Well for us it started with a watery YARD SALE!

Doctor OH had a few tricks up his sleeve, but most ended up 3 feet off shore and four feet deep. After lightening our load as much as we could we discovered that the only casualties were a digital camera and a wack load of trail mix. My boots spent a day and a half on the camp fire grill.

Almost there...

See you all tomorrow. Remember...arrive alive! No speeding Wrong Way or you'll get a one pound penalty when you weigh in your fish...assuming we decide to leave you any fish.

WARNING

Apparently Algonquin Park Officials on their web site today are warning of a population explosion for the Common Garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis) in the Cedar Lake district and other Southern areas of the Park.

Normally earthworms are its primary prey, but they also eat other invertebrates and small amphibians. This year they are causing concern by preying on trout stocks.

Campers are being warned to clean their fish far from their camp sites and wash hands thoroughly. (so the hungry little buggers will not follow you into your sleeping bag I guess).

Boo-ha-ha-ha

( Click on image to enlarge.)

Tight Line will arrive on time

Tight Line wrote:

Absolutely....I don't have a fancy new truck like you Wrong Way. It's all I can do to keep it on the road at 110 KPH. Not to mention the questionable brakes that Black Bean knows nothing about. I assure you though, when we eventually get there, you'll see that my paddling skills are superior to my motor vehicle ones especially with the light load I'll be carrying.

See you at the Irving or at the Brent Access point/ Put in site where the race for the Ultimate Splake Hunter Championship begins.

Wrong Way in sight...load tubes three through five...FIRE! FIRE! FIRE!

Tight Line wrote:
I'll be leaving Orleans @ 0700 to 0715 and will have to pick up Black Bean. That puts me at the Pembroke Irving Station @ 0915 at the earliest. I'd just as soon drive through and stop in Chalk River for gas and a sub. That way I might just be able to catch up with Wrong Way Dave by the time we get to the Brent access point. Let us know what the consensus is and we'll stop by if we happen to make good time.

Wrong Way wrote:
You and your subs! I hope that is not indicative of what your canoe is going to do. From the west end of the city to Pembroke is only an one hour drive. You should be able to pick up Black Bean and make it to Pembroke by 8:30 just in time for breakfast. Maybe you just drive tooooo slow?????

Did you know...

The Ghost of Tom Thompson was last seen by Fast Eddie and the Brent Giant, October 1, 2002 while crossing Canoe Lake in an early Fall blizzard.

We heard no sound of his approach and in an instant he faded from sight, even his paddle breaking the surface was deathly silent.

Wrong Way Special - Placenta on a plate

Take two eggs, scorch them thoroughly then drown in rancid tomato mush and serve on soggy burnt toast. Yummm. This is just a "little something special" Wrong Way likes to wake us up with.

Expert Splake Hunter to the Honey Hole - STAT!

As hardy as they come (sleeps in a roll of canvas by the fire), the good Doctor will be operating in top form in his attempt to claim the coveted Splake Trophy!

Yes Tight Line, he is fully capable of keeping Wrong Way in check.

Dunk-a-Lew has old school methods

It's nice of Dunk-a-Lew to test the water temperature for us every year. He might be doing the same this time, but so far has made no promises. Captain Hook will be close by to fish him out I'm sure.

When he is not swimming, he is a cunning angler. He's always looking for a better casting position. One to watch in the race for the Ultimate Splake Hunter Championship Cup!

Canoe assignments

canoe 1: Wrong Way (Heaviest canoe)
He will take the solo canoe to the first portage then switch out with the Brent Giant

canoe 2: Brent Giant and Black Bean(Misc canoe)

canoe 3: Captain Hook and friend (Misc canoe)

canoe 4: Fast Eddie and Shark Bait
(Swift tippy Nova craft, hugging the shore all the way)

canoe 5: Doctor OH and Tight Line
(Bent canoe, because Tight Line loves it's unpredictability)

canoe 6: Special Guest and son (Misc canoe)

kayak 1: Dunk-a-Lew (kayak, because he needs to get to the site first and get the fire going and the wood chopped)

Vehicle assignments

Wrong Way's truck:
Fast Eddie, Shark Bait and Wrong Way (taking 2 canoes)

Doctor OH's car:
Brent Giant and Doctor OH (taking 1 canoe)

Tight Line's truck:
Black Bean and Tight Line (taking 1 bent canoe)

Dunk-a-Lew's truck:
Dunk-a-Lew, Captain Hook and friend (taking 1 canoe and 1 kayak)

Special Guest's vehicle: Special Guest and son (taking 1 canoe)

Tent situation

Wrong Way's tent: Fast Eddie and Wrong Way
Brent Giant's tent: Tight Line, Black Bean and Brent Giant
the Hobbit: Shark Bait
the Roll of Canvas by the fire: Doctor OH
Dunk-a-Lew's tent: Captain Hook, friend (not a girl) and Dunk-a-Lew
Famous guest's tent: son and famous guest

I can't remember if I brought my tent last year Tight Line, but I better take it this time because we are three. The tenting arrangements for Dunk-a-Lew and the Famous Guest are just a guess.

Tight Line takes the high road.

Tight Line wrote:
Yes Wrong Way, portaging all your gear is definitely a tradition, but I have to give it to you this year, you have assembled a mighty fine and able crew to help you. The portage should be a breeze this year for you guys. Personally, I find it nice to have a little energy once I make camp.

