Gator

How a thaw affects ice quality depends on the snow cover. The scenario is this: Ice thaws from underneath, but snow can compress and form a layer of white ice over the stronger black ice. So, during an extended thaw we lose the black ice, then when it refreezes it's uneven beneath the surface and weaker overall. The white ice on top insulates the lake, too, so you don't get ice built up as fast when the temperature drops below freezing. This is an over generalization, but it gives you an idea of what can happen. Brief thaws are good because they clean up the surface for walking. Longer thaws are bad for the above reasons. This winter was a perfect set up, with lots of good black ice formed prior to a heavy snow. Unfortunate for us that there's an extended February cold snap, otherwise we may have been fishing into April this year.

I have a motor and am looking for an SSV14 for the small lakes like Canadice and Hemlock. The motor is 10 hp (restrictions on these lakes), so I'd rather go with the smaller hull over an SSV16 or larger hull. Please pm me if you have one to sell. Thanks!

I haven't flown into Northern Quebec in a few years, but if you're willing to go into Sunset Country in Ontario, Lac Seul is amazing for walleye and it's a remote wilderness, but at 4 hours North of International Falls, MN, you can drive there which cuts down the cost of a flight...if you're willing to drive 20 hours. You'll end up driving 10-12 to get to where you'd fly in from if you head straight North anyway. There's a group of guys on here who hit up Lac Seul on a regular basis. Search past posts. Silver Water Wheel is the cat's meow with full service guides and great boats, but pricey. However, they have an outpost camp that could suit. There's something special about cabins and 14' Lunds in the middle of nowhere...

Gives new meaning to the word "trolling" It's always good to be able to engage in dialogue. Demagoguery never contributes to a solution, it just divides us further. I understand that righteous indignation is a powerful emotion. But it's rarely a constructive emotion and is nearly always self-serving. Any solution is going to require buy-in from all stakeholders, which considering we're talking about our kids safety means all of us. I'm glad that most everyone here is able to discuss these divisive issues with respect for our LOU brothers and their individual positions. And I'll add that it's laughable to think that respect equates to weakness.

Again, complicated topic. Until a crime is committed, it's tough to hold someone accountable for what they might do. We don't want to become a police state.

Hey Bill, maybe I didn't communicate well. It's not that guns are the top means, it's that they're most effective. For example, lots of kids OD but live to understand their mistake (no idea on hanging). Far fewer survive the gun. And it sucks to pay the price of temporary teen angst. I'm sorry to hear about your step brother. Les had it right: these are complicated issues with complicated solutions, and we all have a vested interest in the outcome.

I'll weigh in briefly with two thoughts. First, IMHO the younger kids today are the pendulum swinging in the other direction. From what I can tell, many of my 16-year-old daughter's friends and contemporaries and respectful, open-minded, and a delight to be around. I hear them talk about the disregard other people have for each other with disdain. So, I'm hopeful. Second, I was having a conversation with my boss a couple weeks ago and he's a dyed in the wool liberal. So he's arguing gun control. And he had one valid point that I couldn't disagree with. He said that people, particularly teenagers, who want to kill themselves will often use a gun and be successful. Just as often, it's over a stupid problem that they wouldn't blink at the very next week, because that's how teenagers emotions run, hot and cold. If these kids didn't have as easy access to guns, they likely wouldn't be dead. It's actually hard to kill yourself. Emergency personnel can vouch for this. So, maybe there's some validity to making it harder for kids to access guns. Gun locks work, right? But that's just common sense, which is what I told him. Time to go fish now.

Here's a thread from Iceshanty from 13 years ago where I was trying to do the same thing: https://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=27097.0 I also tried multiple fixes and ended up buying the new base. After 15 years of hard use, I figured it didn't owe me anything. Both the one I bought then and another shelter since then are still going strong. Unfortunately, I'm guessing the price has gone up a bit since 2005... If you're lucky and post the models, maybe somebody on here has a used one with a crap tent but good base?

Be careful about that Amish shed not being a permanent structure...we were told that permanent or not, there were no "above ground" structures allowed, period. Crock of BS, but what can you do? For $100 they'll "consider" your request to erect a tool shed . I hope the regulations are better by you.

Yup, it's different everywhere. I had to apply for a variance just to put a MAXIMUM size 8 x 12 toolshed at our place, even prefab on akidders because there's no above ground structures allowed on land that's zoned reclaimed pasture. Amazing. I ended up not even bothering...two of the neighbors have installed huge pole barns where I should be able to store stuff during the winter.

We had issues with the swivel tips, with line getting pinched in them if you didn't set them perfectly. Also, IMHO you don't need wire rods per se, simply use the "regular" Talora with a Twili tip glued in place of the top guide. It's worked for us for better than ten years and it's idiot-proof, which is great because we're not known for being the sharpest tools in the shed, and it's cheaper by far than the wire rod/torpedo tip combo. As for running planer boards, I'd not recommend it on wire, although we run copper off the boards...honestly, never tried wire I guess. You really want to avoid kinking wire though, and if you let it loose at all it'll coil up and twist on you, then you'll have a heck of a mess. So take the money you save on the wire rod and purchase a Talora planer board rod, or just do double duty with a 7' downrigger rod like we do.

I remember that day! I wasn't with you, but I heard tales...south end of Canadice Lake, I think.

My buddy in Boston free dives in the cold, cold Atlantic in April, routinely to 40 ft and up to 90 ft. He can't stay down there too long, but he doesn't get the bends coming up, either (no breathing = no compression and no decompression). I'm thinking of having him plant a flag sporting my family's coat of arms in the bottom of the lake so that when we're trolling and somebody asks me, "Do you think you own this lake?"-not that this every happens, as we play well with others--I can say, "yes, and I can prove it.". Whatcha think?