Spring is in the air, you can almost smell it!
Sportsmen look forward to spring for a variety of reasons. Some can’t wait for the opening of trout or walleye season, while others are gearing up for gobblers or bears across the river. Regardless of what your bag is, it’s just a fabulous time of year to be in the Great Outdoors.
For me, as many of you already know, spring is all about trout fishing. I long for that first chance to hit the water in my Sportspal canoe. It is that magical time of year when the white throated sparrow sings and the streams come alive again; running fast and deep after a long cold winter.
Well, this winter hasn’t been so bad actually, but I still look forward to the snow disappearing and ice melting off the lakes.
What does spring mean to you? Drop me a line!
Outdoorsguy
Hi Jeff,
Spring for me means returning to the campsite waiting to learn more about fishing and hunting from our local expert. Can’t wait until opening day.
Say Hi to Mrs. Outdoors and family and we will see you opening weekend.
Hey Tom, great to hear from you!
So, did you end-up getting that Cadillac of 5th Wheels you were looking for? Mrs Outdoorsguy has already been itching to upgrade our trailer, but we’re gonna do at least one full season in it before we trade it in.
This summer I’ll have to get you out on the lake…show you where those big old pike
are hiding!
How’s business? Say hi to Cindy and the kids for us and thanks for checking me out!
Outdoorsguy
My first trip will be the stealhead opener in April on a tributary of lake Ontario. Can’t wait.
Dan
spring for me is gearing the fishladder up at the Ganaraska river for the migratory trout run . were many hours will be spent making sure the rainbows get up river to spawn
Spring for me is TURKEY TIME!!!!! Scouting has already started…now come on April 27th!!! 🙂
Ok Dan..which trib would might that be? Wilmott? Cobourg? Gages? Ganny??
Outdoorsguy
Chessy..it almost sounds like a fisheries management project you’re working on?
Are you monitoring the steelhead or trying to catch them?
I fished Port Hope twice and was never able to catch a single fish, perhaps I needed a better guide?
How have the runs been the past couple of years? Do you keep below the tracks?
Outdoorsguy
Serge, are the birds in your area still doing well? Seen any nice Toms?
I suppose we’ll be seeing gobblers in the fields soon?
Got any secret turkey tips for all the wild turkey enthusiasts out there?
Outdoorsguy
Ya that’s the one Jeff.
Dan
you want to fish the ganny .. any help i can provide you with … all you have to do is ask
Where were you back in 1990-91 when I needed you!
Well, one day I might make it back to the Ganny..and if so, you’ll be the first guy I call, Chessy!
Well, second guy actually since I hear Greg Keeler of Blue Rodeo also lives in Port Hope.
Outdoorsguy
The first time I fished for stealheads I got skuned. The key is too use a as light as line as you can, and to adjust for proper drift control, speed, depth etc. I am no expert on stealhead but I have been going for 5 years now, and I am learning everytime I go. I only go once a year and my success depends on how many fish are actually there!
Last year I got 7 fish all small ones and I do not usually keep more than one per year.
Dan
“Ya that’s the one Jeff. Dan”
Good one Dan, Im picking up what you’re putting down!
Outdoorsguy
Spring for me is a trout fishing weekend with the boys on a few remote lakes in my canoes! It also means planning for canoe-camping (and fishing) all summer at remote lakes and rivers with the family. We’re getting the gear ready, making lists of things that we need to replace this year, fixing gear that needs attention, and also getting the few extra winter pounds off! It’s an exciting time for sure.
GPG, I can totally relate!
We always seem to have a new ‘mystery trout lake’ we’re looking for every year!
We will find it on the map and I’ll get the GPS co-ordinates entered. We’re usually good for at least one full day of poking around the bush looking for new water! Last year it was a 30 KM ATV ride to a new lake that turned out to be a bust.
It was still fun looking though!
Outdoorsguy
I miss the steelhead fishing in the Steel River in Northern Ontario.
In lieu of that it’s prime muskrat season. The large males are extremely active being the promiscuous creatures they are. Also hope to land a few more beaver.
