# The Great Outdoors: Fishing, Hunting, Camping, Photography, Canoeing, Kayaking, etc..



## Midnight Rider (Apr 2, 2015)

What wilderness activities do you partake in year round? Show us your pics of the great outdoors.

Here's last years hunting season in northwestern Ontario.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)




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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)




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## ol' 58 (Jul 12, 2019)

I’m not much for collecting photos of my outdoor pursuits. But I do, or have, hunted small game, upland birds, waterfowl, turkey, deer, moose. I like and have stream fished, trolled in the Great Lakes, fished for muskies in central Ontario. Canoe tripped in the Temagami region of Ontario, camped all over the place, my favourite being Algonquin Park. Hiked, biked, a little wildlife photography. A photo I took last week on a local hike:


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

i like bass fishin, and i have my pistol that i take to the range about every month or so. yesterday i was there with my son and grandson. my grandson did really well with my 45. he's used to his dad's little 32, but he really enjoyed the 45 after a magazine or two. i used to do a fair amount of camping, but haven't been in ages

13 yr old me with a decent bass









here is one i caught last summer that was just over 5 lbs









30 something me, sitting in an unusual tree while i was camping









here is my pistol. i put a laser on it, but i don't like it. i shoot better without it, so i took it off


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## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

Year round nothing but when it's warm enough; hiking, a few backcountry trips a year and usually around three to four car camping trips with the tent trailer or tent.

Normally I'd be heading into the Haliburton Highlands Water Trails in a few weeks with old friends but Covid is putting a damper on that. Other than that we have camping booked for the family at Rockwood Conservation Area, Lake Superior Provincial Park, Sleeping Giant Provincial Park and Mew Lake in Algonquin Provincial Park. Fingers crossed that any of that is allowed.


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## Midnight Rider (Apr 2, 2015)

ol' 58 said:


> I’m not much for collecting photos of my outdoor pursuits. But I do, or have, hunted small game, upland birds, waterfowl, turkey, deer, moose. I like and have stream fished, trolled in the Great Lakes, fished for muskies in central Ontario. Canoe tripped in the Temagami region of Ontario, camped all over the place, my favourite being Algonquin Park. Hiked, biked, a little wildlife photography. A photo I took last week on a local hike:
> View attachment 362483


n 
Which lakes in central Ontario do you Muskie fish. I have fished Nipissing in North Bay. I find tough fishing at times but when you find them the size is fairly large in the 46" to 50+" range. Have had good luck in the Kawartha Lake system on Sturgeon, Buckhorn and Pigeon,... numbers are higher but not as large as Nipissing. I find the best for numbers and size is Lake St.Clair where you can hook several a day and come across 50"+ inch fish regularly. 

Best Muskie fishing I have experienced is on Lake of the Woods in northwestern Ontario. High numbers and there are some absolute monsters to be caught. Largest one I saw was a 56" caught in Devil's Gap during a fall fish. 
Here's some photos of fish caught on LOW over the years with friends and family.


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## Midnight Rider (Apr 2, 2015)

cheezyridr said:


> here is one i caught last summer that was just over 5 lbs


 Hey now,... that's a chunky Large Mouth bass right there,... must have been a delicious dinner.
Sleek looking Ruger too,...but by the looks of you in the picture with the tree I wouldn't think you would need it to fend off a bear that wandered on to your camp site, 🤜🧸, lol.


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## ol' 58 (Jul 12, 2019)

Midnight Rider said:


> n
> Which lakes in central Ontario do you Muskie fish. I have fished Nipissing in North Bay. I find tough fishing at times but when you find them the size is fairly large in the 46" to 50+" range. Have had good luck in the Kawartha Lake system on Sturgeon, Buckhorn and Pigeon,... numbers are higher but not as large as Nipissing. I find the best for numbers and size is Lake St.Clair where you can hook several a day and come across 50"+ inch fish regularly.
> 
> Best Muskie fishing I have experienced is on Lake of the Woods in northwestern Ontario. High numbers and there are some absolute monsters to be caught. Largest one I saw was a 56" caught in Devil's Gap during a fall fish.
> ...


Wow. When I did fish for muskies, I never caught anything like that. My biggest was 46”. Honey Harbour, French River from Dokis to Nippissing. In the south, Kawartha Lakes, Niagara River, Lake St. Clair. This was all in the 90’s.


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## b-nads (Apr 9, 2010)

A hike along the Rouge with my daughter.









My son's tom he got last spring...











My younger son and daughters out for a ride...









The girls having fun at a fishing camp we went to last summer...









My last trip to Lake O...


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

In small doses I fish, hike, bike, camp, canoe/kayak. I've become the fair weather guy I used to kid fair weather guys about. Short stretches on the bike or kayak, either from the family cottage or after a short ride in the truck to get somewhere interesting. The days are past when I ice fished in blizzards, slept under the canoe, took off for a week in the bush. I've become way less competitive and way more contemplative.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Jeez, do any of those muskies have the remains of children, dogs, or game wardens in them? Man, those suckers is HUGE!

What sort of fishing line does one use when in search of such beasts?


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## GuitarT (Nov 23, 2010)

Yes to all of the above. I've been active in outdoors pursuits and shooting sports most of my life. Always loved fishing, camping and canoeing but hunting has consumed the biggest part of my outdoors time. I actually own a hunt camp up near Huntsville. Over the years I've hunted ducks, geese, rabbits, grouse, pheasants, turkeys, deer and moose. Years ago I was pretty heavy into shooting sports and shot competitive 5 bull .22 as well as 3D archery mostly in crossbow division. These days I still shoot recreational trap once a week in the summer months but that's about it.


