Bryan from Barrie looks to share knowledge and gnu friends

[beaser]

Hi! I'm Bryan from Barrie or Beas/Beaser as my friends like to call me. I'm a retired refrigeration mechanic with 2 totally buggered knees, ripped up rotator cuff and severe arthritus. Two weeks ago I was looking for a birthday present for my little buddy and 11 year old grandson. He had expressed a desire to do some fishing so I stopped by Trombly's Tackle Box in Orillia. I know I could have saved a few dollars but i was more interested in some solid advice from "the pros"

I did enjoy fishing as a kid growing up on some out of the way RCAF Stations. I also did a little fishing in my 20s (very little) and then put my back into a lifetime of dedication and misdirected loyalty. I had little or no "beaser time".

Picking up a rod and reel felt good, really good in fact so I bought a rod and reel for myself. I had settled on a Pfleuger Xion combo for my grandson. I got him an assortment of smaller lures, a soft tackle bag and loaded the reel with 8 lb mono. I remembered that when I was a kid no one told me to go easy of the tackle sizing. For starters an 11 year old and an old fart are going to catch smaller fish.

I decided on a Pfleuger President XT light reel and a fenwick eagle light rod. Thankfully, I did get a good price on some 6 lb braided line. The spool held 250 metres. Hindsight is 20/20 I know but after the spool was loaded I started thinking that I should have used some tape to dummy up the spool. I had also heard that some use mono to fill the spool.

The reel did come with a spare spool so I thought I could always load the spare with heavier line if need be. (remember I know next to nil)

I had thought fishing from shore or in a stream would be be better than sitting in a boat. I do suffer from chronic pain and sitting in a boat for any length of time would be very uncomfortable.

Currently I'm looking for places to fish around the Barrie area. I had thought I'd like to fish an easily acessable location but not the government dock type of venue. I don't mind driving and I don't, mind paying.

Fishing fits in with my main hobby. I love photography and one of my interests is birds and wildelife. This past 2 weeks I've spent considerable time sitting with my tripod at the Langman Conservation area.

This is a pretty long winded hello so I'll leave this post with you and hope for some replies.

Da Beas (like Da Bearz and Da Bullz)
(disclaimer: My spelling sucks and I am dyslexic)

[OldTimer]

Hey Bryan,

Great intro!

We are not retired........... simply redirecting our dedication and loyalties within.

What was your father's RCAF squadron number. My dad was a mechanic with 416 during WWII.

Welcome to the forum.

Cheers,

OldTimer

(disclaimer: My spelling sucks too...... must be cuz I cant see for sh*t)

[beaser]

(08-01-2012 06:18 AM)OldTimer Wrote:  Hey Bryan,

Great intro!

We are not retired........... simply redirecting our dedication and loyalties within.

What was your father's RCAF squadron number. My dad was a mechanic with 416 during WWII.

Welcome to the forum.

Cheers,

OldTimer

(disclaimer: My spelling sucks too...... must be cuz I cant see for sh*t)

My Dad served with the Royal Air Force in bomber command , he joined the RCAF when we immigrated after the war. In RAF Bomber command they flew without interuption through out the war. Heavy casualties often necessitated combining survivors to reform into operation units so he served in a few different Squadrons. He didn't really serve in any operational air squadrons in Canada. He was grounded in the early 50's when he was injured in a parachute malfunction. He served at Rivers Joint Air Training Center as a Nav Instructor, Survival Sxchool in RCAF Edmonton, 14 Group Ground Defense, RCAF Wpg and Borden and Air Control and Warning (RCAF Stn Senneterre, St Hubert, McChord AFB Wa and Stn St Margarets NB.

I joined when I was 17 and became a Refrigeration and Mechanical Tech. I retired still working at the same trade.

[MichaelAngelo]

(08-01-2012 02:50 AM)beaser Wrote:  For starters an 11 year old and an old fart are going to catch smaller fish.

LOL I like where this is going Keep us updated on your adventures!

(08-01-2012 02:50 AM)beaser Wrote:  I decided on a Pfleuger President XT light reel and a fenwick eagle light rod. Thankfully, I did get a good price on some 6 lb braided line. The spool held 250 metres. Hindsight is 20/20 I know but after the spool was loaded I started thinking that I should have used some tape to dummy up the spool. I had also heard that some use mono to fill the spool.

I think you did the right thing filling the spool. You could have backed it with mono to save money, but you didn't have to (the Pflueger spools are braid-ready).

