Chicagoland Outdoor Show

DATES & HOURS Wednesday, Jan 21, 2:00 – 8:00 Thursday, Jan 22, 2:00 – 8:00 Friday, Jan 23, 2:00 – 9:00 Saturday, Jan 24, 10:00 – 8:00 Sunday, Jan 25, 10:00 – 5:00 LOCATION Stephens Convention Center 5555 North River Road Rosemont, IL 60018 Phone: 847-692-2220 ADMISSION PRICES $10.00 for Adults $9.00 for Seniors (62 and older) Kids on weekdays (16 and under) Free! Weekends $5 for kids 6-16, under 6 Free! Please note: Some attractions require seperate fee http://www.chicagolandsportshow.com/index.php

Posted on January 5, 2009 Filed Under Fish, Fishing, Lake Fishing | Leave a Comment

All-Canada Show – Chicago

All-Canada Show – Chicago Pheasant Run Resort Mega Center 4051 E Main Street St. Charles, IL 60174-5200 (630) 584-6300 The 26th annual All-Canada Show offers Canada’s BEST fishing and hunting and brings the largest contingent of Canadian lodge, camp and outfitters in this market. Midwest outdoors people use the show to plan their perfect adventure to Canada Dates:Thursday-Sunday, Jan.

Posted on January 5, 2009 Filed Under Fish, Fishing, Lake Fishing | Leave a Comment

Why not all Halibut taste the same.

Did you ever eat a halibut dish at a restaurant that left you feeling less than satisfied? Well, it probably wasn't all the chef's fault. They have to contend… with multiple factors. Commercial fisherman usually throw back halibut less than about 30 pounds because of catch restrictions, so that only the older, tougher fish make it to market. Personally, I prefer to only eat halibut under 25 pounds. If you compare the filet of a 12-25 pound halibut to one in the 40-100 pound range, you will notice a difference similar to filet mignon and flank steak. Of course I prefer to eat halibut as fresh as possible, but a very close second is fish that has been vacuum packed and flash frozen. Most people who eat halibut (that I have prepared) are surprised when they don’t taste anything fishy and also experience the “melt in your mouth” euphemism that has been so overused. Many fishing resorts on the north coast promote large halibut. Please do the halibut and yourself a favor by keeping the ones under 30 lbs. The larger halibut have tougher meat, but also have many eggs to lay. I know of one fellow who suggested cooking the larger halibut in a pressure cooker to tenderize the meat. I’ve never tried it, but it sounds awful. Generally I cook halibut in a skillet for just a few minutes on each side. I can’t imagine what a pressure cooker would do, but it probably wouldn’t be pretty. If you would like some of our favorite halibut recipes, send me an e-mail. Upper scale restaurants that serve a premium cut of beef will often also have 2 or three halibut dishes on the menu. You will often pay close to the same price for a small piece of this tasty whitefish as you would for a New York strip or a good Rib Eye steak. Having sampled many different halibut recipes at these restaurants over the years, I have generally been disappointed with both the flavor and quality of the fish. To be fair, the chefs are probably doing an incredible job since the fish they have to work with are is less than desirable. As opposed to beef, fish does not age well. When restaurants advertise “fresh halibut”, they mean “never frozen. In most cases this “fresh fish” has been on ice on the fish boat for 10 days or more. Then it has to survive shipping while staying unfrozen, which means the halibut will often have that familiar fishy taste.

Posted on January 4, 2009 Filed Under Fish, Fishing, Fishing Report | Leave a Comment

Boat Show

CHICAGO BOAT,RV AND OUTDOOR SHOW January 14-18, 2009 79th Annual Chicago Boat, RV & Outdoors Show Whether interested in activities on land or in water, the Chicago Boat, RV & Outdoors Show is the winter shopping destination for outdoor enthusiasts. The largest sportshow in the Midwest features hundreds of boats, RVs and specialty booths filled with marine accessories and travel destinations, at the most competitive prices of the year. The 2009 show is the best place to view, board and buy everything needed for outdoor adventures.   WHEN:   Wednesday through Sunday, January 14-18, 2009 Wednesday through Friday: 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. Saturday:  10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. Sunday:  10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. WHERE: McCormick Place – North Building 2301 S. Lake Shore Drive Chicago, IL  60616 ADMISSION:       $10.00 for Adults $4.00 for Youth (13-15) FREE for Children (12 and under) *Senior Day – Wednesday, January 14 ONLY: All seniors (65 and older) receive a $2.00 discount on admission http://www.chicagoboatshow.com/

