GLF

Thats GREAT to hear Steve! Now get out and get that big buck!

Any big bucks?

Glad to hear everything is OK.

This got shot down hard....was not even close. I would of thought there was enough sportsman in the state that this would have passed.

Anyone fishing any of these tourney's next year? I will be fishing 1 to 3 of them. I will be fishing the South Haven Big Jon Pro/Am for sure. Possibly the Muskegon or Ludington tourney in July, and possibly the Saugatuck tourney in August.

On Sunday, my family went to Cabela's. NEVER go to Cabela's on a Sunday 1 week before opening day of firearm deer season. Anyways....I was browsing through the fishing tackle section, and came across the Rapala x-rap. They have a couple of different models of them. I picked up a couple xtreme action slashbait's and a couple deep diving slashbait's to try in the spring. Anyone ever use these in the spring?

A mutating fish disease that experts believe came to the eastern Great lakes in the ballast of saltwater ships will affect how some Minnesota and Wisconsin bait dealers and fish farms sell their stock this year and could decimate wild fish populations for decades to come. The disease, viral hemorrhagic septicemia, or VHS, has infected 27 species, killing fish this year from Lake St. Clair near Detroit into Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence River and a New York lake. http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/articles/index.cfm?id=27789&section=news&forumcomm_check_return&freebie_check&CFID=5117434&CFTOKEN=52485441&jsessionid=88306b7d0e50676f3b6c

Ontario planning storage site near Lake Huron shore Local officials have joined a bi-national effort to stop a proposal to build an underground nuclear-waste storage facility less than a mile from Lake Huron's shore. Activists, politicians, and citizens groups from the United States and Canada voiced their opposition Oct. 23 to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission regarding a proposal to create a nuclear-waste storage site under Kincardine, Ontario. http://www.thetimesherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061107/NEWS01/611070303/1002

Former Newsweek correspondent Peter Annin covered some of the country's biggest stories of the 1990s, including the Branch Davidian tragedy in Waco, Texas; Timothy McVeigh's bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City; and the capture of the violent Montana hermit Ted Kaczynski, better known as the Unabomber. But none of these tales captured Annin's attention as did the pitch by an obscure Canadian company to haul away Lake Superior tanker by tanker to Asia at a rate of about 150 million gallons a year. That 1998 proposal sank after a public outcry, but it got Annin thinking about the Great Lakes and the prospects for future diversions. It got him thinking: Somebody should write a book about this. "The Great Lakes Water Wars" is now in stores and receiving good reviews as an excellent primer for getting up to speed on what could be one of the region's most important - and contentious - issues in the coming decades. Annin spoke with reporter Dan Egan from Annin's office in Madison, where he is an associate director of the Institutes for Journalism and Natural Resources. http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=527553

See big buck post. I took the day off work so I could hang a tree stand where I thought the big guy might go through. I stepped out the back door at 4:00 pm to head for my stand. I got two steps out the back door, and I saw the big boy and a doe take off running about 150 yds away Rather than stink it up, and put more pressure in the area, I decided to head back in the house. My stand is approximately 150 yds from his bedding area. I am thinking I need to be in the stand by at least 3 pm. He moved over an hour earlier tonight than last night. I do not have a "peak" times chart to see when the peak movements are suppose to be. I have a dentist appointment tomorrow after work, so I can not hunt tomorrow night. Thursday we have conferences for my son I watch our sons on Friday, Saturday, and Sundays. Maybe I will see if I can find someone to watch the boys for a couple hours for me this weekend

I just checked the marine near shore forecast. TUESDAY SOUTH WINDS 5 TO 15 KNOTS. MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF LIGHT SHOWERS. WAVES 2 TO 4 FEET SUBSIDING TO 1 TO 3 FEET LATE IN THE DAY. TUESDAY NIGHT SOUTHWEST WINDS 10 TO 20 KNOTS. MOSTLY CLOUDY. WAVES 3 TO 5 FEET. These winds will work, providing it is not swirling.