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

Midnight Rider said:


> Hey now,... that's a chunky Large Mouth bass right there,... must have been a delicious dinner.
> Sleek looking Ruger too,...but by the looks of you in the picture with the tree I wouldn't think you would need it to fend off a bear that wandered on to your camp site, 🤜🧸, lol.


i NEVER keep what i catch. i don't eat fish, but even if i did, i would let the big ones go, so as not to dilute the gene pool. the .45, i didn't buy to kill animals. i bought it to kill home invaders. it's my "house gun". that said, i hope and pray that the only place i ever fire it, is at the range. i really like this pistol. it's easy to shoot well, very predictable and reliable. i used to hunt alot as a kid, and i hope to get back into it. before i do though, there are other things i need to acquire first. a meat freezer, a shotgun, and related items. when i start hunting again, it will be deer and small game/water fowl. 


mhammer said:


> Jeez, do any of those muskies have the remains of children, dogs, or game wardens in them? Man, those suckers is HUGE!
> 
> What sort of fishing line does one use when in search of such beasts?


i hope he doesn't mind me fielding this one...
we have muskies here too, but they're super tough to catch. i don't fish for them deliberately for that reason. however, i have hooked them a few times but never landed one. back in the 80's, i had one jump out of the water and bite the end off of my rod. most folks who fish for them here use 25-30 lb flourocarbon with a steel leader and a stout casting rod. they're known to eat ducks and pretty much anything else that gets close enough to eat. i watched one eat a carp that was bigger than the bass in my earlier post. it happened so fast, it took my mind a few seconds to understand what i had just seen.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

cheezyridr said:


> i hope he doesn't mind me fielding this one...
> we have muskies here too, but they're super tough to catch. i don't fish for them deliberately for that reason. however, i have hooked them a few times but never landed one. back in the 80's, i had one jump out of the water and bite the end off of my rod. most folks who fish for them here use 25-30 lb flourocarbon with a steel leader and a stout casting rod. they're known to eat ducks and pretty much anything else that gets close enough to eat. i watched one eat a carp that was bigger than the bass in my earlier post. it happened so fast, it took my mind a few seconds to understand what i had just seen.


They sound like freshwater great white sharks!


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## MarkM (May 23, 2019)

I am a big gun guy, shot IPSC, 3 gun(before Bill £#€¥€# that up), PPC, skeet, trap and clays. I hunt every year but I don't shoot much anymore, I was a killing machine in my youth and I have lost the desire. I really enjoy stomping through the bush with a gun. I have fished all my life and prefer fly fishing in rivers when possible.


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

mhammer said:


> They sound like freshwater great white sharks!


you could think of them that way, but they are also very delicate, in their own way. the big ones fight with everything they have, and you have to recuperate them sometimes before releasing them, or they'll die


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## Midnight Rider (Apr 2, 2015)

mhammer said:


> Jeez, do any of those muskies have the remains of children, dogs, or game wardens in them? Man, those suckers is HUGE!
> 
> What sort of fishing line does one use when in search of such beasts?


First let me say that I have released every Muskie back into their waters after netting them,... this is also true of all other anglers I have fished with. In my opinion there is no reason to kill this superior predator game fish just to hang on the wall. It is not sought after for it's flesh to eat but rather strictly for the challenge of catching one. Taxidermists can provide an impressive replica by way of a photo and measurements with modern technology.

I lived in the Kenora area for many years and the best Muskie fishing I have experienced is on Lake of the Woods probably due to the many days spent learning and fishing that lake.

On one setup I have a reel with 80 lb. test Spiderwire braided moss green line with a 7 foot medium flex St.Croix rod and Abu Garcia Ambassadeur 7000C bait casting reel. Knowing that the Spiderwire will have no stretch properties the medium flex rod will give a little more preventing the hooks from being dislodged from the fish's toothy jaws.The opposite hold true for my other set up which has 80 lb. mono-line with stretch propeties on a Shimano Calcutta B reel coupled with a 7 1/2 foot medium-heavy rod which I normally use when trolling. Also,when casting I tie on an 8" 110 lb. Fluorocarbon leader and 24" one on my trolling setup.It is important to note that Muskie fight hard so in order to lessen the degree of a fish dying from exhaustion heavy gear is required to get it in the net quickly, take some quick photos and measurements then release it.On average this should take not more than 5 to 10 minutes maximum.

Don't skimp on the snap swivel either.Get a good quality hardened ball-bearing one large enough to handle the lures and punishing blows of a large Muskie,...I learned the hard way on this one years ago.

When casting I use Bucktails in the 8" to 10" range with Colorado and Willow Leaf gold or silver blades.Black with red and white with red colouring have worked well for me.Yellow with brown or red,purple,orange and chartreuse would also be a good choice.In the evening if the water should be flat try 8" to 12" top water baits like the Rambler or Poe's Jackpot with Walleye,Whitefish or Orange colouring.With jerk baits in 8" to 10" I prefer the Suick or Jackpot in black, white sucker, walleye shades in shallower lakes and for deep water lakes I'll go with Herring, Cscoe, Shad, Alewife and Lake Trout colours. I'll do the same forage fish colour matching when using crank-baits for casting or trolling like Jakes, Grandmas, Believers or any other deep or shallow lipped styles. When using the above baits focus on shallow rock piles,shoals and points with humps having vegetation that is adjacent to a drop off into deeper water.On windy days with some chop on the water concentrate on points that face into the wind.Muskie love to sit off these points facing into the direction of the wind waiting for some unsuspecting prey to swim by. Try brown with yellow Bucktails early in the season when there are ducklings present on the water,... Muskies love an easy duck dinner.

