JohnF

I won a turkey raffle once. I was too young to eat solid food but my folks assured me in later years that the bird was great eating. JF

Good stuff. I was in yer shoes 34 years ago for the first time. The doctor suggested that I sit down. Said I looked like I wuz gonna pass out. JF

Kinda like grabbing a tiger by the tail, huh? And you may well regret that autograph comment one day. Seriously, that was a very very good answer. Hopefully it will be considered by all. JF

I've felt like that before. Most of us think we're being selfish when we feel like you do, but the truth is we're probably being anything but selfish. Think of it this way. You were ready to lose the company of someone dear to you for his own peace & comfort. Now you're comforted because he's not hurting any more, not because because you were hurting. There's nothing wrong with feeling that way. Don't beat yourself up over it. You cared. And if that's the way he raised you to feel, then I'll bet he wouldn't have wanted it any other way. I'm sorry for your loss, Jacques. JF

On that note, I've been involved as an exhibitor in other trade shows (NF) over the years and it's a big decision to decide what the best trade-off of your money and time vs attendance and exposure really is. As more shows of any type start up targetting the same audience it gets even more difficult to choose, and sometimes the dilution of the audience reduces the value of all the shows. In my mind a really good trade show like a fishing show is one that offers something for the widest range of audience, but that something has to be quality something. This show I thought had excellent presenters working. I thought boats for the everyday fisherperson were decently represented. The taxidermy (or whatever the name is these days) guys were kinda interesting. I liked seeing the folks from the Kawartha tourism industry there. Perhaps I missed them but did any other tourism area attend? The resort and cottage operators were nice to see, to the limited extent they were represented. I'm relatively new to this fishing thang and I'll probably spend some money at a few resorts in the next few years, if I can find places I want to visit. It would have been nice to have seen the MNR represented in some way (if they were I missed 'em). I know they have people working at spreading the gospel of conservation and wildlife management and it would have been a great opportunity for them to present their case in person and get some live feedback. Unfortunately the retail sector wasn't all that well represented. I don't mean the retail stores themselves. There were a few although they were so full of displayed merchandise and bargain hunters I avoided them. What I would have liked to see were more manufacturers presenting their latest wares on behalf of the retailers who sold their products. And instead of the TV shows having their own booths, why not put the celebs in the manufacturers booths to tout the products they endorse? Loomis had a nice booth and a couple of lure makers were there but where were the big boys with the rods and reels and lines, probably the biggest items for us everyday fisherpersons? I suspect the problem for those manufacturers and resort operators who were missing is that there are too many shows of this kind and only so much time and money to go around. The new department store fishing retailers don't need to attend these shows when they put on their own shows in their huge facilities already, and that also provides the manufacturers with a better outlet for their new product introductions & demonstrations as well. The internet is their main advertising vehicle these days. All that being said this show was fine as far as I was concerned. I didn't go there to eat so the food prices meant nothing to me. I had to drive almost 100 miles home so I wasn't going to be drinking a bunch. I got to see a variety of boats up close just in case my good wife ever weakens. And it was a pleasure to meet the other OFNers who attended. I guess I didn't work hard enuf at it though as it seems there were some I missed but I'll catch them next time around. JF

Well, I hope I at least smelled better than when out fishing. JF

For sure. We all learned the poopy dance. JF

So from now on we should watch for a hot leather clad babe with weird hair???? JF

