Spiel

....Hmmmm, I don't see anything.

....I locked it, accidently of course. Damn scroll wheel mouse that don't work so well. You know what I'm talking bout Gerritt, right. My apologies to all.

North Bay man fined for building illegal dam MNR News Release Tuesday, April 15, 2008 ******************** A North Bay man has been fined for building a dam on Papineau Lake near Mattawa. Gilles Aubin, 69, was convicted under the Lakes and Rivers Improvement Act for building the dam without a permit. On August 5, 2007, Aubin attempted to plug a hole in an existing illegal dam at the out-flow of Papineau Lake. The hole had earlier been created by the Ministry of Natural Resources to help slowly lower the water level of the lake prior to the complete removal of the illegal structure. The case was heard by Justice of the Peace Mike Kitlar in the Ontario Court of Justice in North Bay, on March 27, 2008. To report a natural resources violation, please call 1-877-TIPS-MNR toll free, any time, or contact your local ministry office during regular business hours. You can also call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

....How bout just two sections. This one and a new one called "Waynes World".

....Really Sonny? Well I did and I do and so do the experts at Orvis. "Ferrules that stick constantly should be cleaned and lubricated. Clean both the male and female sections with soap and water, using a Q-tip to get inside the female ferrule. Polish the surface of the male ferrule with a soft cloth. After both sections are completely dry, check the fit. If it's still tight, they'll need lubrication, but never use grease or oil and never rub a ferrule alongside your nose or ear. Greasy substances cause suction in the ferrule and also attract dirt particles. Fiberglass, boron/graphite, and graphite self-ferrules should be lubricated with paraffin, metal ferrules with dry soap." As for nose oil, yea my Dad recommended it and I still do for metal ferrules, always worked well for me.

Flood warning still in effect Apr 15, 2008 / simcoe.com The flood warning issued over the last couple of weeks by the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority continues. The authority says the flows in the Lower Nottawasaga River downstream of the Minesing Wetland are still at flood peak and are expected to remain high for the remainder of the week. The flows in all other watercourses in our area are on the decline. Slippery, unstable stream banks and cold water temperatures can lead to hazardous conditions close to any water body. Folks are urged to stay clear of the shorelines of lakes and rivers. Municipalities within the watershed will continue to monitor watercourse conditions closely until flows subside. The NVCA continues to monitor, meanwhile, and will issue any related flood messages as conditions warrant. The warning will be in effect through Wednesday, April 16.

