pikehunter

I should stay out of this one, but all I have to say is my father had a thick leather belt that came off a German soldier during the war. My butt got to know it very well. Let me just say that if it wasn't for the threat of getting a "Lickin' " it would have been hellish for my parents to control me. A good smack on the rear and I was a good little boy for about a week or 2, then the belt would come out, my father would have it folded in half and "snap" it! The was all it took to keep me in line until I got stupid again. Same as school, I got the strap two separate times, it didn't hurt, but it was the action of good old Mr. Goodwin raising his hand up high over his head then swinging down on the palm of my hand and putting on a big oscar winning performance that I was really going to get it good that did the trick! Do I hate my old public school principal? No! He was a great guy that did look out for his students and knew all of them by name.

Perhaps a sad sign of things to come. Hopefully enough Swiss fishermen will stand up to the legislators and have this withdrawn.

LOL ccmt, maybe somebody will pull up a big carp someday wearing a pair of reading glasses

Yesterday morning seemed like a fine day to hitch up the boat and hit some water. Loaded up I headed out with a stop at the bank machine first, I then realize I had forgotten some old frozen shrimp and salmon in the freezer at home, no sense going down to the Grand for cats without some bait so I go back home to get it. Pulled out again and started out for the 40 minute drive, looked at the clock and saw that it was edging toward 10:30 so I thought ah what the heck I'm better off to just stay close by and put the boat in the harbour, at least one board member has hit a couple pike recently so that was the new decision. The launch was deserted! Beautiful! After a perfect solo launch and securing to the dock I parked and made my way back down to the boat. Left foot into the boat first and then my right gets tangled in the rope. It was all in slow motion falling down trying to find something to grab. Luckily I got hold of the opposite gunnel and avoided going head first into the water but smacked my left knee against the corner of the opposing seat. I suck it up as if nothing happened looking around to see if there were any witnesses to my stupidity. Off I went staying close to shore and tied on a never used blue x-rap. First cast nothing, second cast and the harbour now owns it, good bye to about 8 bucks. Try again figuring that's that. Drifting along I see on the F.F what looked like schools of baitfish around 10-15' with the bottom now at 30' so I tried jigging for perch, nothing. Now the sky starts to get dark and the air feels like rain, time to go in. Nobody at the ramp again except a large boat on a trailer up in the parking lot and it looked like he was not going anywhere. I pulled into the dock, tied up and got out nursing my banged up and bleeding knee I got from the fall. I'm on the dock, bend over to secure the transom rope to the cleat and out of my shirt pocket falls my reading glasses, right into the murky water. (At least they weren't prescription but my favourite pair of glasses) I look up and the big boat (cabin cruiser) from the parking lot is starting to back down to the ramp! S.O.B I thought I was here first! And figured I had the right of way. But I untie and pull my little 16'r around the corner and out of the way of him. I asked his helper what's up and he just calmly says "He likes this side to go in on." I didn't say anything more, just stood there all evil eyed. The guy does at least launch quickly, but decides to sit right there and let the inboard motor run at idle to warm up. After about what seemed to be forever I speak up and ask if he will be much longer? He says; "Oh, you want to come in?" I felt like smacking some sense into him but I politely said "Sure OK." No fish, lost a pricey lure and a pair of glasses, got banged up while looking like an idiot falling into the boat and even lost the retaining clip off my van's seatbelt somewhere Somedays home or even work is better, somedays I shouldn't write such a long post telling about my fishless outings, somedays I'm bored and tell people about them anyway Next time I promise not to be so long winded and actually have a catch to report! Cheers to all

Thanks for the ownership update Lazybum.

Heard one of the financial guys on the tube the other day saying that the high price of gas and oil at the pump, or by the barrel and the value of gold are the reasons the Canadian economy is doing as well as it is. That's his opinion anyway, just repeating what I heard.

Yep! Wendy's bought it quite awhile ago amongst plenty of media publicity. Some locations even have a picture of Dave Thomas, Wendy's founder, shaking hands with Ron Joyce over the deal. As a side note, Wendy's has been recently purchased by Arby's so I wonder if Horton's was included in the deal? Or was that only Wendy's in the States?

Pretty easy if you are found stealing, that is why they used this as an excuse to fire her. There very well could be a whole list of issues as long as your arm in regards to this employee. The "theft of a donut hole" is the icing on the cake for management. With this they have a legitimate reason to can her. Another point is that perhaps this is an ongoing problem with her or with many cashiers at this location, maybe they are giving away too many freebies? As said, we only are reading the paper's view point on this and it is one sided. So many if's and maybe's to draw a conclusion. One thing for sure is that Horton's isn't going to be hurt by a small boycott over this.

