GoPro Time Lapse - Backyard Deer

I found some time to mess around with my GoPro over the weekend and since I have spotted a lot of deer over the past few days, I decided to set it up in the backyard and make a time lapse video. I was also hoping to catch some deer on film. Needless to say the results were better then expected. I am however not that experienced at making videos and editing but that will hopefully change with more experience. Anyways, hope you enjoy.

Product Review: Evercast Edgewater 2000

Used my new Evercast Edgewater 2000 for the first time this weekend. All I can say is that it is the best spinning reel I have ever used. Super smooth retrieval, not herky jerky like others. It doesn't feel like you are fighting the reel. No working or forcing required. The drag is amazing. Lightweight yet super strong. Makes fighting fish fun. Line goes on the spool straight, thus no line twist. Will buy no others.

Each reel features a 10 +1 Ball Bearing System for a smooth, quiet retrieve, a 5.5:1 gear ratio and a cold forged aluminum spool. Control fish through the fight with a multi-stack drag system and our CNC machined handle anodized with a rubber crank knob. The anti-reverse is easy to get to under the body and the graphite frame is designed to be lightweight with maximum rigidity.

SPECIFICATIONS:

� 10 +1 Ball Bearing System
� Multi-Stack Drag System
� High Strength, Lightweight Heavy
� Gauge Aluminum Bail Wire
� 5.5:1 Gear Ratio
� Gears Designed for Ultra Smooth and Quiet Running
� Cold Forged 6061 T6 Aluminum Spool
� Two-Piece CNC Machined Handle
� Anodized with Rubber Crank Knob
� Computer-Balanced Rotor for Wobble-Free Line Retrieve
� Easily Accessible, Underbody Anti-Reverse
� Lightweight Graphite Frame Designed for Maximum Rigidity
� Bail Spring is Coil Compression Type
� 2000 Series: 9.3 oz

Spring Boat Preperation

We are now well into spring and I finally found some time to get the boat ready for the upcoming season on Rice Lake.

After charging my batteries indoors all season it was time to hook them up and see if the everything was in working order. I hooked up the water muffs and after a couple of turns of the key, she fired right up.

The trolling motor was also operational and the fish finder was also in running order. 

Then I attached some decals to the side of the boat that I collected over the winter.

After doing some detailing on the interior it was time to put her back into the garage until I am ready to hit the water for the first time.

1st Time Steelheading

I finally made it out to one of the local rivers on Saturday to try my hand at Steelheading. It was something that I wanted to try for a very long time but just haven't got around to.

I have been to several rivers in the area and have watched closely and stolen things with my eyes, along with asking questions of some of the river anglers. Like with all things, especially fishing, some guys have been very helpful but the majority of them have been very rude, evasive and quit cold when it came to answering questions.

That all changed this past weekend when I was fortunate enough to get out with Mike, who was going to show me the basics of Steelheading. We agreed to head out and he showed me how to float fish along with adding some of the priceless knowledge and information he has gained throughout his river experiences.

It was a blast. When we got there conditions were not ideal as the cold weather from the night before caused some ice to form around the edges of the river and there was also quite a severe ice/slush flow coming downstream. Conditions were not ideal but I was used to it and it reminded me of ice-out Pike fishing. Something you just deal with and try to avoid as you are casting.

I of course looked like a total NOOB showing up with my 7' spinning rod where everyone else had a centerpin, but I was not going to let that deter me. The weather started out cold with a light wind but it got much warmer as the day progressed and it was quit beautiful to be at peace with mother nature and take in some of her beauty. It was however frustrating to see all kinds of fish being caught around me, yet I had nothing to show for. Mike had a clear plan all day and that was to get me a fish or two. His hard work and efforts paid off eventually.

We tried various pools along the river and to make a long story short, I caught 3 fish in total. The first was quite small, maybe 8 or 9 inches. The next two were bigger, a few pounds each. I also got to try a centrepin and caught a fish on it. Was very impressed with the free drag system they offer.

All in all, a great day with a great guy. More fisherman should give back. Again can't thank Mike enough for his tutelage.

While I may have got a grasp of the basics of float fishing, I have many more years of learning and studying to go as I try to master the rivers and conditions they present and as I continue to take up Steelheading.

Deer Grazing

I haven't seen a lot of deer grazing over the winter in my backyard. Not sure if it's due to the mild winter we have had, or wether its due to the shrinking greenlands in our area. It seems all available greenspaces in the Durham region are being snapped up by developers for either residential or commercial purposes.

So, it was a nice treat to wake up this morning and see six deer grazing. A great way to start the morning off, but it also reminds me of crucial our greenspaces are and that we should make every effort to conserve all of mother natures resources.

