Canada Bound 2019

March/April 2019
Vol. 3, Issue 2

In This Issue

What is ‘Poutine’?
Canada Bound Sophomores
Fishing Near Barry’s Bay
Toll Roads
Porcupines
Algonquin Logging Museum
Barry’s Bay History
Fishing Near Barry’s Bay
Purchasing A Fishing License
Fireworks
Niagara Falls Info
Do You Know Your Fish?
PUZZLE

Travel Dates

Milne’s July 19-July 27

Wightman’s July 27-August 3
Burke’s July 20-July 30 (tentative)
Horseshoe Falls From The Radisson

Fun Fact

One million people visit Algonquin Park annually!!

you pronounce it the correct way so you do not leave the

impression of and American Buffoon.
CANADA BOUND 2019 Poutine is comprised of French fries as a base,
Time is winding
drenched in cheese curds and gravy. Cheese curds are
down folks!! This
a bit gross in my opinion so, I have yet to try this
issue is crammed
Canadian staple. Poutine is likely quite flavorful but it is
full with both useful
also jam-packed with an obscene average number of
and useless
calories of 1,400 per plate. For the herbivores, there are
information!! So
some establishments offering vegetarian renditions.
excited to share in
our adventures with
Canadians love poutine so much that
all of you!! Praying
they host eating contests where one
in advance for safe
winner, Pat Bertoletti, ate thirteen
travels, quality time, good fishing, a bad spring insect
pounds of poutine. It is surprising that
hatch, great memories and no need for any depends to
Bertoletti did not die on the spot.
prevent tears from running down anyones legs.
The world’s largest serving of poutine
What is ‘Poutine’? By Haylee Caldwell weighed more than 1,440 pounds which
Canadian cuisine is somewhat similar to that found in is basically as large as a horse. Poutine is normally a
the United States of America; however, you may come cheap dish and is even available at most chain fast food
across items that are not so familiar. One such item is restaurants but, there is one place in Montreal where
known as Poutine. This dish is pronounced ‘Poo-teen’ in poutine cost $23.
Ontario but in Quebec it is pronounced ‘poo-tin’ be sure
The origins of poutine are quite the mystery but it is
suspected that it was invented by a very hungry truck
driver. If you find out that you truly love this delicacy then
you may want to try a poutine flavored drink. Poutine is
beloved by Canadians and is considered one of their
national dishes. The Dairy in Barry’s Bay offers poutine
very affordably if you desire to taste authentic poutine
while travelling abroad.
Canada Bound Sophomores By Haylee Caldwell
The Wightman family had their first Barry’s Bay
Canadian Adventure back in the summer of 2017.
Despite being there during the worst bug infestation in
over 60 years (according to the local Pharmacist who
sells a lot of anti-itch cream) they still managed to enjoy
their trip.
Bethany loved being in nature. Her favorite
lake was Bear Lake and she really enjoyed
staying in the cottage on Carson Lake. She
found that worms worked best for fishing,
Brianna did not fish (WUT?). Bethany’s
least favorite things were the bugs and the
fact that she was tired a lot (hence the term
‘ADVENTURE’ is often used rather than vacation).
Bethany’s favorite ice cream flavor from the dairy was
Butter Pecan. Another favorite time was swimming in
Carson Lake through the rain.
Sean’s high point of the trip was
catching fish! His favorite fishing spot
is Hardtack Lake (aka Hard-Trek)
while his favorite lake in general is
Bear Lake. Sean also found that
worms were great bait as was Josiah’s
storm lure. Native Canadian bait from
a bait shop also fared well. Sean’s favorite ice cream
flavor from the dairy is Moose Tracks (it’s Canada) and
his favorite tea from a store in Barry’s Bay is licorice
rooibos. Finally, his least favorite thing was breaking
down around the border, but we all survived this minor
hiccup.
Brianna’s most favorite thing about her trip
was canoeing and singing with Haylee, as
well as swimming in the rain at Carson Lake.
Her favorite store in Barry’s Bay is ‘Gift it
Gray’ where she got maple tea. The low
points for her were the leeches and bugs
(Brianna is the first guest of ours to ever ever
have had a leech encounter). Overshadowing the bad,
she found the chocolate ice cream at the dairy to be the
most delightful flavor. She also enjoyed hanging out with
the Burke’s and playing games.
Amy’s favorite part about being in Canada
was being with family and friends. Her
favorite lake is Bear Lake and her favorite
flavor of ice cream from the dairy is mint
chocolate chip. One new experience for all
was Canadian candy!! The offerings
there are somewhat different and Amy’s favorite candy
bar is the Cadbury Wunderbar. As for the bad, her least
favorite thing about the trip was the menacing bugs and
doing homework while vacationing…er, uh,
ADVENTURING. One favorite non adventurous activity