If you used dummy tape you would have regretted it if you hooked the fish of lifetime. I'm sure of this. You can never have too much line!!! Also, some of the largest fish I've caught have been on my smallest lures... you can never be safe from a big fishy!!!

(08-01-2012 02:50 AM)beaser Wrote:  Fishing fits in with my main hobby. I love photography and one of my interests is birds and wildelife. This past 2 weeks I've spent considerable time sitting with my tripod at the Langman Conservation area.

Sweet! My father is an avid photographer. Me, not so much... but I know enough to curse my crappie canon point-and-shoot almost every time I shoot my fish. My wilderness experience when I was younger consisted of fishing with my grandfather and birdwatching with my dad.

Welcome!

[beaser]

That spool took 250 meters of braided line. That's a lot.

I went for a drive and did a little recon on some possible spots. I stopped at the MNR office in Midhurst. One of ther conservation officers gave me some locations to scout.
I stopped at The Langman Conservation Center that's been my photo subject for the past few weeks and was saddened to see the swamp bed fry in a few spots. The Trumpeter Swans can't swimf reely anymore and it'll take more than a days rain to restore the water levels.
You can get access to the Nottawasaga at the Edenvale conservation area and again the water levels are really down.

Areas I'll be looking at are around The Collingwood waterfront, Belle Ewart and a few spots in the Nottawasaga water shed.

I'll probably do a recce yup to Coldwater to the Parry Sound area. I don't really have a clue yet but I'm looking for something into the canadian shield. There are lots of waterways just north of me and that open rock faced area appeals to me. Reminds me of the north where I spent part of my youth.

I'm not the type to hang around the government dock. Only down side to the more rustic locations is my screwed up legs. I almost fell on my face negotiating the riverbank at Edenvale. It's like walking on stilts with the plastic and steel knees.

[beaser]

I've got the bug and I've always been a cerified gear slut. I have the light fenwick (4-8 lb) with the Pfleuger Pres XT model 30 (9lb max).

That rod is light and has a nice feel too it, This past week I've been checking out 8-12lb and some med heavy. I still like the fenwicks and there are some other really nice rods that are fairly reasonable. For less than a night out I could be a happy man. Then there are the reels!

Is this a normal occurance??????????????
Gear lust I mean.
My camera fetish started inocently enuff.

[OldTimer]

We prefer to think of it as being prepared for any possible eventuality, from smelt to blue marlin............. and ponds to the Pacific.

Words such as lust or fetish should be replaced with "necessary inventory" or "critical spares".

No other sport has this vast array of hardware and accessories available. We must support the system.

Now - just think of all the neat stuff ya cood get if ya stayed home for supper a week.......................

[beaser]

I have a "newbie" or more acurately an "old fart retread" question regarding the additional rod and reel that i talked about buying.

As I mentioned I bought a fenwick eagle 2-8 lb light rod and a pfleuger pres vy mod 30 (9lb max drag).

Today I bought a Fenwick 6'6' HMX 6-17lb med heavy rod and an Okuma Trio 30S reel (max drag is rated at 18). In hind sight I may have gone a tad heavy on the rod. The reel is a definite keeper. Any thoughts on this? The fenwick feels very different from pretty much everything I have tried. They just feel right

I haven't touched the rod so it can be returned.
I made the trip to TO worthwhile by buying a few lures at lebaron

Any advice will be sincerly appreciated
Thanks
Beas

Edit: I just noticed the lure rating is 1/4 to 5/8. This is the same as many medium rods. I find it interesting that the line rating is 6-17 yet has a med fast action. I also notice that fenwick rods have a very precise feel to them.
I'm a tech so I have to over analyze everything

[Giuga10]

Welcome Brian,
you'll find a wealth of information from "the pro's" haha in a simple easy to understand format.

Good luck on the water,
Giuga10

[beaser]

A follow up on my escapades with the grand buddy

I have had my share of health problems and many took their toll on my mobility. I have made more gains going out with an 11 year old than I could have with all of the physio they have to offer. The exercise and aid to mobility facilitated by the bobbing and weaving in around the river banks and stream beds. Intead of walking like I have a stick up my asp I am moving better than I have in several years and I am enjoying life to the fullest. Aside from the fishing and exploring with Sebastien I've expanded my photographic efforts into a more adventurous mode. I used to get "down and dirty" to get the best posible shot and I found with some care and a little imagination that I still can and the more I do it the easier it becomes.