Minnesota; Superior, Wisconsin; and Toledo, Ohio. Each is a site that receives a high concentration of discharged ballast water, a medium that accounts for over two-thirds of the invasive species that have entered the lakes. Both Canada and the US now require ocean-going vessels to flush their ballast at sea, and have recently enacted requirements for ships to rinse empty tanks with saltwater in hopes of killing organisms that can lurk in residual pools at the bottom. Still, even with such measures in place, "it is likely that nonindigenous species will continue to arrive in the Great Lakes," the report predicts, as some saltwater-tolerant species may survive ballast-water exchange and tank flushing. "Despite these ballast-water regulations, at least 13 new (invasive species) are believed to have entered the Great Lakes from ballast water since 1993," the report notes. Hugh MacIsaac, a University of Windsor biologist and director of the Canadian Aquatic Invasive Species Network, believes the ballast regulations are quite effective, however, and that the picture painted by the EPA is unreasonably alarmist. Flushing and ballast-water exchange should kill 99 percent of organisms, he told the Associated Press, adding, "I would be very surprised if their prediction comes true." Canada implemented voluntary ballast-water guidelines to stem the spread of invaders in 1990, with tougher rules introduced in 2006 that now require all ships entering Canada's waters to manage their ballast water. The law, through the Canada Shipping Act, states that cargo ships must: exchange their ballast water in open ocean; treat their ballast water while in transit; discharge their ballast water to a reception facility; and retain their ballast water on board ship. According to Environment Canada, a mid-ocean exchange of freshwater for seawater in a ship's ballast tanks will take care of most invaders, as the high salt content of the latter tends to kill off the freshwater organisms, while the number of salt-tolerant creatures are relatively few. When this ballast is discharged at the port of destination, "the very small number of organisms that would be taken in from the high seas would not survive in the port's waters," the department states in an article at EnviroZine, its online newsmagazine. However, there is growing evidence that this approach is far from foolproof, and a more effective way to stem the alien tide is to treat the ballast water during a ship's voyage with organism-zapping agents or by depriving these aquatic nasties of oxygen. There are about 30 treatment systems being developed around the world, four of which are being tested in Canada. Two of the more promising methods that Environment Canada has been studying are The Peraclean Ocean treatment, which uses peracetic acid and hydrogen peroxide to eliminate aquatic hitchhikers; and Ballaclean, which employs deoxygenation technology to choke the life out of the little stowaways. Neither is perfect: the former leaves toxic residues in the treated water that may take up to a week or more to dissipate; the latter requires a long period of time for the process to be effective, and can cause increases in ammonia and other byproducts that render the discharged water hazardous for the environment. While ballast-water discharge is the most prevalent pathway for invaders, the EPA report notes that a high rate of this activity in one area of the basin does not necessarily translate to more species invasions. It points to the example of Lake Superior, which counts the most discharges of ballast water in the Great Lakes, yet has fewer invasive species than the other lakes. "The low nonindigenous species colonization rate in Lake Superior may be due to any of several factors including cooler temperatures, a high ratio of deeper waters, low food availability due to low productivity, and low calcium concentrations," the report states. The US environmental agency attributes 65 percent of invasive species in the Great Lakes to shipping and ballast water. The remainder come through a variety of conduits, including canals, bait transfers, fish farms and aquarium releases. The study employs a type of ecological modelling, combined with remote sensing data, in order to predict which areas of the Great Lakes would become suitable habitats for the next round of invasive species. Lake Huron, for instance, is considered an area of "high suitability" for the blueback herring, a medium-sized fish very similar to an alewife. Indeed, most of the Great Lakes, save for the deeper parts of Lake Superior and all of Lake St. Clair, are considered a promising habitat for this newcomer. By contrast, Lake Huron is an unlikely home for the rudd, whereas circumstances on Lakes Erie and Ontario are ripe to receive these hardy, thick-bodied fish. We're also, thankfully, a zone of "low suitability" for the roach, a member of the carp family. (Again, Erie and Ontario are most apt to host this type of invader.) According to Jennifer Nalbone, invasive species director for the advocacy group Great Lakes United, the EPA report acts as a wake-up call for tougher legislation and monitoring. She told the Associated Press that it "reinforces the need for further measures to keep foreign species out, including requiring onboard technology to sterilize ballast tanks."

State of fishery topic of meetings in Dunnville, Six Nations February 23, 2009 The results of a 10-year plan to improve the Grand River watershed fishery will be discussed at two public meetings in the lower Grand area. Thursday, March 5 at the Dunnville District Hunters and Anglers Club House, 237 McLauglin Side Road, Dunnville (Originally scheduled for Feb. 16 but postponed due to flooding.) Wednesday, March 18 at the Six Nations Tourism Center, 2498 Chiefswood Rd., Ohsweken The meetings, which will run from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. will outline the work that has been done to implement the Grand River Fisheries Management Plan and give those attending an opportunity to talk about future directions for the fishery. Over the past 10 years the Grand River system has enjoyed a rebirth as a great place for anglers. Much of the improvement has come about as a result of the implementation of the recommendations of the plan. It was released in 1998 by the GRCA and the Ministry of Natural Resources after extensive consultation with anglers, fishing groups and residents of the Grand River watershed. The meeting will include these presentations: - Overview of the Grand River Fisheries Management Plan - MNR projects in the Lower Grand - Volunteer projects in the Lower Grand - Water quality conditions - Management of the GRCA reservoir system In addition to the presentations, there will be a variety of displays on fishery and environmental issues. More information on the plan and the Grand River fishery is available in the Fisheries section of the GRCA website. These meetings are part of a series of five to take information to the public and gather comments on the 10th anniversary of the fishery plan. Earlier meetings were held in Elora, Cambridge and Dunnville.

Lakair in the beginning, just a handful of us.... these days it's considerably bigger....

Thanks for the heads up TG. I know it's an older vehicle but I'll pass the word along.

It's not just GM. My GF's dad needed to replace the gas shocks that hold up the rear hatch door on his Toyata van, dealership told him $600.00, he declined. I told him to go and purchase two new ones (cost was about $50-$60 apiece?) and I would replace them for him. I did this in his driveway with my pocket knife (small C clip) and 10 minutes of my time, keep in mind it was January (bitter cold) and I had no experience with this.