City dumps more sewage into lake; Winter's snowfall blamed for bypass increase April 10, 2008 Jennifer Pritchett / thewhig.com KINGSTO - Runoff from this past winter's heavy snowfall has forced the city to send nearly four times more untreated sewage into local waterways in the first three months of 2008 than for all of 2007. So far this year, the City of Kingston has discharged roughly 345 million litres of raw waste, compared to 89 million in 2007. Most of that untreated sewage went directly into Lake Ontario, from which Kingston and dozens of other municipalities draw their drinking water. This spike in water pollution comes just weeks after the city announced that 2007 was the best year in its history, in terms of the amount of raw waste the municipality regularly sends into area watercourses. Jim Keech, president and chief executive officer of Utilities Kingston, blamed the increase in 2008 on the sharp rise in snowfall this winter and the relatively fast melt in March. "Last year was the best year we'd had in our history and I guess what we need to do is see where we come out for the remainder of this year," he said. "The weather can change us drastically." However, it's difficult to determine exactly what impact snowfall had on Kingston's sewer system because there is no way of knowing precisely how much snow fell on the city this winter. Currently, there is no official collection of snowfall data within the city. The City of Kingston tracks rainfall, but Environment Canada's nearest weather station that collects snowfall data is in Hartington, located roughly a 20-minute drive north of the municipality. Based on weather data from Hartington, the snowiest winter on record since 1967 was 276.3 centimetres in the winter of 1970-71, compared to 246.5 centimetres so far this year. Last year's total snowfall was 75.8 centimetres. The average snowfall each winter in Hartington is 171.9 centimetres. Environment Canada is expected to open a weather station in Kingston later this year. "The amount of snow we've had on the ground this year far exceeds anything we've seen in the last 10 to 15 years maybe," said Keech. Runoff from roads during heavy rain or during the annual spring melt overloads Kingston's aged sewer system. Its combined sewer pipes, which carry both runoff from roads and raw sewage, aren't able to move the waste to the Ravensview sewage-treatment plant fast enough. The city's longtime practice of purging the raw waste into the waterways, known as bypassing, is an effort to prevent the refuse from backing up into people's homes and toilets. Kingston has spent roughly $160 million on known trouble spots in the city's sewer system and has significantly decreased the amount of untreated waste purged from those areas over the past five years. Keech said that without these upgrades, the volume of untreated waste that would have gone into Lake Ontario this spring because of the heavy snowfall would have been much more. "Even though we are bypassing, the amount we're bypassing would be quite small compared to what it was before," he said. "The amount is high [this year], but I still think it's positive." Keech also said the majority of the raw waste Kingston has discharged into waterways this year has come from smaller sewer pipes that weren't monitored before the fall of 2006. At that time, the city installed new ultrasonic equipment at 11 of the combined sewer manholes that direct the foul liquid into the watercourse. These devices, which cost $10,000 each, have enabled city staff to collect data on the amount of waste going into the waterways that was never before tracked. As many as 18 other such pipes remain unmonitored. In an effort to prevent future discharges, Utilities Kingston, which oversees the city's sewers, has now turned its attention to these trouble areas of the system that weren't previously monitored. Late last month, the province handed down $7.682 million to the City of Kingston to continue the ongoing retrofit work to its sewer system. The city is also leasing some equipment from Texas that will clean some of Kingston's sewer pipes during the coming year. This clean-up work is anticipated to increase the capacity of some of the city's older pipes.

U.S. anglers off hook in Canadian waters Friday, April 11, 2008 STEVE POLLICK / toledoblade.com U.S. fishermen on Lake Erie will not have to report either themselves or their boats when returning from fishing in Canadian waters, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has decided. The ruling, undoubtedly a welcome relief to fishermen and charter guides as well, was confirmed last week. "That's totally accurate," said Brett Sturgeon, public liaison officer for CBP's field office in Chicago. "Fishing is OK." The ruling also applies to the Detroit River, Lake St. Clair, and the St. Clair River, which is welcome news for walleye, black bass, and muskellunge fishemen who frequent those waters. A furor of controversy arose last month after a CBP officer from Cleveland announced an array of reporting mandates and need for certification paperwork at the annual captains' conference of the Lake Erie Charter Boat Association. Some captains stomped out the door in disgust and said they would scrap trips to the Ontario side of the lake rather than attempt to comply with a pile of reporting rules Details about proper reporting under the announced CBP program were reported in this space last Sunday, with the important fishing question still hanging fire. Now it is settled - in fishermen's and charter guides' favor. "You don't even have to report the [return of] boat, added Sturgeon. Reporting the return of boats and individuals, possibly in person under various circumstances, had been distinct possibilities. But ultimately, CBP backed away. "I'm relieved. It's been a lot of work, a monumental task," said Rick Unger, president of the 175-member LECBA. The organization took a lead role in arguing for relaxed rules that have followed past practices, including bringing veteran U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Toledo) into the fray. In short, David got Goliath to back down. Unger said he understood the position of the Cleveland-based CBP officer who addressed the captains' conference and outlined the initial policy. "He had his marching orders [from Washington]," Unger said. The revised, relaxed fishing policy, Unger said, "is important to the [lakeshore] economy, important to the moms and pops when they fish over the line, everybody. Everybody wins on this one." That includes CBP, Unger added, for having the wisdom to be reasonable with a basically patriotic, law-abiding American public. Skippers now likely will be helpful eyes and ears on the lake for the agency, rather than disgruntled adversaries. Throughout more than a month of meetings, calls, and negotiations, Unger said it had been "weighing on my mind - is it going to hurt national security?" His concern for homeland integrity, was honest. Boats and individuals will have to report a return to U.S. ports only if they actually land on the Canadian side and pass through Canadian customs - including at such remote, small outposts as the docks on Pelee Island. In such cases only, the stricter reporting rules - from toll-free calls on up to reporting at a CBP office in person - will apply. CBP also clarified a few other uncertainties. If you are fishing in Canadian waters it is OK to drop anchor - that is not considered landing in Canada as so doing once was interpreted. Nor is proximity to a "hovering vessel." Bottom line is, go fishing in Ontario waters if you like. Just be sure to have their angling license.