For deep water troll deep diving baits 10" to 12" in length at a depth of 20 plus feet.The very large female fish will be present in these areas as they will feed on Whitefish and Walleye especially when mid to late August rolls around as they will be putting on bulk to get through the winter months which helps with egg production for the spring spawn.Good lures to use are Grandma,Joe Bucher,Shallow & Deep Raider or any other similar big lipped lure .Again,focus on colours that match the deep running forage fish like Whitefish,Shad,Herring,Alewife or Walleye.

*During summer *the thermocline often becomes a factor that can influence Muskie habitat use and movements. A thermocline is a section of lake water where the water temperature drops drastically across a small change in water depth. This occurs because warm, surface layers of water are much less dense than the cooler deeper waters. Warm and cool waters separate due to their difference in density so that the warm layer (called the epilimnion) is essentially perched on top of the cool water layer (the hypolimnion) with little mixing between the two. The thermocline is the relatively thin layer of water lying in between the warm epilimnion and cool hypolimnion and in this region the water temperature drops rapidly with every foot of increasing depth. You may have actually seen the thermocline on your depth finder because the density change in the water here is strong enough to deflect sonar from today’s sensitive electronics.

Because the cooler hypolimnion does not support plant growth and is isolated from the warm surface layers it usually becomes devoid of oxygen by mid summer. The hypolimnion is in turn usually not suitable habitat for fish.The water depth where the thermocline occurs is important for fish movements during summer and this depth can vary greatly among water bodies depending on lake productivity.In lakes with very low nutrient levels the water is clearer and light can penetrate much deeper causing adequate oxygen to occur at much deeper depths. Very clear lakes can contain well oxygenated water at depths of 40 feet or more during summer.

Many prey species and predators will collect around the thermocline particularly during the daytime. This zone represents the coolest water in the lake that contains adequate dissolved oxygen for use by fish. It also holds more zooplankton (micro-crustaceans) during daylight hours and in turn provides high food abundance for prey fish. Knowing where the thermocline occurs is key in locating Muskie and other gamefish when certain water conditions occur such as above normal surface temps and algae blooms.

The very large fish during August can be found in 50+ feet of water where the females will be feeding on Lake Trout,Ciscoes and or Shad.I have caught Muskie at these depths while trolling for Lake Trout on many lakes in the area.Trolling with large Shad or Ciscoe type baits can produce very large fish that are suspended over deeper water off sharp drop offs.I set my baits anywhere from 20' to 50' feet depending on the maximum depth of water I will be fishing over. Again, there are plenty of Muskie to be caught off of the thousands of reefs and rock structures.In August I would focus on rock humps and saddle structures adjacent to deep drop offs.

*September,October and November *are a good time to start fishing for trophy Muskie which are usually females that are starting to feed heavily in preparation for the winter and to help with egg production.

There are thousands of areas to hunt for these large fish in many different types of habitat areas which depend on water depth, clarity, water temps and structure.Shallow areas of the lake will hold Muskie where the forage fish can be found.Perch,Crappie,SM Bass,Walleye,Pike,White Sucker.The medium shallow(Mesotrophic) and shallow(Eutrophic) water areas and bays on LOTW with aquatic vegetation that held these forage fish in the summer will not be the areas to focus on as the dying vegetation will decrease the dissolved oxygen levels as they begin to decompose.The forage fish will move to the open areas and gather in deeper water around structure like saddles, humps, rock piles or reefs and the Muskie will follow.The fall turnover period will start to mix the Epilimnion (top layer of water) with the Metalimnion(middle layer of water where the dissolved oxygen rich thermocline exists during the summer months) and thus create a unified layer of water rich in dissolved oxygen where forage fish will collect. Shallow reefs adjacent to deeper drop offs are a good target area.Points off of islands with humps or saddles hold Muskie at the apex as they will face head first into the wind driven waves waiting for prey to carelessly swim by.Troll the deeper areas in the open water at say 15' to 20' if in 30 feet of water.Muskie will suspend in these areas and hunt down schools of forage fish.

Areas that have the above mentioned water classifications are plentiful on LOTW and include areas such as the Hades Islands,Barrier Islands,Safety Bay,Rat Portage Bay, Matheson Bay,Keewatin Channel,Welcome Channel,Andrew Bay,Witch Bay,Sunset Channel,Portions of Yellow Girl Bay, Sabaskong Bay any many other areas. 

There are other areas on LOTW that are deep Oligotrophic waters 200+ feet deep with crystal clear waters that hold Muskie, Lake Trout,Pike,Walleye,Smallmouth Bass and deep running forage fish like Herring, Ciscoes, Alewife, Smelt, Whitefish, etc.These type waters are low in nutrients and aquatic vegetation is only present in some shallow areas.They are also less likely to experience algae blooms during hot summer months that can shut down fishing production from days to weeks.The Thermocline can be found at deeper depths but the lake will also go through the fall turnover process as explained previously.Large Muskie in Oligotrophic lakes can be found and caught at much deeper depths as they tend to like the cooler water and also feed on the Lake Trout, Ciscoe, Herring,etc..One thing to keep in mind is that some of the forage fish such as the Ciscoe for example spawn in the fall, usually in October when the water temps hit the mid to low 40's .They will start to gather on shallow reefs and rocky humps at this time and the Muskie know this cycle.Muskie will actually stage themselves in these areas a week or so in advance anticipating the Ciscoe or Herring migration.When the forage fish arrive the Muskie are there and ready to intercept and sabotage them,...and that's when Muskie anglers want to make an appearance and increase their chances for hooking into a trophy.Find these areas and you will be rewarded.

