North With Doc, from In-Fisherman

[Bwana Don]

How many of you guys read In-Fisherman? If you do you're probably familiar with North With Doc. For those of you who are not, it's about 4 guys who take a fishing trip every year together. North into Canada where they fish for a week. I think I got that right, maybe not.

Anyway I would love to have a few friends like that. The only difference is I'd like to bring my kid along too. I have this dream about fishing in various places in North America.

Lake St. Clair, live there, been there done that, love it and can't get enough
Saginaw Bay; Walleye heaven, pike too. couple hours from my door
Dale Hollow, loves my smallies
Georgian Bay; Muskie
Green Bay; Muskie
Florida keys; Tarpon etc
Alaska; for River Salmon
Eastern Coast; Big stripers

I could go on and on. Too many places to fish, too little time. (Mississippi River)

I would like to take one quality trip every year. Nothing fancy, camping is fine. I prefer the raw wilderness to any hotel room. Guys, a Starcraft or two and fishing. Bring your boys, grown or not and spend some time bonding. 3-5 days long would be nice. A little man trip to take the edge off of life.

I don't know if this will ever materialize but it's a little dream of mine. If it's just me and my son doing this, that would be cool too. I think it would be a little more fun with a few of us. Who knows, maybe it could be a yearly tradition, like Doc and his boys.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: North With Doc, from In-Fisherman

I hear stories from all sorts of folks about these lakes in northern Ontario...where you could catch a good-sized walleye or pike on practically every cast of the daredevil or Mepps spinner.

It seems like it's more costly cross the border and fish than it used to be, but I would love to head up way past the 45th parallel and check out some of those lakes for myself someday.

I would also add Lake of the Woods to the list. JB posts about his annual trips there for muskie, pike and walleye and it sounds like a real treasure as well. Of course we are lucky to have so many lakes here in Michigan that I will never even get to fish all of them.

 

[Starman8]

Re: North With Doc, from In-Fisherman

Been doing these trips up North since I started crawling. The family vacations are in southern Ontario, cottage country, and I always prefer a cottage over a motel/hotel, or tent. Many affordable places, just not as economical as before with the exchange rates, or lack thereof, and the reduction in allowable fish in possession laws.

The guys trips covered southern Ontario up to the Timmins area, mostly Pike trips.

Fished off many Georgian Bay river systems, trolled for Muskie in the fames Blackstone Harbour off the Moon River system, "landed" 65 pike in 3 days up near Timmins, hooked about 200 it seemed, and several trips in between.

Also did a muskie trip in Heyward, WI back in the 80's at Chippewa Flowage. In general, if you go for walleye in Ontario, watch the limits, and eat them immediately. Whether you have 4 on the stringer, 4 in the cottage, or 4 in the car on the way home, you better have ONLY 4 at any given time combined.

Check out the Kawarthas for family vacations. Get a cottage, your boat is normally docked right in front of you, and you can go out and in as much as you like. No pressure, very relaxing. You MI guys just cross at Windsor and hit the 401E.

You can also feast on Erie walleye in the Central basis during the summer. The fish are huge and available.

The Keys route 1 tarpon thing would be neat. Saw that on TV about 25 years ago where they fished the bridge pilings. That looked like a blast.

 

[Broadcast]

Re: North With Doc, from In-Fisherman

Fish ALL 5 Great Lakes in one season. That's on my bucket list!!!

 

[Bwana Don]

Re: North With Doc, from In-Fisherman

Fish ALL 5 Great Lakes in one season. That's on my bucket list!!!

That sounds cool. I'm adding that to my list. It's realistic for me because Michigan borders 4 of them. The only thing that can compete with Great Lakes is the Florida Keys, as far as fishing goes. I'm sure my western brothers may disagree. There are some fantastic salmon fisheries out there.

Bottom line here is I'd like to start living a little. I have a special needs child, ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) and I've spent the last year trying to cope with it. I'm going to go on the offensive here. I'm done coping and moping. We are going to start living. Not worrying about the little things anymore. No more bailing out on those big curve balls, I'm swinging away. I get three strikes and I'm taking them.

First thing on the list here is to get the Offshore splashed. Next trade the Ranger in on an F-150. Then fish, fish, fish.........