Niagara River ice boom removal marks rite of spring 04/15/08 Sharon Linstedt / NEWS BUSINESS REPORTER buffalonews.com This morning, New York Power Authority crews begin removal of the Niagara River ice barrier. “We did a flyover of the eastern end of Lake Erie [Monday] morning, and based on that reconnaissance, we can begin the removal process,” said Power Authority spokesman Michael Salzman. Under International Joint Commission rules governing use of the ice boom, it must be removed by April 1, or when the ice pack of Lake Erie’s eastern basin is 250 square miles or less. The ice pack currently measures 120 square miles. It is expected to take several days for the 1.7-mile-long ice barrier to be removed from the entrance to the Niagara River, between Buffalo and Fort Erie, Ont. “Our crews will be going out [this] morning with a barge to start pulling it out,” Salzman said. “As long as weather remains favorable, they can keep working.” The boom is installed each winter to prevent ice damage to downstream water intakes for hydropower. The barrier, which is made up of 22 pontoons, each 500 feet long, will be loaded up and hauled back to its longtime off-season resting place at Buffalo’s outer harbor. The Power Authority vowed three years ago to stop storing the massive ice blocker on the 13-acre site but so far has failed to find an alternative. Erie Canal Harbor Development Corp., which will ultimately gain control of the prime waterfront site under the Power Authority’s federal relicensing agreement of 2007, has been pressuring the authority to take steps to make sure that 2008 marks the boom’s last return. The earliest date the boom was pulled was March 5, 1998, and the latest, May 3, 1971. Last year, the boom was retrieved April 10.

Berkley Conservation Award: deserving win for York Bassmasters April 9, 2008 / lsrca.on.ca NEWMARKET – The Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA) applauds the York Bassmasters for winning the Berkley Conservation Award. York Bassmasters won the prestigious award for their efforts in the Bogart Creek Restoration project. “The York Bassmasters deserve this recognition,” said Gayle Wood, LSRCA’s Chief Administrative Officer. “Their hard work, in and out of Bogart Creek, has helped restore a critical part of the East Holland River. They have made a wonderful contribution to the work of restoring Lake Simcoe.” Presented annually, the Berkley Conservation Award recognizes work by the Bass Anglers Sportsmen Society (BASS) Federation groups that gives back to the community and restores native lands. The Berkley Conservation Institute made the award at the BASS Federation Nation banquet, held this year in Greenville, South Carolina.T he York Bassmasters helped remove trash and old fencing materials, clear the area of several invasive plant species, plant trees, stabilize stream banks and repair a fish ladder. Since Bogart Creek feeds the East Holland River, the Bogart Creek Restoration project is part of the larger East Holland River Clean Up. The clean up is a multi-year, $17-million campaign to restore the most degraded and populated river in the Lake Simcoe watershed. Hundreds of erosion control, tree planting, manure storage and septic system upgrade projects will improve the water quality in the river and in the lake itself. In partnership with the municipalities through which the East Holland flows, the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority and the Lake Simcoe Conservation Foundation launched the clean up campaign last fall.