I just got word the ice is off on the southern part of Algonquin so it will definitely be clear for for our trip! The long range forecast (keep your fingers crossed) is for average to above average temperatures. Could it be that it won't snow this year???

Wrong Way hits Tight Line with bocce ball skills comment

Wrong Way wrote:

I noticed in the blog that Tight Line is still coming lean and mean; however, if the rest of you want to eat well and be comfortable in camp, it will do you well to help Fast Eddie and I portage the half ton of extra weight. Don't whine, we always have fun with the heavy stuff. Let Tight Line be a party pooper. He probably can't roll the bocce balls with accurracy anyway.

It's time to chum the waters

Start the eerie cello music cause he's not the Mystery Angler anymore. Here he is, unmasked for the first time...it's "Shark Bait"! He will be challenging us all with this his nerves of steel as he attempts to be the next Ultimate Splake Hunter Champion.

Mystery Solved!

On the weekend I was picking up some gear at MEC with Black Bean when we heard someone say, "excuse me sir, are you the Brent Giant?" When I looked down I saw him...he had a pile of gear around his feet and his hand was extended up. He said, "I'm the Mystery Angler, Alex!"

We soon learned that Alex has had experience hunting Great White sharks off the coast of Africa and wants to try his hand at a far more challenging species...Splake! He'll have lots to add to the fire side conversation me thinks.

Yes, he's not all there, but he'll be with us again!

Careful guys, you'll never know what will happen when Black Bean is in the mix. He knows about the Coon skin and judging by his expression here...he'll be watching us very closely!

Seriously!...who is this guy?

I thought that since I am going to be trekking with you all, maybe I should put out a couple of tips from the rolodex of sure fire fishing secrets..(alright it's just my fishing desk calendar...don't tell anyone). SPRING fishing tip....spring is one of the best seasons for fishing (excellent) most species spawn during the spring and are often found in shallows. Try fishing water six feet deep or less, using small bucktails, spinnerbaits, minnows, or various types of live bait. Now in a modified form for us would exclude non-worms (from what I have heard) as live bait, and the spawning thing is not so much for the salmonids, but the temp diff associated with spring should result in some super-hungry brookies (and others if present)...so it is still a great time.

Eye on the prize

Silent, but deadly...what tricks can we expect from the Captain this year? Time will only tell.

Tight Line comes out swinging!

Sounds like we're going to have a good crew this year. We need Doctor OH to keep Wrong Way Dave in check. The extra bodies will be neccessary to lug all of Wrong Way's gear across the portage.

I hope we don't freeeze our bits again this year. It 's almost a tradition now- three years in a row we've had snow.

Wrong Way's Cooking Kills Again

Here is the proposed menu for the trip. (for everyone but Tight Line, he insists on bringing his own food.)

Friday Supper
- Chicken in orange sauce
- Carrots in lemon and butter sauce
- Rice
- Fruit salad for dessert

Saturday Breakfast
- bacon and eggs
- OJ
- toast and jam

Saturday Supper
- Surf and Turf (Steaks and fresh caught fish)
- Peas
- Mashed potaoes
- peaches for dessert

Sunday Breakfast
- Pancakes and syrup
- OJ

Sunday Supper
- Pasta (noodles)
- Pork chops
- Corn
- unsure what is for dessert, perhaps something will fall from a tree

Monday Breakfast
- Porridge
- toast and jam
- any left overs
- OJ

Note: You are responsible for your own lunches. If you want coffee or tea, you will need to bring your own. No glass bottles or tin cans. I will purchase paper plates, only because I hate doing dishes, but you will need to bring your own knife, fork and spoons, also bring a cup and or a mug and Rolaids.

Fast Eddie on the Competition

Competition starts upon setting your canoe in the water, Friday May 4 and results read by the official (Fast Eddie) at fireside Sunday May 6 at 8:00 pm. Weigh ins will be conducted by the official only and in private with each successful angler and the results kept secret from every angler until Sunday night where a first, second and third prize will be awarded. Remember it is the heaviest brookie caught. White Suckers do not count.

Do not add any weights to your fish….Tight Line! It will be an automatic elimination from the competition. All brookies will be cleaned and stomachs examined by the official…I have a new fillet knife! Weigh ins end at 7:30 pm Sunday. Any fish brought in after that will not count. Sharpen your hooks lads!

Giant Help

Here's a tip to help out my competition for the Ultimate Splake Hunter Championship:

In the Spring look for brook trout and Splake near points and shoreline shallows. Troll near shore with spinners tipped with worms. Cast or troll with dark-colored nymphs or Wooly Buggers.

Here we go again...

We'll be leaving soon for another adventure into the Park. This time we'll attack the Splake with possibly 10 anglers and Wrong Way Dave. This is the largest our tribe has ever grown to and with that several challenges will need to be met.

"Three canoes can't fit on my truck!"..."no he'll never fit in there, put him with the other guy!"..."what do you mean a famous person is coming?"..."I can't solo all the way, are you nuts?"... "I ain't going in the tippy canoe"..."but I want to be able to leave when I want."..."my friend is not a girl!"

You see what I mean. Well, it promises to be alot of fun.