JohnF

Any idea why those pike and perch don't make it down into St.Marys? There are pike below the St.Marys dam but I haven't seen one above the dam since I was a kid growing up there. JF

It was yer tales of the beautiful muse who steers yer boat when you go on those wilderness jaunts......... And these guys think you dream up those stories all on yer own. JF

Life experiences I've got up the wazoo. It's fishing stories I need to gather. Who knows? This may be just a cheesy ploy to learn about all yer honey holes. JF

After a protracted (that's thesaurus talk for long) exchange of pm's over the last few days with our own real-life adventure writer Drew (Moosebunk), I've got this notion that I should resurrect an old project that's been littering up my computers for a while now. It's a kid's (well - a teenager's) book. They aren't the kind of thing that make a million but they're fun to do cuz one can reconstruct one's own misspent youth, getting the girls one missed and kicking ass on the dicks who kicked mine in fact, although only occasionally cuz I wasn't exactly the smallest kid in school. The premise is a nerdy kid (not a lot unlike myself) who starts the story as something of a wussy but in the end turns out to be, if not a leader, at least well accepted by the "cool" kids, and he might even get the really hot chick at the end of the book. It's not that far off my own youthful years, growing up as a bookworm with too much IQ and too little self-confidence. I was the guy who totally murdered a winger in the corner, and then apologized for being so rough. I used to slow down so I didn't humiliate the guy who couldn't skate as well. But enough about what a weeny I was then. Now I'm ready to kick ass and take names (so I can write a formal apology for the ass-kicking I guess). I already have a few episodes in the can, so to speak, but I need more to have enough for an entire book. To that end I'm prostrating myself on the foredeck of a leaky tinny, begging for some of you kind souls to show me the world of your fishing specialty, be it carp, lakers, wallies, snot-rockets, muskies, salmon, steelhead, brook trout, suckers, cats, whatever. The sky's - well, the bottom of the river or lake I suppose - the limit. I have lots of free time during the summer months and am more than willing to travel to collect experiences. The premise is that this uncool young guy is struggling to make his way in a world filled with guys who sense his insecurity and beat on him with it. He has no idea how cool he really is, and may never realize it, but I can promise that before the story's done, a few cool guys, and at least one very cool girl, will start to appreciate him, and a few real dickheads will be thoroughly humiliated, although they may not be smart enough to even figger it out. That's hopefully enough to give you a sense of where I'm trying to go with this kid. What he needs are some fishing experiences that will flesh out his life and help him to make friends. If you think your style of fishing would help him in the cause to gain respect, and chicks, and are willing to tour me around your stomping grounds so I can make some notes (and have a little fun in the process) let me know. All you'll get in return is a (signed) copy of the book, if and when it ever gets published. I'm perfectly willing to pay at least my share of the gas or whatever is involved, and if it's really good stuff, there may be a bottle of Famous Grouse (a very under-rated scotch) or some decent wine in it for you. I started this story about a kid who took up scuba diving, but it was getting way too technical and expensive for him to finish the story in a natural way. Fishing is second nature to those of use who grew up on a river, creek or lake in Ontario. It just makes so much more sense to write about that, and it comes off much more normal sounding. My goal is to have a fun summer of fishing, and to end up with some decent material for my story. Who knows? You may even be enough of a character to rate a place in the stories? Heaven help you if that happens. If you wanna show me around your home territory and your own special brand of fishing, let me know. Like I said, I'm wide open to experiences, and more than willing to pay the freight. That's one of the advantages of having 33 years of experience in a career, and a son to back me up when I'm out of contact. It's even better than retirement. I can pretend to be gainfully employed when in fact I'm screwing the pooch whenever I can, not that your own family pets should be nervous. If you take me out in your boat or whatever, you'll find I'm very generous in contributing more than my share of costs. I understand that it costs money to own a boat these days, and I sure don't expect a free ride. So what can it cost any of you? If I turn out to be a total dickhead you'll have dork stories to tell the others here. If I turn out to be not such a bad guy after all you'll have a free day on the water at worst. And that shouldn't give the impression that I'm only interested in boat fishing experiences. I have waders too. So flyfishing, lake fishing, creek wading, whatever - call me. I'm free for the summer. Have at me. JF

We had some major thunderboomers a few minutes ago. Power flickered in and out. Satellite went south for a few minutes. Now the sun's shining bright and there's no wind, but it's pouring. JF

Isn't weather fun? It got a little dark earlier this morning here in Stratford, but the sun has been shining bright since at least 11 am. I've been outside working most of the time and have some sunburn to prove it. JF