Help restore Laurel Creek forest at Sunoco Earth Day on April 19 April 11, 2008 / grandriver.ca People looking for an active way to mark Earth Day can help restore a forest at Laurel Creek Conservation Area that was devastated by an insect attack last year. The tenth Sunoco Earth Day will be held on April 19 at the GRCA conservation area on Westmount Road just off Northfield Drive in Waterloo. The event, sponsored by Sunoco and the Suncor Energy Foundation, runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and is free. Local dignitaries will help plant trees and Mike Farwell from 570 News will kick off the event at 10:15 a.m. Trees and shovels will be provided to those who want to help plant 1,000 native trees such as white pine, sugar maple and red oak. They will replace some of the two hectares worth of red pines which had to be removed last fall because of an infestation of pine shoot beetles. But there’s more to the even than planting trees. It’s also a great family outing with plenty of activities for children and adults to help them learn the benefits of “green” living. There will be exhibits on waste reduction, green roofs, alternative fuels and energy efficiency. Kids can be a biologist for a day, learn all about fish or build a bird house. There will be information on ways to reduce your environmental footprint by limiting pesticide use, cutting back on energy use and conserving water. Kids who dig into the activities will not only get their hands dirty, they’ll be eligible to win prizes for their schools. Every school with more than 25 registered participants (students, teachers, parents and friends) will receive a $50 nursery voucher for a school-yard naturalization program. The school with the most registrants will win a $400 voucher for trees, shrubs and garden supplies. Other activities for children include drumming with the Marcell School of Drum, crafts and critter displays. There will also be free draw for a bicycle and helmet.

....Exactly, if you're having issues with twist the problem lies with you not the line. If you're side casting don't! Learn to pull/wallis cast as MJL has suggested.

....Here's my new fishing buddy Brook. Eight months old in these shots taken this past February. She has waded the creeks with me last fall as a tyke but has yet to be introduced to the boat, should be interesting. Oh might as well include her inaugural fishing trip. Here she is at four months wet, muddy and covered in burrs.

....Warming it should definitely work. Once apart clean thoroughly (ie: methyl-hydrate) then lubricate with paraffin wax and to remedy sloppy ferrules a thin coat of bee's wax.