Also, find reefs, humps ,saddles that are adjacent to deep drop offs and toss large 8" to 10" crank baits, soft plastics.Use surface baits on those evenings when the water is glass flat.Troll the deep open water at depths up to 50 feet if fishing over water that is 100+ feet.Use a Dipsy Diver or Pink Lady to get you down to those depths.I have caught Muskie in Oligotrophic Lakes while fishing for Lake Trout at depths of 50 feet.Points off islands as explained above also deserves attention.Find those isolated rocks that are just below the surface and surrounded by deep water in the range of 40 to 80 feet and cast some crank baits.If using Buck-tails slow your retrieve down as the cooler water temps will slow down the velocity of the Muskie attack.When trolling try speeds of 3-5 MPH instead of summer speeds of 6-8MPH.

Oligotrophic water areas on LOTW include Whitefish Bay,Clearwater Bay,Ptarmigan Bay, parts go Regina & Yellow Girl Bays.Also, inland lakes such as Kakagi Lake,Rowan Lake, Dryberry Lake,Silver Lake,Delaney Lake, Clearwater Bay and many others.

As well, try live sucker rigs as this approach can prove to be very productive in the fall.Rig up a 6 to 8 inch white sucker on a couple treble hooks.One in the snout and one near the dorsal fin.Open the bail and allow the bait ti swim freely while drifting from over deep water towards a shallow reef, rock pile, saddle or hump.When the Muskie grabs the bait allow it to take some line and swim off with it.It will usually stop and turn the the bait head first before swallowing it.This process may take a minute or two and once that time frame passes set the hooks and prepare for battle.

There are Muskie throughout the entire LOTW so to say where the optimum area is located is a difficult task indeed and perhaps impossible. Just get out there and cover as much area as you can trying different techniques. Don't waste too much time in one area,...just cover a spot thoroughly with as many casts as it takes and if nothing surfaces move on to the next spot. If you get a follow here and there but the fish are not in feeding mode leave and return in a day or two when it is ready to feed again and take the bait aggressively .Muskie are usually on a 3 day feeding cycle.You may find at times that one will just follow your bait to the boat and even snout bump it showing curiosity.There will be nothing you will be able to do to entice it to hit,...but don't get discouraged as it probably ate earlier that day or the day before.Try doing the figure eight at the boat and if that does not work make a mental note of the location and return the next day or day after that.On day three that fish WILL be ready to feed again and the next time it sees your bait it will come in like a torpedo with gills flared and SLAM the offering so HOLD on and drive those hooks home.

Another area on lakes that get overlooked are shallow sandy beach areas.Muskie like to sun themselves at times in calm shallow bays sitting right at the surface to a couple feet below.Keep a sharp eye when in this type of habitat as you may come across one that might be interested in an easy meal.I have witnessed this many times over the years.

Docks and boathouses can hold some nice fish too.Try to pick out the camps or cottages where no one is currently staying and the boat traffic is low.Believe when I say Muskie live there as I have seen it many times before.In some cases I have caught the same fish year after year and if one moves out another will most likely takes its place eventually.

Again, use LARGE baits as that is what the brutes are in search of.

So there you have it,... a primer on the world of Muskie fishing. They are known to have the reputation as being the fish of 10,000 casts,... but you can lessen that significantly if you fish wisely.

It is also true that Muskie ,(and pike for that matter), will feed of small mammals, birds, reptiles,... or just about anything that looks to them like a satisfying meal,.., I have watched ducklings, baby otters and muskrats being taken under to their watery grave.Even a human foot dangling in the water while sitting on a dock, 🦶🦈,... yes, this has happened more than once. They are well known as the freshwater shark.
Muskie Attack: 'I came back up screaming': Winnipeg woman recovering after gruesome Muskie attack

One more important point. When removing the very sharp treble hooks from the Muskies mouth with pliers be very aware of when that fish might want to thrash around in the net. There has been a couple times I was not paying close enough attention and landed up with treble hooks in my hand and forearm.

Now get out there and slay the beast!, lol


My Son navigating the Muskie waters. A great Bluebird day for sunning ,... but the worst for the Muskie bite.









Ah,... that's better,... my kind of Muskie weather!









Good weather and a reliable nautical hydrographic contour map,... game on!









Trying to stir them up with Bucktails.









Classic high potential Muskie structure produced a 47 1/2" female 2 years past. A go to spot each year that
never fails to produce a fish,... except for this particular day, lol.









Some R&R,...beer and cigar after a good day on the lake.









Tools of the trade.

















Tight lines Y'all, 🎣


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

And some folks thought MY posts were long! 😉 That's about the most fulsome and deeply informed post I have ever seen on this forum on ANY topic. I don't fish or hunt, but I feel well-informed now, and would happily forward/link others who do on to your post, to reap some of the wealth.

But I have to ask, do you or did you work for MNR, or are you a full-time or part-time icthyologist in some capacity. I ask because the information contained goes well beyond run-of-the-mill fishing tips.

I seem to recall hearing something on the radio the other day, out of the corner of my ear, about a (presumably tagged) muskie recently caught somewhere in Ontario recently that was last caught something like 20 years ago.

