Helluva Spring Start to Fishing... and a Buick.

[Moosebunk]

April 11th kicked off the start to this years softwater season with a trib trip for some spring run steel. Man alive there was some angler rust to clean, yet the float dropped for a couple fish. One bow had to be a near dead dropback while the other cleared three feet atop the water before spitting the hook. That was initially some exciting but sad stuff to deal with, up until finally locking horns with this brute of a fresh locochromotive that ran line all over the map. Intense first fish and one serious fight of the season. Stoked!

Thursday the 14th had a day to kill so I loaded up the float tube, couple pannie rods and a cooler. Some local locks and several other crappie shore spots, morning into afternoon there wasn't very much doing anywhere..? Gills, perch and local celebrities at the popular holes, handful of rando-loner craps elsewhere. Finally nearing dinner received the call I'd been waiting for, Summer's car was done. Having passed an E-Test and safety it was time to take my daughter's new Buick home to her. (old Buick - 2001 & 51000kms, but her first car anyway)

Snuck away to seek out some big redhorse suckers. When initially finding them a couple years back I was totally unprepared and under-gunned. First thinking they were carp, after watching awhile it was determined the were in fact big redhorse... like six to eight pounders with the odd fishing looking like ten. Well, I didn't find them after bushwhacking awhile the other day but did find white suckers instead. Some of them kinda big in their own right too, like one that may have pushed the Ontario record. Took some home for bait at a later date and next morning Bren plucked a deer tick off my twit too. Bugger!

Past Saturday an angler buddy I hadn't seen in ages took up my empty seat offer for anyone willing. Off to Lady O, Tony and I had plans to meet at 8:00am then be off the water by 3:00pm. Fish were a little slow at first and we both had some rigger rust to shed but, in relatively little time really the first rod fired about 9:30am and we were on the board. Four hours later, going seven for seven with several healthy fish hitting mid teens, Tony and I were both quite pleased enough to call it a day. Good company, solid team!

Following day, on the Sunday, my mate Mikey and I toured back to the big lake to try for browns. Long haul once we got on the water there had to be 30 to 40 boats out that figured on trying the same. My first time targeting brown trout and Mike an avid trout nut, we were both on tilt to catch some of these fish. First hour passed and we watched many boats not move a rod except one. Making our way out a little deeper and still on the hunt the port-side board flew back and I was up. It was a "cracker" as any good Scot would say. By mid afternoon we were one of the last half dozen boats still trying and that's when Mike and I popped three more wee broonies in the 3:00 to 4:00pm hour. At 5:00pm we called it a day. Down with the browns!

So... in the first week plus a day it's feeling like one helluva good start really. Not sure what's next or even how the spring and summer are going to unfold of yet but, if taking it each day at a time leads to more fishing like this, probably best to just stay that course for now.

Get Fishing!

Bunk.

[Old Ironmaker]

You had a great day, again. That's one hellava "Locochromotive" you have there my man. I need to borrow that one, I'll give you due credit for it for sure.

 

That Buick is identical to my Dad's he bought back in 2001. Century. Great car for her, not sexy but very nice safe solid car. The 3.8 can not be killed. Keep an eye on the torque converter. Change tranny fluid every 80K. The only problem he had was the harmonic ?? can't remember right now Oldtimers disease, balancer maybe. I drove it down to Florida and back for them every year for 8 years, great ride, cushy, well like a Buick. Not bad on gas either.

[Freshtrax]

Nice going bud.

[Moosebunk]

That Buick is identical to my Dad's he bought back in 2001. Century. Great car for her, not sexy but very nice safe solid car. The 3.8 can not be killed. Keep an eye on the torque converter. Change tranny fluid every 80K. The only problem he had was the harmonic ?? can't remember right now Oldtimers disease, balancer maybe. I drove it down to Florida and back for them every year for 8 years, great ride, cushy, well like a Buick. Not bad on gas either.

 

All good to know John. I'll be keeping an eye on things for her and she'll hopefully be responsible with the car and, respectful of the privilege to drive and the new freedoms that will allow her. Agreed, do think that the car is a great starter and those seats are like Lazyboys compared to most car seats today, I'd have been happy to have it at her age. Her late Grandmother who's car it was, would be happy to see her in it as well. Summer was hoping for either a Mercedes, BMW or would even settle for a Mazda but instead she gets what most other kids don't, a tape deck in a Buick. Looking forward to driving as her passenger so I can dig out some tunes from my youth.