The king of all invaders April 09, 2008 Jeff Alexander / The Muskegon Chronicle Chronicle file photo / Zebra mussels, above and quagga mussels have been called by some scientists the most harmful of all exotic species imported into the Great Lakes. Scientists say foreign mussels' damage make it the worst of all Great Lakes' exotic species Two decades after zebra mussels were discovered in the Great Lakes, some scientists are calling the foreign mollusks the most harmful exotic species ever to invade the world's largest freshwater ecosystem. Several prominent researchers contend dreissenid mussels -- zebra and quagga mussels -- have caused more profound changes in the lakes than sea lamprey, which decimated lake trout and other native fish species in the mid-1900s. "In terms of the whole food web, I don't think there's any question that zebra and quagga mussels have had the largest impact on the biological communities of the Great Lakes," said Tom Nalepa, a research biologist at the federal government's Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory in Ann Arbor. Sea lamprey only affected fish at the top of the food chain. Zebra and quagga mussels have caused profound changes at all levels of the food chain in every Great Lake except Superior, Nalepa said. David Jude, a research scientist at the University of Michigan, said sea lamprey caused more harm to Great Lakes fish than any other exotic species. Jude said sea lamprey would have eliminated lake trout from the lakes, and possibly other fish species, if the federal government didn't spend $15 million annually to kill the eel-like invaders. In terms of overall impact on the lakes' ecosystems, Jude said dreissenid mussels are the king of change. "I think the sea lamprey wreaked the most havoc on fish, since they drove lake trout to extinction in four of the five Great Lakes," Jude said. "But on any other account you wish to use, dreissenids win." Chronicle file photo / Zebra mussels, left and quagga mussels were imported from Europe in the ballast of freighters. Imported from Europe in the ballast water of transcontinental freighters, dreissenid mussels have caused a myriad of profound changes. Zebra and quagga mussels have: - Clogged water intakes at power plants and municipal water treatment facilities, adding about $2 billion to the cost of producing electricity and clean drinking water. - Dramatically increased water clarity, but at the expense of algae and other plankton. The mussels hog plankton, which comprises the base of a food chain that supports most aquatic life in the lakes; Contributed to a precipitous decline in prey fish, which has caused larger predatory fish -- whitefish and salmon -- to shrink; - Fueled algae blooms that have fouled beaches, killed countless fish and more than 70,000 fish-eating birds, including bald eagles and common loons; - Spawned toxic algae blooms that cause taste and odor problems in drinking water and pose potential health threats to humans, fish and wildlife. Toxic algae blooms have surfaced in parts of lakes Erie and Huron and on inland lakes from Michigan to New York, including Muskegon and Bear lakes. In recent years, quagga mussels have replaced zebra mussels across much of the Great Lakes. Unlike zebra mussels, which prefer warmer water and hard surfaces, quaggas can live on hard or soft surfaces and in the frigid depths of the lakes. "Quagga mussels are probably the most ecologically significant perturbation that has ever been documented in Lake Michigan," said Gary Fahnenstiel, senior ecologist at the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory's Lake Michigan Field Station in Muskegon. Because zebra and quagga mussels occupy the middle of the Great Lakes food chain, they affect species above and below them, Fahnenstiel said. "They've totally altered the system," he said. The mussels are just two of 185 exotic species in the Great Lakes. About 120 of those species were imported by ocean ships that discharged ballast water from foreign ports into the lakes, according to government data. After zebra mussels shut down the water treatment plant in the city of Monroe in 1989, the U.S. and Canadian governments required some ocean ships to flush ballast tanks with sea water before entering the lakes. But those regulations only applied to about 15 percent of ocean ships, and the number of exotic species has continued to increase. Starting this year, all ocean ships must flush ballast tanks with salt water from the Atlantic Ocean before entering the Great Lakes. The U.S. Congress and the Coast Guard have been working for years to develop rules requiring ocean ships to clean ballast tanks with filters, heat or chemicals. Shipping industry officials have been reluctant to install costly ballast water treatment systems until there is a standard they must meet. Chronicle file photo / Zebra and quagga mussels have contributed to a decline in prey fish, which has caused larger predatory fish like salmon and whitefish to shrink in size. As politicians, bureaucrats, shipping industry officials and environmentalists debate the best way to keep ocean ships from importing more exotics, the existing invaders continue to cause profound changes. Despite the numerous problems they have caused, zebra and quagga mussels have had some beneficial impacts, Jude said. By changing the water chemistry of the lakes and concentrating most of the fish food on the lake bottoms, Jude said the mussels are returning lakes Michigan and Huron to their more natural condition. But the fact that the mussels are hogging much of the food at the bottom of the food chain does not bode well for fish at the top, Nalepa said. "Something has to give," he said. "In Lake Michigan, which has such a huge biomass of quagga mussels, that energy has to be take from some other component of the food web." There were 881 million pounds of prey fish in Lake Michigan in 1989, the year zebra mussels were discovered in the lake. Last year, that figure dropped to 66 million pounds, a record low for the second straight year. The volume of zebra and quagga mussels in the lake went from zero in 1989 to 540 million pounds last year, according to government data. Quaggas mussels now account for 99 percent of all mussels in Lake Michigan, Nalepa said. Quagga mussels are suspected of decimating a shrimp-like organism called diporeia in lakes Michigan, Huron and Ontario. Diporeia was the most important source of food for prey fish in the lakes, the small fish eaten by salmon and lake trout. Quagga mussels are suspected of contributing to the 2004 crash of Lake Huron's salmon population. Charter boats on Lake Michigan have caught near-record numbers of salmon the past two years, but the fish are much smaller than 20 years ago, according to anglers and state data. Drew Morris, a second generation charter boat operator in Muskegon, said zebra and quagga mussels have affected the size of salmon in Lake Michigan, water clarity and the techniques used to catch fish. "It's completely changed how we fish," said Morris, owner of Margie J Sportfishing Charters. "We're obviously hoping the mussels don't disrupt the food chain to the point that we lose the salmon." Morris said Lake Michigan is now clearer than he can remember in the four decades he's been fishing and swimming in the lake. That's good for swimmers but bad for anglers trying to sneak up on fish. "I was cruising outside the south break wall (at Muskegon) a couple of years ago and I could see the bottom of the lake -- it's about 28 feet deep at that point," Morris said. "I was never able to see the bottom of the lake at that point. It looked like the ocean."

....I fish center pins, have for nearly 30 years. Had no idea I was a "centre pin elitist morons". Don't you mean "sots", I think it'd be more fitting.

....Bestest of the belateds to you douG.

....Always there for you Bud.

....BINGO !