I was going to work on the boat tomorrow after work. Things have changed all of a sudden. I saw the GRAND DADDY of bucks out back tonight. I will be moving a stand for tomorrow nights hunt. I think he is bedding in the thicket to the East of our house. I watched him going through the hard woods from the thicket at 5:10 pm. I know what run he is using. I am hopping the wind will be right for the stand. I could really use a South/Southeast wind. My fingers are crossed, I hoping the wind will be right, and he takes the same route tomorrow night.

Looks like I have 3 different bucks hanging around The first one looks like a LUCKY buck. Notice the sore behind his front shoulder? Looks like someone almost got him. He is a 6 point with no brow tines. The second one looks to be a six point also(fork horn plus brow tines). The 3rd one is a decent 8 point with heavy main beams. He was in my back yard this morning at 7:15 Notice the first and 3rd buck have similar racks? Similar gene pool is what I am guessing. I have seen one around the last 2 years that is a lot BIGGER than the last buck

The Great Lakes are not showing the same trends of overfishing that some researchers claim could help lead to the demise of ocean seafood by as early as 2048, said Jim Bence, a professor in Michigan State University's Department of Fisheries and Wildlife. http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061103/NEWS06/611030351/1008

Potential New Berlin diversion called illegal New Berlin must not be allowed to divert water from Lake Michigan for its west side residents, Michigan's attorney general warned the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources this week. http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=526697

Here are the final dates for the 2007 Tournament Trail. Michigan City, IN May 5-6 Sea Ray Hoosier Coho Club Classic St. Joseph, MI May 11-12 SW MI Steelheaders Summer Challenge South Haven, MI May 19-20 South Haven Steelheaders Big Jon Pro/Am Onekama, MI May 25-27 Onekama Marine Shakedown Grand Haven, MI June 1-3 Offshore Challenge Pro/Am Mainstee, MI June 22-24 M.C.S.F.A. Budweiser Pro/Am Holland, MI July 7-8 The Big Red Classic (formerly Salmon Slam) Muskegon, MI July 13-15 Cabela's Salmon Shootout Ludington, MI July 19-22 Gander Mtn. Offshore Classic Manistee, MI July 27-29 Salmon Splash Saugatuck, MI Aug. 11-12 Waypoint/Tower Marine Pro/Am Sturgeon Bay, WI Aug. 17-19 Lexington Homes Offshore Challenge Frankfort, MI Aug. 24-26 Benzie Fishing Frenzy Traverse City, MI Sept. 1-2 Grand Traverse Salmon Classic Bay Harbor, MI Sept. 7-9 Bay Harbor Fishing Tournament

Coast Guard Rear Adm. John E. Crowley Jr. is persuasive in his assertions that live ammunition training proposed for Lake Ontario is necessary and can be done without endangering recreational boaters. For the sake of increased security, the public must be willing to adjust. http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2006611020377

VHS outbreak leads to a ban on regional shipping BROOKLYN, Mich. -- When a new disease called viral hemorrhagic septicemia apparently was brought into the Great Lakes from the oceans and killed a couple of thousand muskellunge in Lake St. Clair last spring, fisheries biologists hoped it was a transitory event that would blow over. http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061102/SPORTS10/611020333

More than 300 Great Lakes experts are gathered in Milwaukee this week for what is essentially a two-year checkup on the health of the world's largest freshwater ecosystem. The diagnosis: not good. http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=526300

Grant will help team of researchers tackle cause and plan how to rid lake of oxygen-starved water. The reappearance of a dead zone in Lake Erie has environmentalists perplexed because they're again attacking an issue largely thought to be resolved. A dead zone, or an area of oxygen-starved water, covers as much as two-thirds of the bottom water in the lake's central basin, according to Donald Scavia, a University of Michigan professor in the School of Natural Resources and Environment. http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061101/METRO/611010376/1003