 

[dozerII]

Re: North With Doc, from In-Fisherman

Great outlook BD, I plan on doing the same this year the site is booked for the summer at the lake, the fifth wheel is going there on May long and not coming home till September. Going to eat Waleyes till I can't eat no more.
Glen

 

[Broadcast]

Re: North With Doc, from In-Fisherman

Amen BD!

 

[grzzzz]

Re: North With Doc, from In-Fisherman

Interesting thread..... I had the same goal this summer but in the west desert. Many of you don't realize how much great fishing is here in New Mexico. I was born and raised 1/2 mile from Lake St.Clair and fished MI and Ontario all my youth so I do have some knowledge to compare too. I have been working on my Holiday for 4 years now and it is finally done (almost). I plan on hitting every State Park lake this summer here. There are 6-7 from desert to high mountain. There isn't a fresh water fish not found here. Just pick what your taste is craving and head in that direction. Google up NM state parks and take a look...

Grzzzz

 

[Bwana Don]

Re: North With Doc, from In-Fisherman

I'm thinking of doing the facebook thing. I need to for Zach's cub-scouts anyway. I'll start chronicle of my adventures and maybe I can hook up (old school meaning) with some of you guys and we'll swap some fishing stories. I love seeing other fishing adventures and if I know you from this forum it will be extra cool.

I'm on Linkedin which is for business networking but have avoided facebook. Do I lose punches on my man card for joining facebook. I see my wife and her chick friends sharing intimate details of their life and it looks very, uh ... I don't know. So do I turn in my man card or will I be O.K.????

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: North With Doc, from In-Fisherman

Keep your card...I reluctantly joined FB so that we could share photos of the boys with family and friends easily.

Since then I've used it to reconnect with many old friends, and I'm only mildly annoyed by it. There may or may not be an aluminum Starcraft group on there as well.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: North With Doc, from In-Fisherman

Nah no loss of man card. Go ahead and join. There are a couple of us on there. You will go back and forth between "this is the stupidest thing ever" to "OMG I have to check my Facebook!"

 

[bananaboater]

Re: North With Doc, from In-Fisherman

Facebook has its good uses. Just be careful what you share because it can go to lots of folks that you may or may not know even with very limited sharing filters. And don't forget they are a corporation trying to make a buck from mining the information you provide. I like keeping up with family and close friends. Enjoy.

 

[jasoutside]

Re: North With Doc, from In-Fisherman

Total, absolute, anti FB'er here.

BD, you join up and the next thing you know you'll be looking at photos of EZ singing happy birthday to his kitty cat, HA finding great deals on jammies at the Big and Tall store, and CBK at his Thursday night Zumba Dance class.

Don't do it man, you'll be sorry!!

 

[ezmobee]

Re: North With Doc, from In-Fisherman

CBK posts pictures of his dinner mostly.

 

[Bwana Don]

Re: North With Doc, from In-Fisherman

I'm totally conflicted here now. You're looking at a guy who doesn't have a cell phone because they are too intrusive. I call them electronic tethers. The wife has one, I never call her. She's leaving the driveway saturday morning and sh's calling me. Shees.

To facebook or not to facebook, that is the question.

 

[djpeters]

Re: North With Doc, from In-Fisherman

CBK posts pictures of his dinner mostly.

Ain't that the truth. He needs to eat more salads.....LOL

BD, FaceBook can be fun.

 

[jasoutside]

Re: North With Doc, from In-Fisherman

No cell BD? Baby steps buddy, baby steps.

 

[Bwana Don]

Re: North With Doc, from In-Fisherman

I'm raging against the machine. I told the wife, either cell phones or a land line, I'm not paying for both (yea, I'm cheap). So she got a pay as you go phone. I'd rather go cells and an internet phone.

Instead of FB I'm thinking of starting a web-page. I dunno, I'll probably do FB, I'll probably regret it too. At least I can play farmville!

 

[ezmobee]

Re: North With Doc, from In-Fisherman

I tried to make the same arguement with my wife about the cell and land line thing. Didn't really work. I did end up bundling phone in with my cable which saved me a ton. We were paying Verizon way too much for a stinking simple land line.

Farmville: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odBDAcOEKuI