Bait operators complain MNR rule has them on hook April 9, 2008 http://www.saultstar.com A fatal infectious disease in fish is the biggest challenge ever faced by a group that represents provincial bait operators. Sixty-five harvesters, each employing two to six workers, in an area that stretches from Windsor to Parry Sound, have taken a serious economic hit following Ontario government efforts to limit the spread of viral hemorrhagic septicemia. VHS causes fish to bleed to death. "It's put people on the welfare line," said Michael Bennett, president of the Bait Association of Ontario. "It's disastrous." The Ministry of Natural Resources stopped allowing bait fish to be commercially harvested from the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River in January 2007. The move also stopped live fish from being shipped to waters north of Highway 401. Bennett, speaking following a meeting with Minister of Natural Resources Donna Cansfield at the Holiday Inn in Sault Ste. Marie Saturday, suggests his members are the scapegoats for an illness he's not convinced exists. "There's no science on it as far as I know," he said. "Nobody's even looking into trying to find out what it's all about. I haven't seen one case yet where they can show me a bait fish that's got VHS. Not one. "(My members) can only move bait to a certain area, yet anglers can go out and put a minnow net anywhere they want and pick up minnows and take them. We've got our hands tied." Still, he's optimistic "we're going to sit down and work it out" with the government. Cansfield said her ministry is working with Bennett's group on VHS. Both groups are waiting for reports about the disease. The first study is expected back by early May. "They're as concerned about this virus as we are," she said. "We're not going to make any precipitous decisions without good information. That information has to come to both of us and then we'll work together (and) make some decisions." It's too soon to consider compensation for affected bait operators, she added. VHS has been found in the St. Lawrence River, Lake Ontario, Niagara River, Lake Erie, Detroit River, Lake St. Clair, Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. Fish affected include walleye, yellow perch, smallmouth bass and white bass.

ONTARIO RELEASES CHINESE VERSION OF FISHING REGULATIONS

....What, you lose my number Dave? You only had to ask....lol

Yamaha Marine Group Announces Lengthened Warranty Period on Parts and Accessories Martin Peters / fishingworld.com (Apr. 03, 2008 - Kennesaw, GA.)... Yamaha Marine Group announced today, that effective January 1, 2008, it has lengthened the limited warranty period for Yamaha Marine replacement parts, accessories, instruments and gauges sold by its authorized dealers. Customers will now receive a full one (1) year of warranty coverage, from date of purchase, against defects in materials or workmanship, for pleasure use, direct from Yamaha, subject to certain exclusions and limitations. Moving from the previous 90 days to a full year’s limited warranty coverage on most of these items is a comfort for our customers and serves to further Yamaha’s reputation for quality," said John Rigsby, Yamaha Marine Group national sales manager. "Now our customers have the same length of warranty period on over-the-counter parts, accessories, instruments and gauges as they would if the parts, accessories, instruments or gauges were dealer or builder-installed prior to original registration of the boat and engine package." As with any limited warranty, certain exclusions and limitations apply and are clearly detailed in the Yamaha Outboard Genuine Parts and Accessories Limited Warranty statement. "The majority of our parts and accessories enjoy this longer limited warranty period, and our customer will enjoy the peace of mind that comes with it," said Rigsby. Yamaha Marine Group is the sole distributor for Yamaha Marine products in the United States. It supports over 2,200 dealers and OEM partners with marketing, training and parts for Yamaha’s full line of products and accessories and strives to be the industry leader in reliability, technology and customer service. Yamaha Marine has won the marine industry’s C.S.I. Customer Satisfaction Index award every year since its inception. For more information, call (800) 88-YAMAHA .