And you thought those two words (promiscuous and beaver) used in the same conversation could only spell trouble…
Jeff I have been putting in community time at the Ganaraska fish ladder for over 30 years since I was 10, back then there was no law on volunteers if your parents said it was ok you could do it. Today there is red tape volunteer forums to sign harness training and rules what used to be simple has become somewhat complicated it is almost time to get the web page going again for this year. It is awesome that my daughter is now of age to volunteer and this will be the second year she is able to help with the processing of the fish
Jeff i look forward to the turkey season and the smell of the damp grass and the new growth smell.Something i have done ever since i was 5 and look forward to is a big bon fire right beside the river at night while we catch piles of mudpout(barbut) and clean and cook right there.Before it used to be with family but as time goes by now it’s as much fun with a group of friends.
Jeff the above mentioned activity has a long traditional history in the ottawa valley.The spring is normally the best time because the water is so cold and the meat is firm and the skin comes off easy.Up untill recently we used 16ft bamboo poles but mine are gone now and are no longer availible.Believe it or not we used to get the poles from the center of rolls of carpet.Holly shit i feel real old now lol
Chessy, if you had any photos of the Ganny fish ladder, Id love to post them here.
Its great that you’ve been doing this for so long, and please let us know when that website is up and running..
Did you ever get Sir Sandford Fleming College students down there to help…a few of my old class mates volenteered years ago.
Outdoorsguy
Paul, are those brown bullheads or what the French call Barbotte that your catching? I have only ever eaten them once and never could figure out the proper way to prepare them. I’ve heard they need to be skinned?
It’s so funny to hear you talk about the old bamboo poles. We used those as kids back home and I’ll never forget our neighbour Mr Blais..with his bamboo pole and Dacron line..he’d sit on the edge of Beaven creek and catch what he called Maskinonge…we had no idea at the time that muskie even existed in the creek..till he’d bring these big ones home.
His trick was to hook a good sized rock bass to the line and just wait..then when the muskie took his bait sideways, he’d heave back on the bamboo pole and wing the muskie right out onto the river bank – in one good launch!
I never did forget that..as I’m sure no one has ever done it again since…
Outdoorsguy
Jeff,i’m not sure but i would think bullheads.They have to be skinned for sure but that’s easy.As for cooking.Equal parts butter and shortening in a” cast iron” fry pan.Cracker crumbs and onion soup mix and pepper and dip them in a beaten egg.Cooked on an open fire that is hot hot.The shortening allows the butter to get to a higher temp without burning.
Oh yes we used the bamboo for pike and pickeral as well.With a big bobber made of cork that was about 2-3 inches wide.As kids we could tell the type of fish that was at your bait(minnow,or small sunfish) just by the way the cork moved.Now i have 20 rods and reals,3 tackle boxes full of junk that i think i need,and if someone found me a old bamboo with a cork the rest of my stuff would collect dust in the shed.Boy how times have changed
Paul, that’s the way things go, though. I hear stories from my Dad about he and his brothers and sisters fishing as kids and that was even before bamboo poles..
I know what you mean about an over abundance of fishing tackle…and then we end using only a couple of our favourite lures..I always remember what someone told me one time.
“Fishermen may have their favourite lures, but fish never do”
Outdoorsguy
Well Jeff, the turkeys are flourishing, we have flocks that are growing rapidly and new flocks being created, so it’s looking very good for turkey this year. Last year, I started using a Pretty boy and pretty girl decoy and man, does this combo work well. http://www.carrylitedecoys.com/productdetail.aspx?id=65001
Video http://www.carrylitedecoys.com/multimedi….=WM_MediumSpeed
This year, I put a real turkey fan on it and a real beard and it looksawesome and looks like a REAL turkey..I can’t wait. This spring, archery only for turkey…put my DoubleBull blind to work!!! 🙂
Awesome Serge, I always said you were a bit of a pretty boy!
Sounds like a real scientific approach to nature’s most challenging bird…unfortunatly the decoy’s link doesn’t work.
Outdoorsguy
The first works…and for the video, try this: http://www.carrylitedecoys.com/Multimedia/default
And thanks for the pretty boy comment…LOL
hehe..that comment was for Michelle’s benefit..I know what its like when you get a bit older..
Thanks
Outdoorsguy