Gov. Ahnald can. JF

Coupla thoughts. I may be wrong, often am. 1: Electric energy is a great way to power transportation, provided the method of creating the electricity in the first place is more efficient than burning natural fuels (oil & coal). Here's a link to one example although I understand there've been some improvements there. http://www.vauxhallsociety.org.uk/BatterseaPowerStation.html No wonder it was known as foggy London town. 2: Size is definitely a factor for some of us. I'm 6' 225# and I hate being squashed into a car, especially when I'm wearing a suit and topcoat for work, or just a heavy parka and sweater during the winter. Electric cars so far are pretty small for me. A few of the larger hybrids are okay but I can't reconcile their extra cost to the economic and environmental advantages. Seems to me that with them I'm just using fossil fuel to charge the battery to run on electricity to save fossil fuel - illogical because as we know, when it comes to producing energy you don't get something for nothing. I'd have to see some pretty solid numbers proving that there is in fact any saving to me or the world. 3: I like my Honda Pilot. It makes a difference on those highway commutes I have for 2 weeks out of every month in the fall, winter and spring. It also offers decent ground clearance for carrying me to some of those off the main road fishing spots and even affords me room to sleep for those few nights each summer when I head up to the Ottawa area to fish some of the back lakes with my backwoods buddy. 4: Some of the suv's are getting much better on fuel. The new Honda Pilot has a setback cylinder firing system (dunno the formal name for it). 5: When we get rid of Wendy's CTS next spring we'll probably go with something more economical, not that it's all that bad on gas. The problem is getting something that has much better economy and still affords me enough space to be comfortable when I have to use it. She wants a 4 door style because she likes to be the driver whenever she and friends or family go somewhere shopping etc. I have a hunch that for the few miles she actually puts on in a year it won't make that much difference to anything involving social responsibility. JF

So Bill, why are you posting and not wally hunting yerself? Did you make a wrong turn along the way? JF

Although this is based on nothing at all save my own inclination, I'd say there'll be little increase in meat fishing by Ontario residents. The cost of gas will stop as many from travelling to fishing spots and/or running a boat as it will press others to keep more fish for the table. In fact the probable decline of American fishermen travelling to Ontario may well even lead to less overall pressure on our fish stocks. JF

What about us poor DAD sufferers whose wives would have us surgically altered if we brought home another expensive toy like a boat? Isn't it enough that we have to sneak new baitcasters and flyrods into the house tucked down our pantlegs, not to mention the lures that get stuck into the fabric of our trousers, and us, as we slink guiltily past our eagle-eyed spouses? Does new gear already have the fish smell built in? "Is that a Suick in yer pocket, dear, or are you just happy to see me?" Shouldn't we also get to spend some quality time on the water actually communing with fish, not just the minnows, frogs, turtles and weeds. It's a known fact the best fish are sitting just outside of casting range, laughing their little fishbutts off at us, the have-nots of the fishing universe. What the world needs now is empathy for those of us who respect the sanctity of marriage, and our procreative appendages, those of us who can't or won't sacrifice marital bliss for a few minutes of selfish gratification on the water, those of us who simply want it all. Is that really so much to ask? Hmmm. That's pretty sorry sounding. I think I may have to make a submission to this contest. Y'all think my story sounds needy enough to deserve a new boat? Pitifully yers JF (diagnosed summer 2006)

I'm not proud of it but when we were kids we always carried frog stickers in the boats for whenever we encountered one of the hissing machines. They didn't survive the encounters. We used to have very small homemade boats (dunno what to call them but they were like an 8' kayak crossbred with a flatbottom wooden rowboat) that we paddled like canoes. We'd take them way up the Thames above St.Marys and when we were dragging them thru the shallows we'd come across the nasty critters. I really really hated them in those days. I've never been a particularly bloodthirsty soul but there just seemed to be something perfectly natural to my 12 year old way of thinking that these things just flat out deserved to die. I do feel bad about it to this day but I still get squeamish around them. We see some pretty big ones when we're wading up near Science Hill. JF

Change yer brand of mushrooms. JF

That's a pretty good answer. I expect that you're right about gps being free (sort of) on board most cars and trucks before too very long a time. My situation is that I'm due for two new vehicles in the next six months and though I'm a sucker for creature comforts & toys on my cars I'm not willing to pay the extra cost for a dedicated gps system unless there are some amazing bargains in the next short while. Also, a dedicated gps doesn't do me much good when I'm walking a creek. I'm satisfied that a portable unit is right for someone with my kind of needs. Sorry. I'm not meaning to hijack this thread and make it about me. I think though that my questions are consistent with the original poster's. JF

Are you suggesting that with you gone she's less likely to get in trouble here? Like I said to Cliff, you have fun and play safe. JF