[chris.brock]

Awesome Bunk.

 

My favorite pic is the giant white sucker. I'd like to see the Esox that could eat that one.

 

It looks like the Ont record is 22.8", 5.4 lbs, weird, unless it was shaped like a fall small mouth. Did you get a measurement on that one?

[Joeytier]

Nice job on your first brownie excursion, they are a ton of fun and wicked aggressive this time of year.

 

Now go find your red(horse) whale.

[Moosebunk]

Awesome Bunk.

 

My favorite pic is the giant white sucker. I'd like to see the Esox that could eat that one.

 

It looks like the Ont record is 22.8", 5.4 lbs, weird, unless it was shaped like a fall small mouth. Did you get a measurement on that one?

 

Naaah I didn't Chris. Didn't come to mind ti'll after when I got curious. It went home with me though, five of them did. And cleaning it I'd have to say it was probably about 22 give or take, and fat with eggs. You're right though, what a great muskie bait that could have been alive. Now stripped it's laker and pike candy.

 

Nice job on your first brownie excursion, they are a ton of fun and wicked aggressive this time of year.

 

Now go find your red(horse) whale.

 

Thanks! And yeah, I might have to go find those big reds yet.

[emjay88]

Great looking steelhead! Hard to beat the fight of a spunky fresh chromer!!

[BassMan11]

Great report Bunk. Thanks for sharing.

 

51000k on a 16 year old car is quite something lol. I am sure your daughter will love it.

[Moosebunk]

Great report Bunk. Thanks for sharing.

 

51000k on a 16 year old car is quite something lol. I am sure your daughter will love it.

 

My Grandmother passed in November at 90 years of age. She was still golfing and curling a little into her late 70's maybe early 80's, and always grew a great garden of fresh veggies. She lived in town and would walk everywhere and always for everything, unless the sidewalks were slippy with ice or snowed in. She fell asleep one night and didn't wake the next morning. The perfect way to go, just as she lived. But the car, yeah it sure got little use from a woman like her... Summer already loves the fact that she's no longer so trapped at home in the country anymore and has more freedom to roam.

[BassMan11]

Sorry to hear Bunk. But yes that is probably the perfect way to go.. if there is one.

 

I remember that first car freedom... it is a glorious feeling.

[bigbuck]

Nice pics Bunk!! Your daughter will love to hate her car. It will be cheap reliable and comfy transpo for her. I've got an '03 Regal that has been ridiculously cheap and reliable for me.

[Moosebunk]

She took me for a short ride in it tonight Buck. Those seats are soooo comfy. She asked me to go jogging with her as she needs to cut two more pounds to make her fight weight for a Ju Jitsu tournament this weekend. Hadn't run in a couple years and after a couple miles before supper, probably won't run again for a couple more. Sweating is exhausting.

 

Best part was after we finished, she drove my dead arse home while I just sat in a comfy seat.

[misfish]

Steel is sweet, the brown is gourgous.

 

As for the first car, good on ya dad. I do hear,,,,,,,,,,,,,, What, thats not a BMW?

 

OOPS. You posted as I did.

 

Glad to hear she is happy bro.

 

I like to walk. Like you said, jogging makes me sweaty too. LOL

Edited April 26, 2016 by Brian B

[Moosebunk]

Steel is sweet, the brown is gourgous.

 

As for the first car, good on ya dad. I do hear,,,,,,,,,,,,,, What, thats not a BMW?

 

OOPS. You posted as I did.

 

Glad to hear she is happy bro.

 

I like to walk. Like you said, jogging makes me sweaty too. LOL

 

Will go for walks, hikes, climbs and crawls anytime, but jogs and runs require just too much... lol

 

Now if I was her I'd want a BMW too, why not? But as her dad I'd rather see her work hard for those bigger and better things. And she has been, so hopefully she gets to that place on her own some day. Until then, she'll be riding in that beauty old Buick.

 

Thanks Bri!