Finally, having driven through the LotW area and Kenora in 2004, I became envious of Winnipeggers. It's a beautiful area, and those in the Winnipeg area with a cottage there don't have to suffer the dangers and indignities of Highway 400 to get there like people in the GTA do to get to the Muskokas.


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## oldjoat (Apr 4, 2019)

just 1 hr south of you is also muskie territory
or 30 mins west /north


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## Midnight Rider (Apr 2, 2015)

mhammer said:


> And some folks thought MY posts were long! 😉 That's about the most fulsome and deeply informed post I have ever seen on this forum on ANY topic. I don't fish or hunt, but I feel well-informed now, and would happily forward/link others who do on to your post, to reap some of the wealth.
> 
> But I have to ask, do you or did you work for MNR, or are you a full-time or part-time icthyologist in some capacity. I ask because the information contained goes well beyond run-of-the-mill fishing tips.
> 
> ...


I have a 4 year education in Forestry, Fish & Wildlife and Parks & Recreation from Sir Sandford Fleming Collage in Lindasy, Ontario. I worked for several years at the MNR in Kenora. Started off as Forest Fire Fighter for three years then transferred to the Forestry and Fish & Wildlife departments for another eight years until the massive provincial government budget cuts came along during the late 1980's and early 1990's at which time I and many others were let go. Landed up securing employment with Hydro One after the layoff.

Also during my last college year placement requirement I worked at the MNR Cordova (Deer) Lake Fish Culture Station which was the only 'Muskie Hatchery' in Ontario. I believe it had closed operations in the early 1990's. I can tell you this,... there were many incidences of Muskie cannibalism going on in those rearing ponds,... these things are programmed to kill from the get go, lol.

Haven't heard anything about the the Muskie that was tagged 20 years ago. However it is very possible as the average life span would be in the neighbourhood of 18 years with many fish being aged at 30+. Back in around the early 1980's during a Creel Survey of Dinorwic Lake in Dryden, Ontario, 1 1/2 hours east of Kenora, a couple MNR F&W Technicians spotted a Muskie estimated to be near 72", 70 lbs. and well over the 30 year maximum life expectancy. Apparently several anglers had hooked it during that time period but none were ever successful in landing it. The legend of this particular Esox masquinongy was well known to locals and eventually pushed me to spend a few days on the lake one summer searching,... but to no avail.

The picture below is of a washed up Muskie jaw bone found on the beach in northwestern Lake of the Woods area. Gord Pyzer was the Regional Manager at our MNR office in Kenora. This fish was probably feasting on fawns, bear cubs
and the odd small child, lol. She must have been an absolute monster of a Muskie.


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## Rollin Hand (Jul 12, 2012)

Midnight Rider said:


> I have a 4 year education in Forestry, Fish & Wildlife and Parks & Recreation from Sir Sandford Fleming Collage in Lindasy, Ontario. I worked for several years at the MNR in Kenora. Started off as Forest Fire Fighter for three years then transferred to the Forestry and Fish & Wildlife departments for another eight years until the massive provincial government budget cuts came along during the late 1980's and early 1990's at which time I and many others were let go. Landed up securing employment with Hydro One after the layoff.
> 
> Also during my last college year placement requirement I worked at the MNR Cordova (Deer) Lake Fish Culture Station which was the only 'Muskie Hatchery' in Ontario. I believe it had closed operations in the early 1990's. I can tell you this,... there were many incidences of Muskie cannibalism going on in those rearing ponds,... these things are programmed to kill from the get go, lol.
> 
> ...


What part of the province are you in now? I grew up in Northwestern Ontario, in the Red Lake area.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Midnight Rider said:


> I have a 4 year education in Forestry, Fish & Wildlife and Parks & Recreation from Sir Sandford Fleming Collage in Lindasy, Ontario. I worked for several years at the MNR in Kenora. Started off as Forest Fire Fighter for three years then transferred to the Forestry and Fish & Wildlife departments for another eight years until the massive provincial government budget cuts came along during the late 1980's and early 1990's at which time I and many others were let go. Landed up securing employment with Hydro One after the layoff.
> 
> Also during my last college year placement requirement I worked at the MNR Cordova (Deer) Lake Fish Culture Station which was the only 'Muskie Hatchery' in Ontario. I believe it had closed operations in the early 1990's. I can tell you this,... there were many incidences of Muskie cannibalism going on in those rearing ponds,... these things are programmed to kill from the get go, lol.
> 
> ...


Kinda makes you wonder about Ogopogo, doesn't it? I take it one does not fish for such beast in a canoe. To quote Roy Scheider: you're gonna need a bigger boat. 

And thanks for answering my question, especially so fully. Much appreciated. I didn't figure you for an amateur at such things, based on your early posts.

So which lives longer and/or grows larger: sturgeon or muskelunge?


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## Paul Running (Apr 12, 2020)

Winnipeg woman injured in ‘extremely unusual’ Ontario fish attack: ‘It pulled me under’ | Globalnews.ca


A Winnipeg woman is healing at home, after being left with significant injuries in a rare musky attack near Minaki, Ontario last weekend.




globalnews.ca


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## oldjoat (Apr 4, 2019)

mhammer said:


> So which lives longer and/or grows larger: sturgeon or muskelunge?


sturgeon , 50-60 yrs (Avg) ... larger .... sits on the bottom like a log until IT decides to move to where IT wants to go
muskie , 18-30 yrs ... smaller .... trashes you and your equipment immediately


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)




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## b-nads (Apr 9, 2010)

oldjoat said:


> sturgeon , 50-60 yrs (Avg) ... larger .... sits on the bottom like a log until IT decides to move to where IT wants to go
> muskie , 18-30 yrs ... smaller .... trashes you and your equipment immediately


I grew up on the Atlantic, commercially fishing cod. Needless to say, with the lakes and rivers back home full of char, trout and salmon, I did a lot of sport fishing. It's tough to beat the thrill of a 10+ lb Atlantic hitting a fly and using the current to add to their considerbale strength, but a skee hitting a topwater gives it a heck of a run for its money.