I've been following this with interest because I've been wanting to get a unit. My only experience with them has been finding dive sites from a boat in the Caribbean. We were simply looking for points on the screen that had been saved earlier. It was impressive, even 4 or 5 years ago. Now I want it for auto travel and for my creek walking so I guess what I need is the ability to save points (roads and creeks), road maps, audible directions, colour screen, and waterproof or at least water resistant for when I go wading. I suspect that the option of adding hydrographic mapping (card slot) down the road would be a bonus just in case SWMBO ever, in a weak moment, says I can buy a modest little tinny tiller or somesuch. Have we reached a consensus? Sounds to me like it's Garmin or Lowrance. Did we decide on specific models and software? Inquiring minds and all...... BTW, excellent thread topic with some great contributions. JF

Did that big one by any chance have an udder? JF

You might mention to Joe that his wife is coming on here drinking and carousing with the boys. It'll ease his mind while he's having fun up there. Have fun and play safe. JF

Exskunkated. These various island reports make it sound like a fun place, what with pike, bass and carp plus the docks to work around. JF

Do they put strawberries in that likker fer y'all? JF

Y'all dammit. It's y'all. Virginia wimmen never say you all. JF

Didn't they say to let it soak for 48 hours after the initial boil? JF

What I'm seeing is an upswing in career and entrepreneurial opportunities arising out of the proliferation of computers and related technology. I suspect that there are jobs out there today that would be more accurately defined as trades that are really all about computers. JF

Not exactly what I said, or at least not what I meant to say. The little guy has to have higher profit margins to offset the smaller volume sales. And like it or not, we don't live in a socialist state, try as some might to make it one. I don't get your argument there. I understand the profit margins on gas are slim, but I'll bet it's easier for the high volume pumper within easy delivery range of the refineries. It's my argument in microcosm. When the processing volume goes up the costs of processing will come down. There may well be an increase in the raw material costs with an overall drop in the finished product price as volumes grow. Compare American tax rates to ours. Look at the beer you buy. How come it's so much cheaper in the US? If they dropped the price below world market prices our resources would be depleted in no time. Keeping prices up to market levels helps protect our resources. Use the other guy's stuff first. Not that I think it makes that much difference in the big picture. As soon as the world's fossil fuel resources are depleted ours will be gone in the blink of an eye, and there's likely nothing we as a nation can do about it. It's charging what the traffic will bear. There are developers out there who are succeeding, doing very nicely. Those who can't cut it either fall by the wayside or recognize the potential for failure before they commit. As soon as the general public stops buying new houses watch the prices come down. I see it happening all the time. I sell houses, including a lot of new ones. The price fluctuations aren't always obvious to the guy in the street but when you're watching it day by day you sure can see it. A few thousand dollars is easy to miss in a $400,000 purchase price. There's a lot of wheels within wheels stuff going on. As soon as the builders see a chance to raise their prices, the trades and materials suppliers start to raise theirs until the net profit for the builder is back to square one, or worse. Then if sales start to slump due to an economic downturn, the trades have to get more competitive in the race for the smaller volume of work available. About the only thing that tends not to drop is the material prices and the taxes (although even they change from time to time, or are offset by incentives to help the building industry). It's a vicious circle. Building's a very tough business these days, not for the faint of heart or muddled of brain. The successful companies either find a niche market or learn to read the market trends in time to be proactive. Reputation is everything if you want to command the top dollars. Otherwise it's dog eat dog, cutting corners in quality, price cutting and finally selling below cost to clear inventory and free up credit. JF

More miles of road per capita. Fewer distribution points for greater delivery distances and commensurate higher costs. Smaller retail operations meaning higher profit margins needed to sustain the operation. Smaller municipalities each having to sustain the same essential infrastructure as those huge American cities (one set of managers whether they are responsible to 50,000 taxpayers or 500,000). Smaller populations sustain fewer amenities (like airports) meaning higher travel costs for many of us just to get to the airport. Higher food costs when the retailer serves a smaller population. (is bread cheaper in a country corner gas station or a Zehr's Superstore in Toronto?) The raw costs of exploiting our natural resources is a drop in the bucket compared to their processing, packaging and delivery, not to mention the markups at each different level of handling and the taxes added. You and I won't likely live long enough to see cheap fossil fuel or lumber products again. Living in a sparsely populated country like we do is a very expensive privilege. I'm more than happy that we have all the wonderful natural areas so close but in some way or other they all add to the burden of cost for us. We're supporting an area roughly equal to the continental US with one tenth of the population. Like Kermit says - "It ain't easy being green." JF