Skunked in DR

Nice report and welcome. The Ottawa from Chalk to Swisha is where I do most of my fishing.

Otherwise known as Fredo fishing

Welcome. There's a few of us Canucks here. I do most of my fishing up your way in and around Deep River.

Congratulations to you too. My little guy will be 12 weeks on Friday. Thanks for the advice, that's the way I was leaning. However, big in Fla and big in Ontario are slightly different.

I found a local retailer who made a little error in his pricing. He has LTB's priced as Avids. So for those who use them. Which is the better rod for drop-shotting and shaky heading the LTBS68MXF or the LTBS69MLXF? Before anyone suggests get both, the recent arrival of my second child precludes extraneous purchases. I'm going to have a hard enough time explaining one. Thanks

I've gone late season muskie fishing in -5 - -10 degree weather (that's Celsius before you think I'm totally insane). Bitter winds and blowing snow always seem to add to the fun. I do it because I don't ice fish, so for me that's usually it for fishing for the next 5 months.

Looks like the Luhr-Jensen poppers I have. They were still available here in Canada as of last summer. Haven't checked recently.

My condolences...I mean congratulations. Best of luck to you both, she certainly seems like a keeper.

Absolutely number 1 is a White Spinnerbait, followed closely at number 2 by a White Spinnerbait and 3rd would also be a White Spinnerbait. My other answer would have to be whatever jerkbait I have tied on and forgot to use a flouro leader. This never fails.

2 min walk to a river with good muskie, pike and bass fishing - no boats though. There are two launches within 5 minutes of my where my boat is parked and another 5-6 within 45 minutes. Nearest lake is a 20 minute drive from my boat. (the problem with all this is my boat is a 2 hour drive from home)

I love the Tour. It's fantastic television. I wish they showed more of the big races on TV over here. It's like any sport, if you don't understand what's going on, its boring and frustrating. I don't watch NASCAR, some of my friends love it, if I'm at their house when its on - all I see is cars going around in a circle but they follow it, they know the drivers, the teams and understand whats going on in the race.

Can't argue with RW's advice. I will add however that in some of the smaller lakes that I fish, the smallies are exactly where you would normally expect to find largies and you fish for them the same way.

Do both. Fishing with friends isn't always about the fish.

One rod and reel? Then it would be a 7' MF spinning rod with a 2500 size reel loaded with 20/6 braid. Can do (just about) everything reasonably, if nothing exceptionally.

Strike Zone slammer. Great anytime but deadly where gobies and sculpin are primary forage.

Went into my local tackle store intending to buy a new Saros 2500 or a Tierra 2000. I've always owned Shimano spinning reels but thought maybe I'll try something new. Anyway, the clerk suggested I look at the Abu Soron in a 20 size. I tried it and I liked it, thing feels absolutely bomb proof. Anyway review to follow in the coming weeks.

I have yet to find any bug spray or similar product that will keep the deer flies away. If you're in an area with lots of them, a bugshirt is the only way to go.

I have one. Still use it once in a while for really hard pulling deep cranks. eg. Mann's 20+ or 30+, Reef Runner Ripsticks. I have found that a 200DHSV is more comfortable for most cranks.

Woo Hoo. A one hour wait for a three minute ride !

When I first started out, I used a BPS Tourney Special - they're often on sale for about $40. Works fine, I use it as a loaner rod now and no one else has ever had a problem with it. My only complaint would be its a bit heavy to use all day.

1) reading water, especially big water. I'm comfortable on smaller lakes, with recognizable structure and likely fish holding areas but put me on bigger water and I waste a lot of time just hauling water. 2) T rigs - just haven't spent enough time fishing them.

Which world record? There was a muskie caught off the 40 acre shoal near Gananoque this past fall that would probably have been the WR if the guy had killed it. He released it to swim another day. I do agree that a confirmed WR will be caught in the next 5 years. IMHO The guy who does it, is going to get seriously flamed though for killing the fish.

I usually start with a twitch, twitch, pause pattern and then vary the length of the pause until I find out what's working that day. Some days they want a real long pause (30-60 seconds) other days, they want no pause at all - those are X-rap days.

Catt to the thread, Catt to the thread!