was playing mafia with the Burke’s and Caldwell’s and
lying with permission.
Toll Roads By Steve Caldwell
In-route to our destination, we will be traveling via toll
roads in both the USA and Canada. It is best to have
small denominations of bills and perhaps some change
available.
Our preferred route will take us on the New York
Thruway, I-90. The I-90 Toll from the State Line to the
Peace Bridge at Fort Erie at the time of this article was
$3.15. The Peace Bridge toll was $3.75. Tolls at the
border can be paid in Canadian or US currency;
however, they will not apply an exchange rate. We
generally use US currency on the way into Canada and
then left over Canadian currency on the way back. Tolls
will be slightly higher if towing a trailer.
We may (or may not) plan
to make use of the 407
ETR (Express Toll
Road)...this is up for
discussion. The 407 ETR
is the world's first all-
electronic, open access toll highway. The 407 ETR
begins just north of the border along the Queen
Elizabeth Way in Burlington and our route would take us
to the Enfield Road exit just North of Oshawa. Use of
this route is not cheap; however, it saves driving through
downtown Toronto traffic (8 lanes in one direction in
some places). Transporting canoes while on the 407 can
be an issue, the key will be to make sure our license
plates are visible to the ETR cameras. If they are not
then an extra 50 CAD camera fee will be assessed. We
will try to get more information on this and pass it along.
The best option may
be to lease a
transponder via the
407 ETR website
which is far cheaper
than paying the
camera fees. The entire ETR expense should be
somewhere around 60 USD, perhaps we can choose to
NOT use the ETR; again, that is an option we can
discuss.
Porcupines By Wonderwoman
Porcupines are found across all of North America and
have large chunky bodies, short legs and they waddle
like a pregnant lady. They are not aggressive creatures,
rather they flee from danger. The porcupine is famous
for its quills and is Canada's second largest RODENT
after the beaver (no, not Theodore). They have more
than 30,000 quills which are actually modified hairs.
Quills are hollow which provides buoyancy making the
species excellent swimmers. The quills also have a
pointed tips with tiny barbs which imbed into their
predators if attacked. Quills appear darker at the base
and become lighter to a white hue at their tip. Contrary
to what many people
have been led to believe,
porcupines cannot throw
their quills.
Despite their prickly
appearance they have a
soft undercoat with long
guard hairs covering the
quills. Their underside and muzzles have no quills. They
can be found in mature forests, pine thickets and alder
bushes. They are strictly herbivores; however, their diet
changes somewhat with the seasons. Bark of fir trees
and cedar trees in the winter; maple, poplar and alder
bark in the spring; leaves of herbs and shrubs, clover,
thorn apple, water lilies in the summer; acorns and
beechnuts in the fall.
Keep your eyes open and you may just get to see a real
live porcupine in the Canadian wilderness.
Algonquin Logging Museum By Haylee Caldwell
The small communities in and around Algonquin Park
grew up due to two of Canada’s most precious natural
resources, timber and water. The history of this industry
is not forgotten and tourists can get a small taste of life
during those times at the Logging Museum in Algonquin
Park.
Located near the East entrance to the park, there is no
admittance fee for the museum. The tour will take you
along an outdoor pathway about a mile long that winds
past a lake and many logging exhibits. Among the
exhibits are logs, bunk houses, logging equipment, an
authentic tugboat, a train,
antique cars, tools, and
various things used by
those who logged in
Algonquin Park about
180 years ago.
Logging was a very popular occupation as nearly half
the population in Canada worked in the logging industry.
There are many giant logs at the Logging Museum which
are fun to climb on. The lake along the museum's trail is
a great place for spotting Canadian moose (although I
don’t think we ever have).
The museum is a fun place for children to frolic and a
nice place for an educational stroll. The many exhibits in
the museum are fun to climb on and explore no matter
what your age may be. On your visit to the Madawaska
valley, this historical museum may be a place to
consider stopping by.
Barry’s Bay History (in a nutshell) By Wonderwoman
The Algonquin named the Madawaska Valley
"Kuaenash Ne-Ishing" meaning "Beautiful Bay." Long
before the first Pioneers ever saw this beautiful bay on
Kamaniskeg Lake it was a gathering place for a band of
aboriginals (not sure what the band name was). The
area drew lumber tycoons because of the expansive
forests. James Barry, a lumberman, was employed by