3 tournaments: April, 28,29 June, 23,24 August, 25,26 (no long weekends!!) $400 cdn entry Must enter prior 1 week prior, before Friday 12 midnight. A surcharge of $100 will be added for late entries. *** GUARANTEED PAYOUT*** 1 - 10,000 2 - 3,000 3 - 1,500 4 - 1,000 5 - 1,000 6 - 500 7 - 500 Big fish 500 each day This will be the largest guaranteed CASH payout on Lake Ontario. The series has taken new format as well. $100 registration fee per team. paid 1 week prior to the first tournament. With this fee you get a chance at first prize consisting of $2000 and KING OF THE LAKE RINGS for up to four members of your team. (picture to follow at a later date.) 2nd - $1000 3rd - $500 Prizes to be given out at the 1st king Of The Lake banquet to be held in Welland, Ont, Niagara, Canada. to be held in September, 2007 The banquet will be held for the lake Ontario and Lake Erie series in the same night. The Registration fee provides you with 4 tickets and your own team number a la Nascar. Size of number to be chosen by you the captain of the boat. Your team will carry the same number for all tournaments. In the past we have had a lot of suggestions, some complaints and some praise for what we do as a group. We are trying to make this the best place to get competitive juices flowing for a weekend of fishing. King Of The Lake for a day, Weekend or event the Season. What a thrill!!! We have thought of a few different rules to add/change. The main rule that we have added because of recent events that have occurred is a fishing day will consist no less that 8 hrs of fishing. This means if the weather is bad in the morning, we will postpone till 8:00 am and make the call. If we can go It will be till 4:00pm. If we can't go the fishing day will be canceled and the rest will follow protocol. We have always had a Polygraph guy available to us and never had to use him in the past years for the lake O Tournaments, once on Lake Erie. This year due to the amount of money guaranteed and given we will be polygraphing the winner and some random participants in the money. This should ensure there will be no cheating.

Here are most of the major tournament dates for 2007. Some tourney's/ports dates are not set yet. South Haven, MI May 19-20 South Haven Steelheaders Big Jon Pro/Am Grand Haven, MI June 1-3 Offshore Challenge Pro/Am Muskegon, MI July 13-15 Cabela's Salmon Shootout Ludington, MI July 19-22 Gander Mtn. Offshore Classic Manistee, MI July 27-29 Salmon Splash Sturgeon Bay, WI Aug. 17-19 Lexington Homes Offshore Challenge Frankfort, MI Aug. 24-26 Benzie Fishing Frenzy Traverse City, MI Sept. 1-2 Grand Traverse Salmon Classic Bay Harbor, MI Sept. 7-9 Bay Harbor Fishing Tournament Dates not set yet Michigan City, IN Sea Ray Hoosier Coho Club Classic St. Joseph, MI SW MI Steelheaders Summer Challenge Onekama, MI Onekama Marine Shakedown Manistee, MI M.C.S.F.A. Budweiser Pro/AM Holland, MI Salmon Slam Saugatuck, MI Waypoint/Tower Marine Pro/Am

I see the Fishdog Company is back online.

I am not sure how many of you have seen these images. They were sent to me today. The deer was hit and killed by a truck near Alma, WI. According to a local newspaper, biologists speculated that a diet high in proteins and minerals caused the deer to grow those long, curved hooves. I am thinking this buck needs a pedicure.

Does anyone have the stats on how many people fall out of a tree stand every year? I was getting a couple of pumpkins for my sons a couple of weeks ago, and I was talking with the girl/owner. She told me her husband fell out of a tree stand last November and is now parallized. I know 2 people at work that have fallen out of their stand, and there may be others that I dont know about. I have a stand that uses a strap. Last year when I was climbing from the sticks to the stand, the stand moved on me. I did not fall, but it scared the crap out of me. Put your strap on the tree before you climb from the ladder to the stand.