Bass Pro Shops To Open 3rd Canadian Store As Signature Anchor At Lac Mirabel Jenna Kendall / fishingworld.com (Apr. 01, 2008 - Montreal, Canada)... Bass Pro Shops, ranked the #1 Outdoor Retailer in America by Sporting Goods Business Magazine, today announced that it is continuing its retail growth with the opening of an outdoor superstore at Lac Mirabel. The store is scheduled to open in fall 2009. Lac Mirabel is a joint development between Gordon Group Holdings, LLC and Morgan Stanley Real Estate. The approximately 150,000 square foot store will be the signature anchor for the state-of-the-art 1.4-million square foot Lac Mirabel retail entertainment complex located along Highway 15 outside Montreal. "With the project now well under way, many leading retailers, like Bass Pro Shops, are considering Lac Mirabel as one of North America’s most unique retail shopping environments," commented Sheldon Gordon, Chairman of Gordon Group Holdings. "We are excited to welcome Bass Pro Shops to Lac Mirabel--they are a retail experience like no other and their addition will attract many other world class retailers and shoppers from around the world." In January of 2008 Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris was recognized as the "Innovator of the Year" by the National Retail Federation for the companies unique store concepts and designs. Unique exterior and interior motifs have branded Bass Pro Shops as visually appealing, high quality outdoor stores. The outdoors is brought indoors with massive log and rock work, large aquariums and water features stocked with native fish species, along with an extensive collection of museum quality fish and wildlife exhibits, historic photos, artifacts, and memorabilia. They also feature free outdoor skills workshops for adults, kids, and families, as well as conservation education. "Canada has long been known for its great sporting tradition and outdoor heritage and this opportunity at LacMirabel allows us to further extend our destination retail stores as well as our full line-up of Tracker boats into this tremendous outdoor market," said Bass Pro Shops President Jim Hagale. "This store will be designed and themed as a tribute to the Canadian outdoors and a celebration of the sporting men and women of the region." The Lac Mirabel store will offer outdoor enthusiasts 3 acres of shopping excitement with the area’s largest selection of equipment and clothing for hunting, fishing, hiking, biking, backpacking, wildlife viewing, camping, outdoor cooking and more. A gift and nature center will also serve up a wide variety of outdoor-related items from lamps and dishes to bird feeders and furniture. An expansive boat showroom will feature Tracker, Nitro, SunTracker, Grizzly, and Tahoe boats built by Tracker Marine Group--the world’s largest manufacturer of fishing boats. A boat service center will also be available. "Bass Pro Shops is a trend-setting, major destination retailer whom we are very pleased to be associated with at Lac Mirabel," said Mark Bratt of Morgan Stanley Real Estate. "With its Vaughn, Ontario location serving as one of Bass Pro Shops’ top performing stores, we look forward to the impact its anchor presence will have on both retailers and visitors alike as we continue to move ahead to develop Lac Mirabel as one of Canada’s most distinctive attractions for shopping and entertainment." Bass Pro Shops retail stores are rated as top tourist destinations. Over 90 million people visit their stores annually. Their stores are the top tourist attractions in Maryland, North Carolina, and Missouri. Bass Pro Shops, known for hiring associates that have a passion for the outdoors, is expected to employ approximately 300 people at Lac Mirabel, many of whom will come from the local region. Employment information is available in the career opportunities section of the basspro website.

