Just survived 3.5 hours of cleaning fish

[crappieperchhunter]

Sorry folks no pics unless Bruce or Cliff add some.

 

Big Cliff shows up at my place at 5 and then we head for Beamsville to hook up with Bigugli and terrorize smelt at his spot farther south.

 

The smelts where tiny but very plentiful. We fished from 8-2 give or take and had smelt in our holes the entire time. I'm not sure what Bruce and Cliff ended up with but when I got home I dumped my bucket out and I had 492. 3.5 hours later I had 4 good meals of smelts tucked away in my freezer.

 

I just wanted to post this as a thank you to our host Bruce for a great day and the care package of homemade relish, bread & butter pickles and dills he sent home for each of us. I hope a road trip down your way every winter for a day of smelting through the ice can be a tradition we carry on with. I know I sure look forward to it

 

Thank you also Cliff. Always nice to share a day out chasing fish with you. And a partner on the long ride is always a bonus.

 

Good weather, good friends and good fishin...pretty much a perfect day for me. Except for the 3.5 hours of cleaning smelt

But I know that when I'm feasting on them tasty little buggers I'll forget all about that.

[bigugli]

Funny, but I just finished cleaning up after the carnage in my kitchen. (but I had to cook supper first)

 

It's a good thing I let Cliff take the lion's share home tonight. 250 in a little more than 2 hours. It will take this back a few days to rest up Being bent over the hole gets tough after a while, but it is so mesmerizing to watch these fish attack the hook right up into that hole. I can't believe you let that 20" monster get away

 

It was a great day to be out. Even better when i get to share the day with great company.

 

My partners in crime in action.

 

P.S. I know what I'm having for brekkie

[Big Cliff]

I didn't realize how many smelts were in that bucket , I cleaned smelts until almost 11:00 last night but I now have our years supply.

 

Steve, as always it was wonderful to get to spend some time with you and solve the problems of the world, it sure made the drive go by a lot faster! BTW Sue will be in touch with Deb very shortly.

 

Bruce, you are the host extrodinair! Fantastic food, fantastic company, more fish than I could count. All I can say is "Man what a wonderful day"!

I would love to get that bread recipe from you if you wouldn't mind, I have made a lot of different breads but that had a wonderful unique flavour and texture. Thank you again for the jars of goddies, I haven't tried them yet but will in the very near future.

 

I have a couple of cases of jars and lids that I will set aside with your name on and that bucket of lead will be here for you whenever you want it.

 

I didn't do the "sink pic thing" my batteries were dead in the camera and I knew if I was going to get any sleep at all last night I had to get cleaning right away. Lets just say "it's a big sink and there were a lot of smelts"!

 

What more could a man ask for than spending a beautiful day with two very good friends and catching fish to boot? I am very blessed!

[aplumma]

Soooo does this mean you all smelt up the place with fish??? Yea well alls I got is bad jokes. Sounds like a good time was had by all.

 

 

Art

[Ron]

Sounds like you boys had an awesome day smelting!

 

Good on ya's, now if I could only find out where to catch these morsals in my neck of the woods.....

 

Cheers, Ron...

[Roy]

You've never smelt a smelt that smelt like the smelt I smelt. Glad you guys had a great day with a nice feed to boot!

[John]

Sounds like a great day guys, well done.....hey Cliff next time stop by for a coffee, Barbara misses you.......

[Dara]

Soooo does this mean you all smelt up the place with fish??? Yea well alls I got is bad jokes. Sounds like a good time was had by all.

 

 

Art

 

 

Its not a joke..nice that you guys had fun but I can't stands the smell of them darn things unless its spring time and there are no other fish around for comparrison.

[Leecher]

Awesome you guys

Sounds like a fun the cleaning part I mean

Thanks for sharing

Leechman

[Hellfish]

Very nice guys, the smelt are very plentiful this year around here. The monsters lurk at night there!

[bigugli]

Very nice guys, the smelt are very plentiful this year around here. The monsters lurk at night there!

 

Wifey gets too worried about me being on the ice at night.

 

Here's brekkie:

[Hellfish]

Wifey gets too worried about me being on the ice at night.

 

Here's brekkie:

 

NUM NUM NUM NUM

 

You ever set a line for trout out there Bruce? If your in the same area I think you are in.

[bigugli]

NUM NUM NUM NUM

 

You ever set a line for trout out there Bruce? If your in the same area I think you are in.

Got a pike there last month on my set line.

[Hellfish]

thats good to see Bruce, Ive only seen a trout through the hole there never have I caught one..

[Carp]

Sounds like a great day for all of you.

Nice when the fish co-operate.

[Beans]

3.5 hours ???...What the hell did you do...fillet them ???

 

Nice to hear you had a good time without me...

[bigugli]

3.5 hours ???...What the hell did you do...fillet them ???

 

Nice to hear you had a good time without me...

Good thing he didn't take many beer breaks.

[solopaddler]

Wifey gets too worried about me being on the ice at night.

 

Here's brekkie:

 

 

Okay that's it I can't take it anymore.

 

Living so close I think a trip over there with the kids is on tap for the weekend.

[TJQ]

Cool... nice catch!

[John]

We fished from 8-2 give or take and had smelt in our holes the entire time.

 

OK guys I know you are good friends, BUT.........

[bigugli]

For Cliff

Straight from page 20 of the 5 Roses bible ( with modification)

 

2 cups boiling water, 1/4 cup sugar

1 cup quaker oats , 2 tsp salt

1 pkg dry yeast , 1 heap tbsp margerine/butter

1 tsp sugar , 5+ cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup lukewarm water , 1/2 cup corn syrup

 

Pour boiling water over oats , stand for 1/2 hr. Mix tsp sugar in lukewarm water, sprinkle in yeast, let stand 10 minutes. While oats are still warm add syrup, sugar, salt, butter and blend well. Stir in dissolved yeast. Add enough flour to make a soft dough. Turn out onto the boardand knead til smooth and elastic, but don't overwork the dough. Place dough ball in greased bowl and turn to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double. Punch down and knead for 2 minutes. Divide in 1/2 and plce in 2 well greased loaf pans and allow dough to double. bake in 400F oven 45 mins. appx. I use the poke test with a bamboo skewer to make sure she's done inside.

 

To solo:

the kids would have a blast.

Edited February 17, 2010 by bigugli

[crappieperchhunter]

3.5 hours ???...What the hell did you do...fillet them ???

 

 

 

I just used scissors. Cleaning 492 smelt is a time consuming ordeal. My time also includes all the prep work and cleaning up the kitchen afterwards to Deb's satisfaction

 

Next time down I think I'll spend more time chatting and less time fishing. Will save me alot of work in the long run.