McLaughlin's lumber. He built a cabin on the shores of
Kamaniskeg Lake which soon became the central
location of McLaughlin's headquarters and served as an
active lumberman camp and depot. This camp carried
the name "Barry's Camp on the Bay" and was later
shortened to just "Barry's Bay."
In the early 1900's two schools were established in
Barry's Bay in what had become a very active
community. An estimated 20 trains passed through the
town daily, carrying both passengers and lumber.
Barry's Bay currently has a population of 1,300 and it is
still a small community on the lake and makes one feel
as though they are stepping back into time.
Fishing Near Barry’s Bay By Steve Caldwell
Licenses, Sporting Cards, Tackle, Baits...UGGGH, too
much to think about!!!
An important part or our adventure vacation will entail
trying to land some fish, primarily targeting (and keeping)
smallmouth bass. Other species we may encounter
include largemouth bass, rock bass (red eye), northern
pike, lake trout, splake and yellow perch. We normally
have one or two fish fry’s while there.
Tackle for canoe fishing should be simple yet reliable.
We normally use a two-piece, medium-weight spinning
rod and reel loaded with six- or eight-pound line. One
concern will be how you will pack and protect your
tackle. Just a warning, portaging with a hard sided and
bulky tackle box can be particularly difficult. We often
take a large tackle boxes to Canada and then place a
subset of our 'stuff' in small soft sided shoulder bags or
fishing vests for our daily outings.
Through the years things have changed quite a bit as far
as bait goes. The premier bait back in the early
adventure years was the overly abundant Northern
Leopard Frog. Nothing seemed to pump the adrenaline
more than flipping a frog into the rapids and having a
bass snatch it up the second it hit the water. We used to
carry dozens of frogs with us on our daily outings in
customized 'frog boxes'; or, while camping in the park
Hal Burke would pay the grandkids 5 cents per frog.
This kept the kids pretty busy filling the frog boxes.
Catching bait frogs most likely provided a lot of income
for the teens of the Barry's Bay area. It seemed there
were signs at nearly every other driveway advertising the
sale of bait frogs. Today, there are strict regulations on
the use/possession of Northern Leopard Frogs and the
purchase of them is prohibited. Which means, you
guessed it, if you want to use one then you will have to
catch them yourself. The possession limit for northern
leopard frogs is 12; additionally, the Northern Leopard
Frog is the only frog you are allowed to put on a hook.
We did not use frogs on our last trip and don't plan to
this time unless things are terribly slow. I will take a ‘frog
box’ just in case.
If you plan to use live bait, we prefer #1
snelled baitholder hooks for
nightcrawlers/frogs/plastic grubs, and
snelled octopus hooks for leeches. We
also take an assortment of spinners
and plastic. We have had a lot of success with three inch
chartreuse grubs (Mr. Twister). Others have done well
with various plastic worms. You may want to do some
research and try something new too. If you plan to use
Jig heads and/or sinkers, you should consider
purchasing those of the lead-free variety. Everything I
have read online seems to indicate that lead tackle is
banned in all Canadian National Parks; but, Algonquin
Park is a Provincial park. With that said and erring on
the side of caution I plan to leave the lead at home.
Lead free tackle should be readily available these days.
Here is what Phil Harrison, a well-known Ontario fishing
guide has to say...
"When chasing smallmouth my choice is leeches — they
cannot resist them. I routinely use them on a Carolina rig
setup with a circle hook. These little buggers squirm like
crazy and just drive the fish absolutely nuts. They work
particularly well on high pressured lakes and in severe
cold-front conditions."
I could blow this section up by adding a lot of internet
content, but I will refrain. If you want, do some research
online and see what others are saying about fishing
Algonquin Park.
Purchasing a Fishing License By Staff Writer
If you are 18 years and older, you will need a valid
license before you can start fishing. This license includes
two parts:
1) An Outdoors Card (a plastic ID card, valid for three
calendar years). Cost should be
around $10 per card and can be
ordered online, ordering them at least
two months before our trip should put
them in your mailbox long before our
departure time.
2) A fishing license can be for either:
Sport License: An 8 sporting license costs a bit more
($40); but, with this one you can keep twice as many fish
(you decide).
Possession limits are as follows: 4 Walleye, 4 Northern
Pike, 4 Bass, 2 Lake Trout, 15 Yellow Perch
Conservation License: An 8 day conservation license