Fishing in Canada just became more difficult Sunday, April 6, 2008 Steve Pollick / toledoblade.com Lake Erie fishermen and boaters who cross into Ontario waters this summer will have to report their activities to U.S. Customs and Border Protection at least by telephone and even perhaps in person. That is the word from CBP authorities, who are stepping up homeland security on the Great Lakes boundary with Canada. The invisible line is going to become seriously visible to government terrorist-watchers. Just how much reporting you will have to do on each trip "over the line" depends on what you do "over there" and what kinds of planning you have done in terms of documentation. And just be glad you are not a charter fishing guide; CBP has upped the reporting ante big time for charter fishing businesses, to the point that many skippers angrily vow to skip fishing in Canada altogether because of the additional hassle. So far, about the only thing you can do without having to report is straight-course running. An example would be cutting a corner of the boundary, on a run from Port Clinton to Detroit. Other than that, be prepared. As of the close of government business on Friday, a decision is pending from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, CBP's parent agency, about how seriously to classify sport fishing. If sport fishing is ruled to be similar to simple navigation, there will be no need to report as an individual on returning from Canadian waters. But a vessel-return report by phone still will be needed. All of which is critical to the fleet of western Lake Erie walleye and smallmouth bass fishermen. For decades they have prowled the Ontario-side islands and reefs in the western Lake Erie basin all but unfettered, and they have seen agency surveillance and checking increase only incrementally until the last year or so. If fishermen are left off the reporting hook, as far as needing to report individually, all that must by done is to call in the return of the boat to a U.S. port. In Ohio and Pennsylvania waters of Lake Erie, that can be done toll-free at 1-888-523-BOAT. In the Detroit area dial 313-393-3793 or 313-393-3949. In any case all vessel arrivals at U.S. ports must be called in. Most of the extra burden from now on will revolve around the circumstances under which you must "present yourself for inspection" under federal immigration rules. "One of the big changes this year is that CBP has stopped taking oral declarations of citizenship," summed Chief Ron Smith, of the Detroit CBP field office. Many of the other rules being enforced this year have been in place since at least 2002, but the massive security reorganization of customs, immigration, and border protection under the DHS umbrella has taken till now to hit home here. So, documented declaration of citizenship will be required any time you actually land or are "grounded" in Canada - that is, tie up at a dock or marina and have to pass through Canada Customs. That includes stopping for bait or a fishing license at Pelee Island or running across to a north-shore marina at such places as Wheatley, or Colchester, or Kingsville. CPB is allowing a one-document option, most generally a valid U.S. passport for Americans, or a two-document option, generally a valid driver's license and birth certificate. You will need to keep such documents with you when crossing to Canada if there is any chance you will actually land there. If you do land in Canada, on your return to port in the U.S. you have to present yourself for inspection. The easiest way to do that is to obtain in advance an I-68 certificate, or Canada Border Boat Landing Program. If you land in Canada and have an I-68 certificate you can report yourself by phone when you report a vessel at the above-listed numbers. An I-68 must be obtained in person at a CBP office at a cost of $16; it is good for a year. You must bring along three passport-size photos [most mega-pharmacies offer them for about $8 in five minutes] and your citizenship documents [passport or birth certificate and driver's license]. You will have a fingerprint made of your right index finger. The whole I-68 process takes about 15 minutes. If you want to minimize hassle on the water, make an appointment with the regional CBP office and get an I-68 now. In Toledo, the CBP office is on the fifth floor of the Ohio Building, 420 Madison Ave., 419-259-6424. In Sandusky dial 419-625-0022, and in Cleveland 216-267-3600. If you already hold a NEXUS card -a Trusted Traveler Card - it is as good as an I-68. But NEXUS cards are not being issued in Ohio or Pennsylvania now, CBP said. If you do not have an I-68 certificate and you do land in Canada, on your return to a U.S. port you must report to CPB in person at one of their offices, or call in on a videophone called OARS, for Outlying Area Reporting Station, which can be used 24/7. Best have your citizenship papers with you too. On western Lake Erie the OARS phones are located at Put-in-Bay on South Bass Island, Brand's Marina in Port Clinton, and Cedar Point Marina. The next nearest one among 12 on the lake is at East 55th Street in Cleveland, but CBP supposedly is working on adding more. Lake Erie is a focal point because of its relatively small size, structure, and concentration of fishing, said Brett Sturgeon, a public affairs officers for the CBP field office in Chicago. That is especially so in the relatively narrow western basin, where much of the fishing and boating activity also is concentrated. "That's part of what we're up against," added Sturgeon. He explains the regulations are not bureaucratic harassment. "I certainly hope people don't think it is. "By legitimate business entities [and recreational boats] reporting their arrival to CBP, it allows CBP to concentrate our resources on individuals and vessels who fail to report their arrival and/or are engaging in illicit activities." Sturgeon said, for example, CBP is in the process of establishing a greater air and marine presence on Lake Erie, including deploying more agents. At Detroit, Chief Smith said he has been busy talking to boaters' groups about the new reporting requirements and acknowledges it will take some getting used to. "It may be a hassle, but not such a big hassle that you want to give up something you enjoy," Smith said. Failure to report can result in civil penalties of $5,000 the first time and $10,000 thereafter, with the vessel in question subject to seizure. In addition the master of the wayward vessel upon conviction is liable for a fine of up to $2,000 plus a year in jail. CBP asks for your eyes and ears on the water. Report any suspicious activities to 1-800-505-8381.