Posted on January 3, 2009 Filed Under Fish, Fishing, Lake Fishing | Leave a Comment

My Rod Bent Double

Got the chance to fish the upper Ribble with Rob . The night had been a little warmer so I thought we may stand a chance ,the high pressure that had settled and caused clear nights and deep frosts seemed to have moved. We arrived at the river I’ve fished the spot a few times and it’s great water . Every time the Christmas break comes along me and Rob try for a few Grayling ,he had a cracker a couple of years back . The river was very cold and clear as usual at this time of year spent Salmon litter the bank and shallows. It’s sad to see these King’s of fish dead and dieing but such is life and with the sacrifice comes a new beginning . I imagine a lot of life along the river feasts at this time on dead Salmon remains and after a few years we have decided the pink flies we fish are more than likely imitating the flesh that washes down the river and Grayling gorge them selves on it , almost prebaiting the river for us . Today was hard going, I tried three flies under a stick on the pin , spiders , Czech nymphs you name it . I spotted a fish or two in a pool and gave them a go . I thought I had hit bottom but then all hell broke loose my little 6# rod bet double and my line stripped off down stream I hoped for a monster Grayling but I knew only one fish could be responsible ”Salmon”. No matter how I leaned in to the fish it would not yield . After a good struggle it made another run and the top dropper found the only snag on the river the fish was still on so I gave Rob the rod and waded out I could see the fish a big double and not as dark as I thought!! only thing it saw me one shake of it’s head was enough and away it went. I blanked but it was still a good day Rod had a couple of wee fish . I tried hard today and would have loved the slightest sign of a fish on what was a new method for me but not a sniff , even on the fly rod we both struggled . I sort of expected we would after reading a few reports and blogs of people who had fished earlier in the week . Not to worry hopefully plenty more days fishing to be had . Happy New Year.

Posted on January 3, 2009 Filed Under Fish, Fishing, Fishing Diary, Fishing Trips | Leave a Comment

Best Salmon Fishing Boats for the West Coast

HOW TO STAY WARM, DRY AND COMFORTABLE It’s easy, actually. Find a lodge or fishing operation that carries its’ guests in covered cabin cruisers with an open deck for fighting the fish. But here is what you need to know. Many lodges, especially those who advertise remote wilderness locations, find the cost of transporting larger boats and the necessary fuel prohibitively expensive. In order to conserve fuel, management generally is forced to make one of two decisions. Guests find themselves fishing in small open boats, generally in the 15-18 ft. range, or sharing the company of 20-30 others on a 50 ft. plus ocean cruiser. Lodges that offer comfortable accommodations and covered boats for 2-5 people often charge upwards of $1,000 per day, per person! The following pointers will help you decide which type of boat is right for your next expedition…. Please note that this is our opinion and you are free to choose which you like! There are 3 main types of fishing boat in use today on the west coast. The hard-top cabin cruiser style, the soft –top, and open boat. THE SOFT TOP 25 ft Grady White Sailfish Picture of a 25 ft Grady White The soft-top is either 100% canvas top, or canvas wrapped around a fiberglass or aluminum roof. This type of arrangement is popular on walk-around style boats, such as many Grady-White models. While the Grady-White is a good fishing boat in Florida , the 24-29 ft models popular with some west coast guides offer limited protection for all but the captain and one other person. The sad part for finding boats is that most boats are designed this way. All guests unlucky enough not to score the only other seat behind the windshield find themselves halfway under the canvas, subject to all the boat spay and rainstorms that frequent the Pacific Northwest. Some people try and extend the cabin a little which does help the two people up front. It is recommended to wear warm rain gear or floater suits while fishing this type of boat on the west coast. THE OPEN BOAT Boston Whaler 13 ft Boston Whaler The open boats are often dory style or center console Boston Whaler style boats. Guests are often seated ahead of the console, not only taking the full force of the wind and rain, but also the pounding of the waves since they are so far forward along the boat’s hull. Rain gear is a must, hampering movement and providing more opportunity for sleeves and or other bulky outdoor clothing to get caught in a screaming reel. THE HARD TOP 29 ft Trophy with twin 250 Suzuki Motors Picture of a 29 ft Trophy with twin 250 Suzuki 4-stroke motors My favorite type of fishing boat is the hard-top cabin cruiser style boat with an open deck and deep gunnels. The majority of this boat’s style on the market, from the cabin cruiser and motor yacht, place the engines directly under the fishing deck. Standard even on large fishing cruisers are deck gunnels that barely come past the knees. The last thing you want is for your friend to lose his balance and take an unplanned swim. It happens more than you would believe. Ask Salmon Eye about our boats with waist high gunnels or rails. An easy transition can be made from the fish fighting platform to the comfort of an all enclosed cabin with enough interior seating for up to 5 larger people.

