ironfly

So the ONLY reason for the license is youngsters hurting themselves? In Ontario, of course. Why not just make it illegal for kids under 16 to operate such and such. From what I've seen from my time in the tackle industry, nobody's getting rich from any licensing programs. What about the poor schmuck who went out on Devil's Lake, got caught unprepared and died, taking his brother and son with him? Believe it or not, education works sometimes. As a guy who has taken and taught arctic survival courses, it can be surprising the things people don't think of, that seem so commonsense when you have experience. Three things that are not very common in this world; common decency, common courtesy, and common sense. I figure you'll say something like,"You can't legislate common sense!!!!!!!". My impression is that laws are mainly supposed to do just that. It's like the Ten Commandments. Did you really need to be told that those acts were wrong? Well apparently, alot of people do need to be told.

Call me naive, but I see a silver lining. I'm not sure if this is part of the official reasoning behind it, but to me the PCOC falls under the heading "due diligence". It's fine to say ignorance of the law is no excuse, but I would say it's better that all PCOC holders are aware of the basics of safe boating (who gives way, for instance). I'll bet the next generation of boaters are noticably safer, having grown up with this.

You know, I always hear people lamenting the loss of community in modern times. They say it's too bad nobody knows their neighbors anymore. Stupid neighbors. I've got a whole years worth of dog feces emerging from the snow and ripening in the yard next door, about ten feet from my deck. You think the owner will clean up? Rick

Doc, as an alternative to defacating on your neighbour's lawn, please consider telling him that he can put the damages on his house's liability insurance. It will not affect his deductible and his premiums will not go up. Rick

That was Buddy Holly. Gary Busey was declared legally brain dead after his motorcycle crash without a helmet. Or was that before the accident? Rick

Are you a lawyer? Because I'm pretty sure there's a judge or two who would say that taking your dog to an off-leash park has inherant risks. Ever filed a Statement of Claim? That's $150 right there. Uberfly, there's at least three sides to every story. I suggest you take 50% if that's all they're offering, and be grateful. Some people can be much more difficult. Rick

Sun, are you getting paid for this? You should. Correct me if I'm wrong, but you hold down a full-time job, catch 30,000+ perch, and still find time to post like nobody's business. I may not agree with every opinion you express, but I do admire your drive. Rick

How much lead do you figure goes into the NSR or the Bow every year from lost sinkers? A few hundred pounds? A tonne or more? Every year for the past fifty or so. Scary. Rick

I'd use Loon UV Wader Repair. Loon is non-toxic, Aquaseal is toxic. Loon can be applied to wet or dry waders, Aquaseal must be totally dry. Loon cures instantly, Aquaseal takes at least half a day. I don't go fishing without it. Rick

Well, my personal experience with glaciers is limited to western North America, which I guess is a small handful. I can remember spots from twenty-five years ago, and they don't look quite the same today. Alaska, Yukon, BC, Alberta, all shrinking. Driven the Ice-Field Parkway lately? Rick

What the heck do you mean polar bears are not dying off? Have you been to Churchill? How about Iqaluit? Some Inuit hunters want to hunt polar bears? So what? There's a bunch of Albertans who think the Grizzly hunt moratorium is bunk, too. Rick

Have you heard the theory that freshwater melt from the polar caps can effect warmwater ocean currents? Oh wait! That's not a theory, it's the scientific explanation for how a warming planet could have severe cold snaps, maybe even a new ice age. Don't worry, though. That was just a movie, right? Oh wait, it was a book before that, and the authors cited their sources very well. And of course, it's a documented occurrence. BTW, I've read several times on this forum that a whole bunch of glaciers are actually growing. So far I've only found one, in the Andes. Any references? Rick

I'm pretty much the same way. Most of my rods only have two lines, with the exception of my nine weight, which has three. All of them have only one floater, and that's usually a general purpose. Again, the nine is the exception; it has a bullet taper floater. Now, if I could just apply KISS to my flies, maybe I could stop carrying around four fly boxes. Rick

I'm not sure if the author fishes. If so, he pays alot less attention to detail than most fly fishers I know. There are a bunch of mistakes in the line specs(I have the real ones in front of me), and there seems to be a very limited understanding of the casting properties of compound taper lines. That being said, in general principle I agree. There are too many lines out there, and the ad copy does repeat itself. Rick

I have the William Joseph one, and use it while wading. It's definitely more comfortable to walk in than a loaded fanny-pack. Just the thing if you're trying to shoot line with a full-sink. Rick

As I'm sure any non-smoker will attest, cigs smell alot more than tanned hide or human amino acids. I think I've run a pretty comprehensive test on this subject. Thorough enough for me anyway. I carry a bar of unscented goat-milk soap with me, and wash my hands after I have a smoke. But sometimes I forget the soap, and the difference is definitely significant. I've seen the contrast in dozens of different waters, one of which I fish a dozen times, or more, per month. There's no question in my mind; smoky flies result in lower catch rates. As far as materials in your house go, I guess you could try Febreeze, or Nilodor. I hate the stuff, but it works. An easier way, which I think would work fine, is to carry a little unscented soap, and wash your wets. Any good dry fly floatant (Aquel) is designed to also mask scent, and dries don't disperse smells through the water the way wets do anyway, so I think you're good. For the future, if you continue to smoke in your house, consider sealing up all your materials. After enough years residue can really build up. My mother recently passed away, and we were cleaning a few things from her room. It can be really hard to get 15 years of cigarette smoke residue to come off of porcelain, let alone softer stuff, so forget about getting it out of hackle or deer hair. Rick

The Fishin' Hole is selling them for $400. Rick

Well, if David Suzuki is involved then it's all a pile of lies, just meant to make him rich... ...you know, like climate change