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## b-nads (Apr 9, 2010)

Don't know if adventure riding counts in this category, but I had a nice ride yesterday doing some of the routes RF9 used to film a lot of the youtube vids for Fortnine on while he was based out of Montreal - up the 329, over the 364, down the Rouge River to Harrington, then down the Scotch, before heading home. Most of the sandpit video work Ryan did was in this very spot.


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## Always12AM (Sep 2, 2018)

Holy Fawk.
You should publish this.


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## Midnight Rider (Apr 2, 2015)

Rollin Hand said:


> What part of the province are you in now? I grew up in Northwestern Ontario, in the Red Lake area.


I'm currently back and forth between southern Ontario and Kenora. Looking for some property in the Kenora area to possibly build a retirement log home on a lake,... would love to get back there and ride out the rest of my time enjoying the jewels of the north. I miss seeing the return of the White Pelicans to the LOW each summer along with all the other bountiful nature it offers. If nothing should work out there in terms of location and price I am also putting some feelers out in the North Bay or Kawartha Lake areas in Ontario.

Used to work with a fellow from Red Lake while working in Kenora by the name of Byron McGraw,... know any McGraws's from the area?

Spent some time in Red Lake while fighting forest fires for the MNR during the 1980's,... also spent too much time in some local Red Lake bars occasionally, lol. I think it was 1988 when the big 'Red 7' forest fire of 350,000 hectares burned through the area. Our crew flew in with many others from around the province to assist and landed up spending 10 weeks in the wilderness living in canvas prospector tents while fighting the blaze. That damn thing burned sub-surface the entire winter and we had to go back in the spring after thaw and extinguish the remaining hot spots before it flared up again,... it was an SOB. I have some pictures of it I may post. I would expect that area to be a new generation of lush forest growth by now.

Do you know if the Gold Corp gold mine is still in full operation? I worked for the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines in Kenora under a short tern contract one year and the Geologists there explained to me that it had one of the biggest gold deposits in North America.

Fished some lakes in the area as well with great results. I think it was Stormer Lake that had some of the best Walleye fishing I had ever encountered.

Are you still living in Red Lake?


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## Rollin Hand (Jul 12, 2012)

Midnight Rider said:


> I'm currently back and forth between southern Ontario and Kenora. Looking for some property in the Kenora area to possibly build a retirement log home on a lake,... would love to get back there and ride out the rest of my time enjoying the jewels of the north. I miss seeing the return of the White Pelicans to the LOW each summer along with all the other bountiful nature it offers. If nothing should work out there in terms of location and price I am also putting some feelers out in the North Bay or Kawartha Lake areas in Ontario.
> 
> Used to work with a fellow from Red Lake while working in Kenora by the name of Byron McGraw,... know any McGraws's from the area?
> 
> ...


No, I am in Ottawa now, but was up in Red Lake (Balmertown specifically) until I was 18. And I didn't know any McGraws, that I can recall.

The Gold Corp mine, from what I understand, is now actually owned by Evolution Gold, and has the old Dickinson mine under it as well. If so, that is a serious amount of gold available.
When I lived there it was still under the Placer Dome company, and we actually knew the wife of the founder of the big mine (Campbell).

And yeah, if you're in to fishing and hunting, it is a great place. My dad used to tell me stories about how, when he was a miner, him and his friends would finish the night shift and grab a big pan and a pound of butter, then head to the Campbell docks, build a fire, and then catch, clean and cook fish over the fire. Simple times.

Ah, the forest fires....we got evacuated for Red Lake 14 in 1980. My first plane trip was on a Hercules transport to Winnipeg for the week. My Dad was too old to stay and fight the fires, and he was _worried_. Nothing slowed him, and he had a gout flareup so bad he couldn't walk. I'll never forget standing on the stairs of the Cochenour Arena, looking out over the trees, and seeing the flames in the night, 6-7 kms away. Insanity.


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## Midnight Rider (Apr 2, 2015)

My one son with his all time best Walleye - 15 lb., 33" long with a 16" girth. Caught in 2009 on Lake of the Woods, Ontario. We were actually Muskie fishing with heavy tackle when this big female took the 10" black Suick jerk bait just off the point of a small island. I have been fishing for 50 years and have not come close to hooking a Walleye of this size and truth be told I was more than happy that it was my son that was fortunate enough to catch and release this Walleye of a life time.


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## Midnight Rider (Apr 2, 2015)

mhammer said:


> Kinda makes you wonder about Ogopogo, doesn't it? I take it one does not fish for such beast in a canoe. To quote Roy Scheider: you're gonna need a bigger boat.
> 
> And thanks for answering my question, especially so fully. Much appreciated. I didn't figure you for an amateur at such things, based on your early posts.
> 
> So which lives longer and/or grows larger: sturgeon or muskelunge?


The oldest known specimen of *Lake Sturgeon *is 155 years old from Lake Huron.
The largest *Lake Sturgeon* recorded was from the Roseau River of Manitoba, weighing 407 lbs. and measuring 15 ft. in length.

