firefrog

Hello A few years ago, I picked up an allergy. It's from poplar trees. I can handle the sniffles and sneezes, but the itchy eyes almost drives me over a cliff. Needless to say it makes it difficult to enjoy this time of year. Of course, the real solution is to go somewhere where there are less poplars - like the mountains. ( And seeing as I'm going, I might as well take along my fishing stuff. That's what I tell my wife, anyways .) So, the last few years I've been trying to find some remedies. I absolutely loathe taking drugs of any kind for anything, so I concentrate on natural or food sources. This year, I have found something that works quite well. I take 1 Cold FX and one 500mg vitamin C (timed release) two times a day. I have practically no sneezing and only minor itching. What are some other remedies? It would be great kick this thing out of the way for good. Do tell. Thanks. Cheers

This isn't the only incident. The present attitude is to sit on it and try to contain it. There are holding cells at Swan Hills that are leaking into the groundwater. Slave Lake is downstream and the residents have been fuming for years. The treatment plant has failed most of their burns - which means when toxic chemicals were to be completely oxidized by burning, they weren't. As a result, the dioxan and furan(for example) fallout around the plant has coated everything, prompting the ban on hunting and fishing around the plant. Closer to home, there is the beloved Canada Creosite Site recovery plant on the Bow. They estimate there is a few million litres of creosote still underground. They choose the place where the bedrock is lowest and began pumping water out from there. The groundwater flow in the area is altered so there is a net migration to this particular bedrock pool. Now, everybody knows creosote is not water soluble. So they will NEVER recover most of it. They have contained it for the time being with concrete walls along the Bow. How long will the concrete hold? It would literally cost billions to dig it all up and process it properly, not to mention the disruption to business and traffic in the area. So, here we sit with this present attitude for these problems. Will we ever learn? You would think so, but it ain't happening. A few more examples? The railway yards in Ogden. They are still in operation. The entire site is rife with toxins. Again, the solution is containment. Why don't we get after CP now to clean it up while they're still in business? Politics. Not far from there is the IKO asphalt shingle plant. Their employee safety record is atrocious. Drive by and read the sign that says 'We have worked _______ days without an accident'. Were it not so sad it would be a joke. The smell is gross. Now, with a record like that, do you really think they are responsible environmental stewards? Again, they're not going to clean up the area while the plant is still operating. Catch 22 - when the plant is no longer operating it will be because they went bankrupt. Who cleans up the mess? Well this has got me in a good mood. Have a nice day. Cheers

I'll keep looking for some Canadian boots. Thanks for the tips, guys. That should help. May your fly never come undone! Cheers

Hello A pet trout. Give it a high roof or it might bonk its head when it jumps . Seriously (?), they have a pet trout in the Canadian Tire on Macleod and Southland. The thing is been alive for a few years - unless they keep switching it. I'm wondering if someone there can help you - which is as likely as getting help for anything else there. Good luck. Cheers

Hello Hiking season is coming up, I hope. I was trying to get a hold of some Meindl Glockners for this season. When I finally tracked some down, it was going to cost me around $500!! I generally trash my boots within 3 years, so I am a little hesitant to spend that kind of money. Has anyone tried these boots? I settled on some Cabelas Mountain Hunters. I have wide feet and haven't been able to find too many extra wide boots in these parts. Cabelas has a great selection. They look like Meindl knockoffs, made in Italy. Even so, they still cost over $300 when all was said and done - that was when the dollar exchange was good, too. The best boots I ever had so far were Rocky Cornstalkers. Recently, Rocky has been making their boots in China and their quality has gone, well, to China. Are there any good boots made in Canada? Do tell. Thanks. Cheers

Hello I wouldn't advise taking small boats and electric motors on the big lakes in K Country. If you time it right, you can put one in when it's calm, but that doesn't happen too often. Goat pond is a nice getaway. Fishing is so-so. Yeah Peppers is a long drive. It's gravel with some winding, hilly stretches. Cow, Strubel or Mitchell Lakes might interest you. Good luck finding a close, accessible lake where the fishing is good. They don't exist any more. Plan for a hike or picnic as well and you won't be disappointed. Cheers

Hello I have caught browns at Barrier Lake that are very silvery. It only happens in the spring. Maybe they get a tan later. At first I thought it was a bull tout. Then I actually caught a bull - not even close in appearance. cheers

We all draw the line at different places. Would we even fish if we had to keep and kill then leave? None of us wants to hurt the fish. But how many times do you see someone hoisting a fish out of the water to remove the hook or get a picture, then release it?(I've done it myself) We fish for sport, but why do we have to actually 'bring it in'? I do keep the odd fish. Catching more fish is better; catching bigger fish is better (I'm still a caveman) I don't think it would be much fun fishing with a hookless hook, but there is certainly sport to it. Ever gone out and just watched fish? I have. There's nothing wrong with that, either. I'll bet the fish hurts like hell when it's hooked - kinda like us chewing razor blades. Sure, we'd probably live, but should someone shoot us just in case? I don't have answers, and I do find myself a little flustered and embarrased at times trying to justify what I do. Just some thoughts. Cheers