So I went to the much vaunted fishin' show in T.O. today, despite the fact that TJ didn't see fit to draw my name for any freebies. Got there shortly after 10 and wandered, and wandered. The boat displays were pretty interesting to a non-owner like me. Affordable regular guy boats were the order of the day unlike many boat shows where all you see are those nautical behemoths no one but Onassis can actually afford. My buddy Rob was quite taken with the new order of plastic mounts that have superceded the old skin mounts, but then he's an artist obsessed about realism in his art, even when it gets weird, like the Hittite Shuffle piece. His rock bass looks real enough to swim. It hangs over my desk in the office. I hit the first of several retailers showing their wares but nothing caught my attention so I passed on the rest of them. I spent a nice few moments with two friendly (and attractive) ladies at the Kawarthas Fishing exhibit. I gotta say in all sincerity they were wonderful ambassador (esses?) for the area. I warned 'em about Garry2rs, 'nuff said. Then I made my way to Dave Mercer's presentation. By then my fishing buddy Rob had wandered off in search of someone to talk art with, and a glass of scotch apparently. Several things come to mind about Mercer's schtick. He's boisterous. He's comical (the poopy dance bit was a hoot). He made a number of sensible points in amongst all the noise and comedy about stuff us everyday fisherpersons need to be aware of. He gives autographs. Finally I spotted Monique. When I looked closer I realized TJ was the guy next to her ogling the beer bar. I ambled over and introduced myself. He said something like "Pleased to make yer acquaintance. Is that beer for sale?" But then he seemed to get control and we talked. First order of the day was to meet Pete Maina who I hadn't recognized without his pink fairy hat. They'll tell you more about that later, I'm sure. I was trying to talk to Monique but TJ kept babbling. Then my friend Rob came along and when he's around women ignore me so I gave up and talked to TJ some more. Turns out we have a lot in common. We both like Famous Grouse, Crown Royal, etc. I also learned that Monique and I have a lot in common. We like martinis - a lot of them. Somewhere along the line MFBRTA (My Fishing Buddy Rob The Artist) wandered off in search of either scotch or a fellow artist, and just as I was about to turn my back on TJ and resume conversation with Monique TJ drug her off to Mercer's booth to meet, greet & bleep - so I followed. It was nice meeting a bunch of OFNers and their friends. TJ & Pete Maina embarrassed us by donning those furry pink hats. The gods of all that's holy & decent were with us and the tutus didn't make an appearance. Pictures will almost certainly surface. What can I say about my fellow OFNers? I think MFBRTA summed it up best when he said "That girl who was with the quiet Asian guy, she's kinda hot." I tried to explain that I woulda warned him except that seeing only fish-slimed pictures of a woman in a ball cap holding a big stinky carp ain't exactly optimal conditions for forming conclusions as to personal pulchritude. The other problem gets back to that Blonde thingy I mentioned. How the heck are us guys, who heaven knows are stupid at the best of times, supposed to recognize you women when you post pics of yerselves in brilliant blonde locks tucked up under a ball cap and show up in longish straight strawberry tresses. Poor Cliff, when confronted with this dilemma said what any smart man would - "Duh??????". Me, the guy who picks up on those subtle nuances like a broad Brit accent, gave him a few hints like "Check the accent, dude" and "Port Dover". Finally the verbal 2x4 blows made an impression and he went "Nautifish???" in much the same tone that Archimedes musta uttered "Eureka!". TangledLines then enthused about what a wonderful presentation Dawg had delivered with the autographed jigs, and Jeff mentioned something about blowing the down payment on the new boat. Funny how I only remember the women. I know I also met some guys. No offense but you just weren't as cute as the girls. Actually, I do remember the guys I met but I'm afraid to start naming names cuz I'm bound to fergit a few. It was a pleasure though, and hopefully I'll find a way to get to Lakair and meet a few more, although my liver is already flying the white flag at that prospect. As for the show I'd like to see more manufacturers represented the way Loomis was, and the boat companies. It would be nice to know what's new and amazing coming down the pipe for me to spend my bux on next season. Also, I wouldn't mind seeing a few more resorts represented although I suspect the best ones aren't in need of more bookings. The thing is I'd like to learn more about the nice ones so I can plan some holidays. It was a nice day, even if the show was only okay. I'd probably do it again. JF

Go back to ECMilley's comment. Is there spark when it's spinning over on the starter? It can be going round and round to beat the band, but if there's no spark due to some malfunction in the wiring, specifically the ignition switch, it ain't gonna start no how. JF

Roy???????

Silly me. I thought it might have something to do with avoiding charging subscription fees. JF

Glad it turned out to be you and you 'fessed up right away, cuz my first thought was "Oh crap, did I forget to mail the cheque?" As for you being the one to screw up, for whatever it's worth my first thought was definitely not "Yeah, sure" when you posted. Although we've never met I just don't get the sense that you're the piker type. And that being said, I'm impressed with the group as a whole. Having been involved in these kinds of ventures before there seems invariably to be someone who cheats, for whatever reason. Good for OFC. That's a cheesy little icon but it really fits sometimes. JF

Coward. When in doubt, don't hug or kiss anybody. JF

We'll see who's nutty when the bids start piling up on E-Bay. OFNers obviously underestimate the Dawg's celebrity. These jigs may well turn into a bass boat. JF

I'm in. I've already told my boss that I'm goin'. She said okay. JF

No comment. JF

Okey dokey. In that case I might make the trip to the Big Smoke. JF

Ya got 'em fer us generously proportioned fellers? JF

There are fish that can actually breathe air. Siamese Fighting fish (Betas) gulp air at the surface. It's something to do with environmental adaptation. In nature they live in water that can be so silty it won't hold oxygen. That's why folks can keep 'em in non-aerated water. JF

I guess his spot picker was broken that day JF

When I was playing golf regularly I'd walk and carry my clubs. Whenever possible we walked fast. I also take a lot of shots but that's not deliberate. I found that without changing anything else I was dropping 10 - 15 pounds through each summer even though my beer intake always increased in the summer and we used to eat too much greasy BBQ meat. JF

Sorry. Didn't see yer post until I'd posted mine about the balloons. As for the boat wouldn't it cease to be a boat at some point and become a deluxe swim raft? JF

There's been a problem in the Florida Keys with turtles etc getting plastic garbage bags and other nondegradables caught in their digestive tracts and dying. Many of my diving friends in that area are very particular about us recovering all such litter during dives (including fishing line). Should the balloon remnants be a concern? JF

Why spoil it for the kids? JF