Monthly Archives: July 2009

Mid-Summer Market Update

July 23, 2009

IMG_0176I guess calling this a mid-summer real estate report a misnomer. The weather has been positively more mid-spring’ish through July, and it is hard at best to get into a summer mood.

The cool and oft soggy weather has definitely put a damper to the real estate market here in Parry Sound. Although residential real estate remains stable, the waterfront market has definitely taken a hit with the weather. People who’d normally be taking 1 to 2 week vacations in the area have decided to stay in the city or find other things to do. I’ve spoken to tourist operators, private cottage renters and resort operators and they’re all down…most, significantly.

At this point, Environment Canada is forecasting 6 straight days of rain, so I guess we’ll have to wait until the civic weekend to see if there is any improvement on the meteorological front. Hopefully, August will usher in the dog days of summer we’re all so desperate to see.

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Fishing Georgian Bay

July 9, 2009

Georgian Bay Sunset

I used to be a decent angler, honest!

But after catching an out of season lake trout back in May (and of course, released it back into the water) I’m batting 0-8 ever since.  Skunked! Nadda!

I’ve tried crank bait, spoons, jigs, rapalas, rubber worms…all to no avail.  I’ve installed an…errr…. let’s just say an “expensive” (in case my wife reads my blog) fish finder mounted handsomely onto the dash of my 20’ Invader which shows all sorts of activity beneath the surface of Georgian Bay’s water.

Last night, I dropped anchor just north of swing bridge heading to Parry Island to try to jig for whatever chose to “take the bait”.  I found a spot in 85 feet of water, dropped anchor, turned on the fish finder and baited my line with a small spinner made specially for the type of fishing I was about to attempt and attached a small, rubber minnow to the end of it.

The fish finder showed large schools of fish consistent at the 20 foot, 45 foot, and sporadically, suspended just about the lake bottom.  I figured this would be a no-brainer, as I essentially bobbed the bait in front of the fish.  The odds were, in my opinion, favourable that there would be at least one hungry fish amongst the lot.

I guess they had an early dinner, because after 90 minutes of patient jigging, I didn’t get one single nibble.

Any that knows me, knows that I’m not a quitter, and have more than ample patience and perseverance.  And, as I established earlier, its not like I’m a novice fisherman, having grown up on Whitefish Lake and taking up the hobby when I was barely past my toddler years.

I’ll continue to head out a couple of times a week in search of the elusive lunkers (or even a sunfish at this point) of Georgian Bay and if more experienced anglers wish to take pity on me and share their favourite techniques or fishing spots, feel free to drop me a line at jimmarshall@gmail.com

Posted in: Local, Seasonal – No Comments

Sportbike Rally Weekend

July 4, 2009

It was a relief to see that the weather “finally” cleared up just in time of the 27th annual Sportbike Rally this weekend in Parry Sound.  After being taken over by the Parry Sound Motorcycle Club (from the Town of Parry Sound) in 2008, this year’s rally promises to be the best yet.

Each year, the Rally brings hundreds of sportbike enthusiasts into the area which is a huge boom to the local economy.  These types of events are extremely important to local restaurants, campsite and hotel operators adversely affected by the recession and weakness in the tourism market.

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