It's all about the money Cliff, no compassion from some of these idiotic managers untrained about customer service or human relations in the fast food joints. Then maybe they were trying to find a reason to fire her, we will never know and this could be the underlying reason. Kind of states why we do still need unions. No I am not a union member, just see why there can be a need for them, especially in these joints.

No one has ever complained about "it" being too big!" Buy a 16, and as deep and wide as the budget can handle. You will not regret it, well maybe you will regret it because soon after you will want an 18....then a 20 and then....

That is the only thing you can be sure of. A boat is only a money sucking hole in the water. Hope the advise you get is of help.

Bayfront Park, Pier 4 is a good place to park and follow the trail along the edge of the water to the canal. The bridge here is known to the locals as the "High Level Bridge." At least to the older folks.

Nice!

Must be a really thick photo album....since you need to have 9" nails to hold it shut.

No problem. I'm glad all enjoyed the show, I have always been fascinated by sailfish and marlin. The Old Man and The Sea was a favourite story of mine when I was a kid and I can still remember seeing billfish come in on charter boats from when I was the age I was in my avatar picture. There were some amazing scenes in that show. The schools of sailfish and schools of dolphin were incredible. And the size of the red squid! But really sad state of the billfish population off the S. American coast.

You'll be OK in Ham. Harbour, check wind direction and forecast first. Grand River at Dunnville is good too, launch at the Grand Island BBQ if it is open yet, the Boat Club by the beer store or Fishmasters.

Simcoe and Couchiching perch are infested with them. Fish from Valens Conservation Lake used to be that way too, but maybe not anymore? Funny thing, Lake Erie Perch are usually OK, go figure.

Have a great summer Wayne.

This could be an interesting show on PBS Buffalo channel 17 this evening at 8pm: Marine biologist-filmmaker Rick Rosenthal documents billfish (marlins, sailfish and swordfish), whose numbers have dwindled over the past 50 years from overfishing. Included: off Mexico's Contoy Island, he finds thousands of sailfish feasting on sardines. Superfish WNED

Just went through the online version of the regs and failed to find this quote expressed. Says nothing on page 10 or in area 16 rules about not being able to have a worm, a minnow or a barbed hook in your possession. Only refers to the use of is not permitted. But then, it could be that my $20,000 pair of eyes can't see? Just because the tools are present has a crime been committed? So you have a prybar, a screwdriver and a hammer in a toolbox in your car's trunk. Does that prove you just broke into the house you just drove past? No. Sure they had the live bait with them but we only assume that they were about to use them. Could be that they were just too lazy to walk back to the car to take them back and just continued on their walk to the water.

They deserve the benefit of a doubt, after all you didn't catch them red handed fishing with a worm and barbed hook. You can never assume, after all when you assume you do what? We all know the saying when you assume you make an ass out of me and you. Yes a person should know before hand what the regs are for a body of water and it was noble of you to have pointed out the sign informing them of the local rules. If you had witnessed them actually breaking the rule then yes you could have called the tip line but don't count on a C.O showing up, however don't feel guilty that you didn't call in any case. It all boils down to the joke about the blond in the boat loaded with fishing gear as she sits reading a book as a C.O comes along wanting to charge her for fishing. Just because the tools are there a crime has not been committed.

Sorry to hear about your stepfather. You are sure to miss him and all of his helpful advise and his presence. I can't comment about your situation as I didn't know your family or his other family arrangement so any comments would not be fair to anyone. Remember him fondly and he will be there for you in spirit.

Roger, we have done much the same as you have. Put screens on the van windows and foam mattresses on the floor. For additional storage space we have a dining shelter with the roll down flaps for the rain or cold weather. Works great! even though it isn't a perfectly waterproof system as the flaps only tie down and don't zip closed. Set up our chairs, a portable table, lamp and a deck of cards and all set to go! Other than that I'm sorry I can't give any input on the van tent, but it looks like a good idea.

Sounds like a fun day A little practice and you'll have the launching and reloading down to an artform.

Ya but the standard system still makes more sense to many of us and it is easy for some to relate what is good gas mileage and what isn't. The only good thing about expressing it in metric is that there is no guessing if one is talking about miles per imperial gallon or US gallon.