SAIL & SLAMMERS A Winning Combo

I finally made it to SAIL in Oshawa yesterday to spend my $100 gift card that I have been saving since before Christmas. It was the ideal day to go shopping as the VIP event was on, and that meant no sales tax. Normally it would be difficult for some to decide what to spend it on, but for me it was a very easy desicion. I spent my gift card on $100 worth of SLAMMERS and SWAMMERS. I am now partially stocked up for the upcoming open water season.

I love the selection of XZone products that SAIL carries, far more then any other store. The only thing disappointing about them is that they are more expensive then at another store I usually purchase them at but when you are buying on a gift card, you really can't complain.

Florida Fishing Blues

I recently went to Florida with my family for a week and believe it or not, I did not fish. I myself find that hard to believe being right on the water but one week just isn't enough time to get everything in. I enjoyed doing things with my wife and daughter so it was a very enjoyable trip despite not getting any fishing in.

I did visit some local tackle shops and was fortunate enough to pick up some Alabama Rigs. I got a Yumbrella Rig made by YUM in the Foxy Lady colour and an original Mann's Alabama Rig in Pearl Black colour. Can't wait to rig them up this summer with my favourite SWAMMERS.

The Alabama Rig

The latest and hottest bait to hit the market since the SLAMMER is the Alabama Rig, or is it. The Umbrella Rig which is virtually the same thing as the Alabama Rig has been around since the early 1960's.

The entire rig without hooks weighs less than 3/8 of an ounce. There are no leaders used on the rig. When rigged correctly, the lures will not tangle and it is very easy to cast. You can catch multiple fish at once to quickly get your limit. It can be fished from top to bottom or used to find suspended fish. You can fish it fast or slow and you can use a wide range of lures with this rig to cover a lot of water to find schools of fish.



Recently FLW Pro Paul Elias won $100,500 at the Walmart FLW Tour on Lake Guntersville presented by Mercury with a four-day catch of 20 bass weighing 102 lbs 8 ozs. He used the Alabama Rig which has since been banned by BASS for the Bassmaster Classic and its Elite Series, however it is still legal in other BASS events. For now the FLW has stated that castable umbrella rigs will be permitted in their 2012 tournaments.

While I would like to try one of these rigs out on my home waters, the MNR regulations state that only 4 hooks can be used on a fishing line therefore this rig would have to be modified in order for it to be legal.

I recently saw a video of Pro David Chong using one of these rigs in a tank and watching the fish react to this bait was quite amazing. I also saw a video of another pro catching 3 bass at the same time on this rig and all were in the 4+ lb range, quite amazing. I myself have had 2 fish on at the same time using a donkey rig, but been broken off by one fish.

The controversy will continue as some people argue that this bait is illegal since it is really 4 or 5 lures at once where others say it is perfetly legal.

2011 Rice Lake Bass Season Recap

The 2011 fishing season has come and gone, and already, I am looking ahead to the opening of bass season in 2012. I had my best year ever on the waters of Rice Lake. I caught more fish and they were also bigger in size. Once again my most successful bait this season was the XZone SLAMMER. This bait is hands down the best drop shoting plastic on the market. Not only is it an effective bait for bass, but I also caught perch, crappie and walleye with it. Once again I'd like to urge everyone to conserve our waterways and practice CPR, catch, photo, release. All these fish were released and maybe I will be fortunate enough to catch one of them during the 2012 season.

Product Review: Dropshot Hooks

The Drop Shot is a specialized technique that requires all the right components to make the rig work correctly. You need the right rod, line, weight, and hook. If even one of these requirements is off, you will not have the best fish catching potential.

This past season while bass fishing, I spent a lot of time experimenting with different drop shot hooks and have come to the conclusion that I definitely like one more then others. I tested the following hooks in sizes 1 and 2/0: VMC Octopus, VMC Sureset Drop Shot, Owner Wacky, Gamakatsu Finesse Wide Gap, Gamakatsu Split Shot/Drop Shot, Gamakatsu Octopus.

The VMC Octopus is similar to a "circle hook" and it features a short shank that is somewhat rounded and the shank extends into it's bend, though to a much lesser degree than a circle hook. Very lightweight, strong and sharp. Seemed to lose more fish when using the VMC hooks.

I found the Owner Wacky Hooks to become dull very quickly and they required hook sharpening quite often. Numerous fish were lost on these hooks due to dull hooks not holding in the mouth or jaw.

The Gamakatsu Hooks were all extremely sharp and seemed to hold all fish hooked. Can't recall losing a bass when rigged with Gammy hooks.

The Gamakatsu hooks all feature ultra sharp points that were able to stick to everything they touched. The bend behind the point holds nose hooked plastics in the perfect position ninety degrees from the line. Plastics used in this test were XZone Slammers and Fat Slammers. The point was able to penetrate the hard upper lip of bass caught and the sharp barb did not let the fish throw the hook when they were being reeled in.