Then there are the *White Sturgeon* from the Fraser River in British Columbia,...
an entirely different beast. 









Here's the story of the one caught just this last week in the Detroit River by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
It was 240 lbs. with a lengh of 6' 10" and a girth of nearly 48".
Detroit River Lake Sturgeon: 240-pound sturgeon caught in Detroit River among biggest ever recorded in US


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Which makes one wonder just how they get to be that old and that big when people keep trying to catch them. Are they that smart, fishers that easily outsmarted, or are they simply living in contexts where "catching" is not easily done by anyone?


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## oldjoat (Apr 4, 2019)

a bit of all of the above ( in canada )
(very few places where they hang out , fewer anglers know how to rig for 'em )

it's illegal to catch and keep 'em ... being the fish of the queen ( you need permission for both )

also illegal to fish for 'em on purpose. ( same reason as above ) 

if caught by accident , one must release it immediately. ( in canada )


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

So do ichthyologists rely on accidental deaths to learn anything about their biology if you can't catch-and-keep a live one?
And also how does one become the "fish of the Queen"? Is that like the way any peasants shooting a deer in Sherwood Forest had legally transgressed against the Sheriff of Nottingham and would be subject to imprisonment or death?


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

mhammer said:


> So do ichthyologists rely on accidental deaths to learn anything about their biology if you can't catch-and-keep a live one?
> And also how does one become the "fish of the Queen"? Is that like the way any peasants shooting a deer in Sherwood Forest had legally transgressed against the Sheriff of Nottingham and would be subject to imprisonment or death?


I'm pretty sure that research institutes can catch and keep with the proper permits - but I also think there are time limits for how long you can keep it. 

With regards to the Queen, there is an invasive species of swan (can't remember which) that is protected because of some royal connection.


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## oldjoat (Apr 4, 2019)

caviar .... nobility and all that @#$%^&*(&^%$^&


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## Midnight Rider (Apr 2, 2015)

mhammer said:


> Which makes one wonder just how they get to be that old and that big when people keep trying to catch them. Are they that smart, fishers that easily outsmarted, or are they simply living in contexts where "catching" is not easily done by anyone?


Any sports fishing for Sturgeon is strictly catch and release. Actually it is not that difficult to catch them if purposely targeting that species. Firstly, one would use some serious deep sea type of rod and reel with adequate pound test line. Say a 7 to 11 foot heavy action rod with 250+ feet of 80 to 130 pound test braided line on a large bait casting reel. Rig it up with a 5/0 to 9/0 hooks size baited with live (where permitted) native forage fish or chunk of dead fish or meat,... the more foul smelling the better as Sturgeon have a very acute sense of smell. Add a 4 to 20 ounce weight depending on the waters current strength. All the above will vary depending on the genera or species you are targeting.

Toss the rig out,... then sit and wait. These fish are bottom feeders and will follow the scent of the bait until they find it. This is very similar to fishing for Carp if you have ever angled for that species. As kids we would fish for Carp using the same type of rig and would bait the hook with the infamous cornmeal bait ball. It was very common to hook into a 25+ pound Carp on our small tackle usually resulting in a 30 plus minute battle,... if the line didn't break before then.


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## Midnight Rider (Apr 2, 2015)

mhammer said:


> So do ichthyologists rely on accidental deaths to learn anything about their biology if you can't catch-and-keep a live one?


The MNR uses live trap netting systems and gill nets. All fish are kept alive, measured, tagged and released when possible.
It has been estimated that Sturgeon have existed going back 136 million years.


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## jb welder (Sep 14, 2010)

Here's that Roseau river Sturgeon. 1903.


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## WCGill (Mar 27, 2009)

NRA Elephant Hunt


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

WCGill said:


> NRA Elephant Hunt


welp, that's unfortunate


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## Midnight Rider (Apr 2, 2015)

WCGill said:


> NRA Elephant Hunt


Well,... I hunt small and big game in Ontario but have never had the desire to hunt Elephant. I don't hunt to pursue trophies but strictly for meat consumption. I have never or will never take a shot if it is not a 100% kill shot. It appears in this video that both Elephants went down after the initial shot and the following shots were insurance to make sure the animal was dead before approaching them. I was a little troubled when both hunters were asking where to shoot,... any hunter should know this hands down where the kill shot should be placed well before pursuing their game.

Big game hunting is obviously permitted in Africa and they do manage their wildlife populations quite well by allocating a certain number of legal tags/licences for each species annually. It also brings in revenue that helps in wildlife management as well as the tourist industry,... just as it does in Canada.

The meat from most big game hunting is also given to the local villagers to share.

This was all done legally and although it is not my cup of tea as a hunter they were given permission by the authorities in Africa. His wife seemed to be the better marksman,... so he needs to bone up on the accuracy in my opinion. However, when the adrenaline is flowing one tends to get a bit shaky,... but you also have to know how to control and calm yourself down before squeezing the trigger to maintain accuracy.

Again, I'm not a fan of this type of hunting,... I would rather hunt game that requires a skill set of tracking and trying to out smart the big game you are pursuing, which any ethical hunter will tell you, is not always easy or successful. I've never hunted Black Bear in Ontario but the one method that rubs me the wrong way are hunters that bait the Bears using 45 gallon drums filled with meat while they sit in a nearby tree stand waiting for their prey to wander in, then shoot them like fish in a barrel.

Try walking and tracking from scratch and see how easy it is,... or isn't. If you are on ground level and face to face with big game and you mess up,... you may become the hunted. I had a bull Moose put a bit of a charge on me while in the rut one season when bow hunting,... that will get your heart and adrenaline flowing, guaranteed.