is the cheaper option ($25 USD); however, possessing
one means you have a reduced catch limit.
Possession limits are as follows: 2 Walleye, 2 Northern
Pike,2 Bass, 1 Lake Trout, 10 Yellow Perch
We will be under regulations for zone 15 in Ontario if you
want to do your own fishing research.
Fireworks at the Falls By Steve Caldwell
Beginning June 17, 2019 Niagara Falls fireworks will be
going off every night at 10:00 pm. Our last stay at the
falls (July 2017) turned out to be really 'lit' event. Let’s
see, Sean and Bethany disappeared during the fireworks
show, a sudden thunderstorm whipped up so the rest of
us waited for Sean and Bethany under
a nearby steel bus stop with dozens of
strangers. Lightning and a steel
structure, hmmmm. Those of us waiting
(and soaked) decided to make a dash
to a nearby coffee shop, hoping to find
Sean and Bethany. Haylee took off with blazing speed
leaving the bus stop and heading across a grassy area
toward the shop...wait for it...and then DOWN SHE
WENT (poor thing) in a mud puddle. Needless to say
she popped back up and continued trekking toward the
coffee shop. Needless to say, we eventually headed
back to the hotel just hoping Sean and Bethany were
there. You see, not all cell providers have coverage in
Canada; thus the reason we couldn't locate Sean and
Bethany. Oh, yes, they were at the hotel.
So, we are hoping for good weather and a fantastic
fireworks show.
Niagara Falls Info By Staff Writer
Niagara Falls was formed when large torrents of water
were released from the melting ice, draining into the
Niagara River. The water plunged over the edge of the
Niagara Escarpment to what is now known as Lewiston,
NY. Niagara Falls is a geological wonder and one of the
most famous waterfalls in the world.
Over 8 million visitors explore Niagara Falls State Park
annually.
Niagara Falls is comprised of three waterfalls, from
largest to smallest, the Horseshoe Falls (also known as
the Canadian falls), American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls.
The water that flows over Niagara Falls is at 25-50%
capacity at any given time. The maximum vertical height
is over 176 feet.
The American and Bridal Veil Falls were turned off in
1969 by the U.S. Army Corps. of Engineers to study the
effects of erosion.
Niagara Falls' current erosion rate is approximately 1
foot per year and could possibly be reduced to 1 foot per
10 years due to flow control and diversion for hydro-
power generation.
 spoons, worms, flies
The first person to go over the Niagara
Falls in a barrel was 63-year-old
school teacher. She is buried at Largemouth Bass
Oakwood Cemetery in Niagara Falls in Length: 25-55 cm (10-22 in.)
an area called Stunters Rest, along Where: Warm,
with other Niagara Falls daredevils.
weedy, slow or still
watters
Despite myths to the contrary, Niagara Markings: Upper jaw
Falls does not freeze in the winter.
extended beyond
However, the flow of water was reduced to a mere trickle
eye; deep notch
for a few hours on March 29, 1848 because of an ice
between dorsal fins;
jam upstream in the Niagara River.
body often with broken horizontal stripe
Bait: Spinner baits, crank baits, plastic worms, minnows,
During periods of peak flow in the summer and fall, more frogs
than 700,000 gallons of water per second pour over
Niagara Falls.
Walleye
Four of the five Great Lakes drain into the Niagara River, Length: Normal size is 25-85 cm (10-33 in.); however,
(Superior, Michigan, Huron and Erie) before emptying adult lengths range from 35-43 cm (14-17 in.)
into Lake Ontario. Where: Lakes and rivers throughout most of Ontario
Markings: White tip on
Niagara Falls is not the tallest waterfall in the world; lower tail fin; no distinct
however, the beauty of the falls comes from the height blotches or bands as
and the incredible volume of water running over the falls adults
at a given time. Bait: Spinners, jigs,
crank baits, worms,
Under an international treaty, the flow of water over minnows, leeches
Niagara Falls is reduced during the night to allow more
of the water to flow into intakes used for power
generation. This plan ensures that the falls’ natural Northern Pike
beauty remains unaffected during prime viewing hours. Length: 45-100 cm (18-39 in.)
Where: Quiet vegetated waters throughout Ontario
One of the oldest surviving United States flags is Markings: Light yellowish spots on dark green
permanently displayed at Old Fort Niagara. It was background;
captured by the British during the War of 1812. tips of tail fin
more rounded
The historic Village of Lewiston was the site of the first than
battle of the War of 1812 and the last stop for slaves muskellunge
escaping to freedom on the Underground Railroad. Bait: Spoons,
large spinners, crank baits, minnows
The original Flight of Five locks that were built in 1840
still exist along the Erie Canal in Lockport.