The Gamakatsu Finesse Wide Gap Hook was designed for situations where you need a big hook but a long shank worm hook would be too much. This hook has plenty of bite for hooking big bass but the short shank design is not to obvious and does not take away from your presentation which is key when finesse fishing a drop shot rig. These small hooks definitely pack a big punch and give you the legendary Gamakatsu sharpness in a short shank package. The eye of the hook is turned slightly upward to align the needle point with the direction of the hook set. The design of this hook makes it perfect for drop shot fishing with thicker baits that require additional gap, but don’t need the added weight of a larger worm hook. The Gamakatsu Finesse Wide Gap Hook was the winner hands down as it had a 100% hookup to landing ratio. I highly recommend these hooks for dropshotting.

Role Model AND Mentoring

Recently I was told by a friend that their son had to do an essay for school and in this essay they mentioned me. After reading his essay, I must say that it made quite happy and emotional to learn how I have affected them in a positive manner. I would like to share his thoughts with you. Here is the portion that mentions me.

"In my life, someone who best exemplifies a good friend and role model is my friend Dirk, actually Dirk is a family friend who has always treated me more like a peer than a child. We share a love of cottaging and fishing. He is a trustworthy adult. Over the years he has never let me down and I have always felt that I can ask questions that only adults can answer and he will never judge me and answer me honestly. I know he has my best interests at heart. He invites me and my family to his home and his cottage he takes me for fishing trips and we relate to each other really well. We both have the same sense of humour and we have the same personality, which is why we probably get along so well. I know I am lucky that his family and mine are good friends.

Dirk is also respectful. Considering that he is actually my parent’s friend, he never makes me feel like I am bothering him. He takes the time to explain things to me and doesn’t speak down to me when it takes more than a few times to make me understand things. He’s not condescending, and is an adult that treats me like my age. Also he is caring. Just like in the movie, I know we have differences but our common interests in the outdoors , our sense of humour and our families have created a bond for me with someone I know has my back. Next to my dad (who is my very best friend) I know I can count on Dirk for anything."

I never realized what an impact I have made on this youngsters life and I must say I am very prod of myself and the author of this amazing essay. Cheers.

Dirk

Post Labour Day

Fall is one of the best times of the year to go bass fishing for several reasons.

Firstly, the water temps are dropping which means more oxygen and more active fish which in turn will increase the digestive system making the bass feed more frequently.

Secondly, bass more often than not, school together so if you catch one there are usually others there as well.

Finally, at this time of year, bass will strike just about anything that you throw at them although there are certain patterns that work better than others. Bass will eat natural forage in any given body of water so color patterns and size of baits should mimic the natural forage. I hit the water at 4:30 pm on Saturday afternoon and wasn't sure what to expect as all my fishing has been early in the morning over the summer. I have never been out this late once this year. I fished until around 7pm and the action wasn't furious but had fun nonetheless.

I got to my first spot and came up empty. Moved to spot number two and quickly hooked into a PB largie but beside the boat the line snapped, man was it a tank. For the most part most fish were small, 2-3 lbs.

I managed a couple of walleye on the low end of the slot, then manged a decent one drop shoting a Fat Slammer.
All fish were caught a bit deeper then normal, 11-14 FOW. Heres hoping for a productive fall fishing season.

Labour Day 2011

I looked back at pics from last years Labour Day long weekend and the first thing I noticed was that the weather was very similar, overcast, rain and wind. The second thing I noticed was that I only have a pic of one small bass from that entire weekend. Either I didn't fish, or in a year I have become a better angler, whatever the case when I compare it to this weekend, it was much better then last years.

As the colder weather approaches and as we get deeper into fall, the action should start to heat up. Heres hoping for a furious fall fishing season on Rice Lake.

More Rice Lake Bassin'

Another summer weekend has come and gone and once again I made the most of my limited time on the water.

As fall approaches, I value every hour on the water. This weekend there were a few large bass to be had and numerous smaller sized ones. Oddly enough, the smaller bass came on Saturday in warm, sunny conditions and the larger ones were bagged on Sunday in difficult, overcast and blustery 30 km/hr winds.

My bait of choice should come as no shock to those of you that read my blog, yes it was a Slammer. The Slammer continues to produce both quantity and quality in all types of weather conditions and certainly does not disappoint.

With the Labour Day Weekend almost here, I am keeping my fingers crossed for both weather and big bass. Hope everyone stays safe on the water this coming long weekend.

Releasing 3 Bass - 10+ lbs

After a great day on the water there is not better feeling then releasing large fish back into the lake in hopes they will be caught another day. Please practice Catch & Release.