Posted on January 3, 2009 Filed Under Fish, Fishing, Fishing Diary | Leave a Comment

Grand River Fisheries Management Plan – Open House

Some readers may be interested in attending this event, about which I just received the following email: ” Hi folks: This message is being sent to all Friends of the Grand members and old members, whom I am sure support us in spirit. An public open house will be held next week to review 10 years of operation under the Grand River Fisheries Management Plan. Friends of the Grand River is sponsoring this open house. The Fergus-Elora open house will be held on Wednesday, January 7, at 7 p.m. in the Wellington County Museum on County Road 18 between Fergus and Elora, just west of the Trestle access point. It’s the big majestic old building up on the hill. Short presentations will be followed by an opportunity to ask questions and offer feedback on your views about management of the Grand River. This is the first of a series of open houses; others will be held in Cambridge (January 21), Brantford, Dunnville and Six Nations. Full details of the other venues are available on the GRCA web site (www.grandriver.ca). If you received this message in error, I apologize. If I’ve reminded you that you forgot to send us your membership cheque, feel free to send one in. Membership info is on our web site (www.friendsofthegrandriver.com). I hope you will consider coming out to one of the open houses. This is how we get to understand what people want from the Grand River — anglers and others. Thanks for your attention. Have a Happy New Year! JohnD Secretary, Friends of the Grand River and FOGR rep on the Grand River FMP Implementation Committee”

Posted on January 3, 2009 Filed Under Fish, Fishing, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment

Roll on 2009

As it was the last day of my DCAL license I figured I had to at least spent a couple of hours on the only public water still open nearby – Woodburn Reservoir. I haven’t been out for ages so I was quite excited at the prospect of spending a couple of hours by the water. One silver lining of being a father is that I’m getting slightly more used to getting up earlier. This led me to being beside the water at the ungodly hour of 10am. Blurgh, i didn’t know you could fish this early. One of the downsides of being there that early was that it was c-c-c-cold. I wrapped up pretty good, I’d tonnes of warm Christmas presents but one thing that let me down was the fact that my hands were freezing. I’d gloves with me but wearing them I had absolutely no line control, so off they came. From the outset i knew the day was going to be difficult but judging from the number of fish stealing bastards cormorants, there did seem to be fish in the water. These proved to be a mile from the bank though. I mainly stuck to sinking lines and lures, but if I’m honest all this did was highlight a couple of casting deficiencies as i struggled to cast to the horizon. For a while it looks like fish had moved in to the shallow end of the reservoir and in calm water too. I had a crack at them with a bloodworm under a pimp but alas the activity turned out to be a family of duckings practicing their diving. Unfortunately this ended up another fishless day, which meant i still haven’t had an opportunity to try out an ingenious invention by Steve Dobson the Dobson Clip which holds your rod securely allowing both hands to be used to unhook the fish. After noticing the varnish chipping off near my rod rings this has further prompted me to get a new rod for 2009. At the moment I’m dreaming about a Hardy Demon setup, but as this is a little out of my price range I’ll have to settle for something else. Therefore from today I’ve put together my Fishing New Year’s resolutions 1. Get a new Rod (something pretty, that makes me cast like an expert) 2. Get some casting lessons, I’m dreading this, I’ve a sneaky suspicion I’m unteachable 3. Post to Blog more frequently 4. Stop Blanking I’m not too sure how I’ll manage the last one, but the first two are quite obtainable. Stevie Munn is rumoured to be an excellent casting instructor who also happens to be a online tackle dealer, I’m hoping that besides trying to break me out of my self-taught bad habits he can bring along a couple of rods for me to try out. All in all, I’m quite looking forward to the new fishing year. Tight Lines to you all for 2009

Posted on January 1, 2009 Filed Under Fish, Fishing, Fishing Diary | Leave a Comment

« go back

Pages