Info plagiarized from -

https://www.niagarafallsusa.com/planning-tools/about- Smallmouth Bass:
niagara-falls/fun-facts/ Length: 20-50 cm (10-20 in.)
Where: Clear, rocky waters with little vegetation
Do you know your fish? By Staff Writer Markings: Upper jaw does not extend beyond eye;
shallow notch
between dorsal
Brook Trout fins; body with
Length: 15-40 cm (6-16 in.) dark broken bars
Where: Cold, clear streams and small lakes (often vertical)
Markings: Light worm-like markings and spots on dark Bait: Jigs,
background, some red spinners, crank
and blue; square tail; baits, minnows, frogs and crayfish
white leading edge on
lower fins, set off by a
black line. Splake (from speckled trout and lake trout)
Bait: Spinners, Length: 25-46 cm (10-18 in.)
Where: Stocked throughout Ontario
Markings: Splake and brook trout have very similar
coloration patterns, making it very difficult for the
untrained eye to distinguish between the two species.
Splake tend to
have a slight fork
in the tail, a trait
passed down from
its lake trout
parent, while brook
trout tend to have
no fork or "square"
tails.
Bait: small minnows, earthworms, jigs, spoons, spinners,
small plugs

Rock Bass (Red-Eye Bass)

Length: 15-22 cm (6-9 in.)
Where: Small to medium-sized streams and only rarely
large rivers and
impoundments. Often
found in aquatic
vegetation, near a
submerged stump or
boulder, or along an
undercut bank.
Markings: Red eye; slender fish with a large mouth that
extends to or slightly behind the rear margin of the eye.
Slight notch between dorsal fins. The back and sides are
generally olive to brown with darker brown mottling.
Bait: Worms, hellgrammites, fathead minnows, gizzard
shad, small spinners, surface lures and nymphs

Yellow Perch
Length: 15-30 cm (6-12 in.)
Where: Clear waters with some vegetation.
Markings: Six to eight dark
vertical bands on sides,
alternating with yellow to
yellow green.
Bait: Small jigs, small
spoons, small minnows,
worms