Fish, Hunt & Ride Sportsmen’s Show – THIS weekend at EY Centre!!

It’s hard to believe this time last spring I had just introduced readers to a new local publication – Fish, Hunt & Ride, and now this year our magazine has its very own sportsmen’s show. Talk about cool! Sharing space at Ottawa’s EY Centre with the Outdoor Travel & Adventure Show next weekend (April 1-2) I am proud to present the 1st annual Fish, Hunt and Ride Sportsmen’s Show. Organized by the team from this region’s two best magazines – Ottawa Outdoors and Fish, Hunt & Ride, our show features tons of outdoor services, gear and apparel, exhibitors, hunting/fishing lodges and more ATVs than you can shake a stick at. Come check out the Adventure Stage for informative seminars by sporting experts and FHR team members Amanda Lynn Mayhew, Ashley Rae, Jamie Pistilli and Lawrence Gunther. Even muskie Guru John Anderson will be on-hand.

And if that lineup isn’t enough to entice come visit the Fish, Hunt & Ride booth where yours truly and a handful of FHR columnists will be stationed, my FHR team and I will be handing-out mags and chatting with readers about all things fishing, hunting or riding-related. We look forward to speaking with dozens of avid local sportsmen and women who will (hopefully) stop-by to say howdy. For more information on next weekend’s Fish, Hunt and Ride Sportsmen’s Show. http://www.fishhuntandride.ca/

I look forward to seeing you all! !

Toyota Tundra fun

Toyota’s 2017 Tundra TRD Pro pickup truck I road-tested recently, made for an enjoyable week of touring the town. The new Tundra, with its 5,500 pounds of “twisted steel and sex appeal” came equipped with ample 381 hp, 5.7 liter V8 engine. The TRD Pro trim is a slick looking truck, indeed a modern ‘cement’ matte grey colour. Having read other reviews from professionals who gave this truck overall high marks but noted that it was due for a facelift, I take these rumblings with a grain of salt. Having reviewed the 2013 Tundra and several other full-size pickups from other auto makers in past few years, I had others to compare to. For me, the new TRD Pro was solid, comfortable and roomier than the one tested three years ago. As many Toyota aficionados and even the auto-maker themselves would likely argue, why change something when it’s working? This truck is as smooth and supple a ride as any I’ve seen in a pickup and with smooth Bilstein towing shocks all around and TRD coil-overs on the front, varying terrain felt as smooth as butter. The Tundra garners highest marks for reliability and resale value, both huge in my books. Fuel consumption was not stellar as I averaged between 18-19 L/100 KM, which runs a tad thirstier than some competitors. Long-term maintenance/repair costs on these trucks, combined with high residual value make them a sound investment. Thanks to Tina Allison of Toyota Canada for the opportunity of road-testing this great truck. For more info on the 2017 Toyota Tundra: https://www.toyota.ca/toyota/en/vehicles/tundra/overview
Column Anniversary

This month marks the four year anniversary of this Outdoors Guy column with your Pembroke Daily Observer, and I wish to thank managing editor Anthony Dixon and news editor Tina Peplinskie. Thanks also to the avid sportsmen, and women of the Ottawa Valley for your support over the years. As many are aware, hunting and fishing newspaper columns have all but gone by way of the dodo bird, so it’s great to keep this one going!
Ice hut removal

Pembroke District’s March 31 mandatory ice-hut removal is coming-up next week and ice-anglers are reminded that huts which end-up in waterways after ice-out are in violation of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, though I suspect the majority of huts are gone by this point. Winter angling remains open on most lakes and rivers although ice conditions would be sketchy and unsafe by this point.