As in any outdoor hunting or fishing activity,... there are those who are proficient and ethical at what they do and those who are not,... that's why we have the Conservation Officers/Game Wardens to seek them out and shut them down if necessary.

I hunt and fish year round to fill my freezer and will continue to do so until the Ontario government states otherwise.


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## Midnight Rider (Apr 2, 2015)

jb welder said:


> Here's that Roseau river Sturgeon. 1903.


That is quite the pissed off looking crew standing behind that massive sturgeon,... they seem to be looking at it as if the fish killed a number of innocent village swimmers taking a dip in the Roseau River and had no choice but to send a message to the other Sturgeon by resorting to a good ol' fashioned lynching, lol.


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## Jim Wellington (Sep 3, 2017)

*


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## leftysg (Mar 29, 2008)

[h://video]


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## Jim Wellington (Sep 3, 2017)

Here`s a bit of fun from the Grand Prairie/Grande Cache area of Alberta. The fish came from small lakes at the northern most range for Rainbow Trout in Alberta. They were caught with Type #1 clear intermediate sinking lines, and fluorocarbon 4lb. test leaders. The flies were shrimp, dragonfly and damselfly imitations trolled behind a duck boat with an electric motor.
The one lake from the photos looks like a central Ontario bass pond, yet the pH is perfect for fresh water shrimp, and this lake is full of them. Rainbows grow fat, even in a short growing season, due to the nutrition and fat in freshwater shrimp. The scenic shots with no fish are from the Grande Cache area., and one from around Jasper.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

I wonder how many have actually tried caviar. I love most seafood, but that shit is disgusting.

The only thing worse might be this stuff.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

Milkman said:


> I wonder how many have actually tried caviar. I love most seafood, but that shit is disgusting.


a taste for the finer palate


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## oldjoat (Apr 4, 2019)

and other fish .


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## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)

Bill Gates-Funded Company Releases Genetically Modified Mosquitoes in US


Genetically modified mosquitoes have been released for the first time in the United States, as part of an ...




www.ntd.com


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

laristotle said:


> Bill Gates-Funded Company Releases Genetically Modified Mosquitoes in US
> 
> 
> Genetically modified mosquitoes have been released for the first time in the United States, as part of an ...
> ...


this is an odd post, are you sure youre in the right thread?


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## Stephenlouis (Jun 24, 2019)

I like to kayak and canoe, mostly we drink beer and soak up sun in the canoe, but I take kayaking a bit more seriously.


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## Midnight Rider (Apr 2, 2015)

Jim Wellington said:


> Here`s a bit of fun from the Grand Prairie/Grande Cache area of Alberta. The fish came from small lakes at the northern most range for Rainbow Trout in Alberta. They were caught with Type #1 clear intermediate sinking lines, and fluorocarbon 4lb. test leaders. The flies were shrimp, dragonfly and damselfly imitations trolled behind a duck boat with an electric motor.
> The one lake from the photos looks like a central Ontario bass pond, yet the pH is perfect for fresh water shrimp, and this lake is full of them. Rainbows grow fat, even in a short growing season, due to the nutrition and fat in freshwater shrimp. The scenic shots with no fish are from the Grande Cache area., and one from around Jasper.
> 
> View attachment 364099
> ...


Beautiful fish,... beautiful countryside,... great people.
Those Bows look very close to the Cuthroat Trout I used to catch when I live In Alberta for a couple years in the 70's.


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## Jim Wellington (Sep 3, 2017)

Midnight Rider said:


> Beautiful fish,... beautiful countryside,... great people.
> Those Bows look very close to the Cuthroat Trout I used to catch when I live In Alberta for a couple years in the 70's.


There are 2 different strains of bows in those pics....Shasta and Skeena, and there was a third strain in those lakes but I forget what it was. Poor pics in some regard , but the better ones all have my buddies face in them. He would come back from the grave if i plastered the net with his face.

Speaking of cutts...I found some cutthroats and rainbow/cutt crosses one afternoon in a mountain trib that will remain nameless. I was a beautiful place. You had to climb ropes in a couple of spots due to obstructions along the shoreline, including a piece of granite that was a perfect rectangle and the size of a school bus...an amazing thing...and I wasn`t toting a camera...shame on me.

I found a run that looked like something I was used to fishing back east, and started a downstream swing with size #14 pheasant tail nymphs into the dark areas behind these 15` high submerged slabs of rock.
It was pretty cool watching the rainbows, cuttroats and rainbow/cuut crosses dart out and slam the flies. After catching and releasing a dozen or so between 12" and 16" it was time to go, and get out of that place before dark...grizzly country, and you had to do a bit of climbing, not so much fun after dark. An afternoon I will never forget. Below are more pics from trolling flies with clear lines.




























This beaver lodge held some very nice Specs planted by Weyerhaeuser for their employees to catch.










Here`s one...










An Alberta Rose for a beautiful province...


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## Midnight Rider (Apr 2, 2015)

Spent many hours doing this in the great outdoors. A chum and I would do side jobs on weekends and pull in some good spare cash to help fund the guitar and recording gear. These pics go back about 28 years,... the time,... she fly.

My buddy took this photo from 20+ feet above me in the tree he was removing. Mine was about a 120 footer. About an hour each and $300 per tree.









This one was a couple hours for $500,... put it towards a G&L Stratocaster. Wish I could still do it to fund the wish list fishing boat upgrade,... damn you father time!, lol.


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