Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

The newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness throughout the world.

Welcome to Fascinating Facts and Tantalizing Trivia

A Hartson Dowd Column

July 25, 2006

The 10th Annual Great Ontario Salmon Derby

Event:
The 10th Annual Great Ontario Salmon Derby - Location: Lake Ontario

Dates:
July 8 to August 26th, 2006 – 50 days of fishing excitement on Lake Ontario’s shoreline

Official Weigh-In Stations:

1. The Reel Thing Fishing Pro, 151 Main St., Wellington, ON 613-399-3649
2. Wellers Bay Campground, 65 Carter Road, Carrying Place, ON 613-475-3113
3. Port Hope Marina, 2 Mill St., Port Hope, ON 905-885-7981
4. Port Darlington Marina, 70 Port Darlington Rd., Bowmanville, ON 905-623-3501
5. Port Whitby Marina, 575 Rossland Road E., Whitby, ON 905-668-1900
6. Frenchman's Bay Marina, 591 Liverpool Rd., Pickering, ON 905-839-5036
7. Bluffer's Park Marina, 7 Brimley Road S., Scarborough, ON 416-266-4556
8. Credit Village Marina, 12 Stavebank Road, Mississauga, ON 905-891-5217
9. Bronte Outdoor, 2544 Speers Road, Unit 7 & 8 (at Bronte Rd.), Bronte, ON 905-827-4009
10. Fishermen's Pier, 1155 Beach Blvd., Hamilton, ON 905-549-5622
11. Grimsby Tackle, 515 Main St., Grimsby, ON 905-945-0399

Event Details:
The 10'th Annual Great Ontario Salmon Derby, North America's largest fresh water fishing derby, returns to Lake Ontario from July 8 to August 26'th 2006. The derby is actually 7 Derby’s In One, as fishermen compete for substantial weekly prizes consisting of a boat motor and trailer package worth $30,000.00. The holder of the heaviest fish of the overall Derby will win an exciting Great Grand Prize that includes a 2006 Toyota Tacoma truck as well as a fishing trip for two to La R?serve Beauchene in Quebec and a celebration dinner for four at Pier 4 Storehouse Restaurant. The derby attracts both avid and recreational fishermen as the derby is designed to be easy and affordable to enter, whether it is individually, as a family or through the many charter boats that participate in the derby. Supported by a large media and promotional campaign the derby draws fishermen from Ontario, Quebec and the northeastern United States. On Sept 16 one individual will be drawn from the 70 prizewinners, who will participate in the High-Five Mystery Match Promotion with a potential prize of up to $1,000,000.

Tickets:
Individual Tickets - $75.00 each
Family Tickets - $200.00* (* certain conditions apply)

Web Site:
www.sportshows.ca - for additional information, complete tournament rules and to order tickets online

Tackle-Box Checklist

Fishing line
Bobbers
Swivels, to keep fishing line from twisting
Leaders
Sinkers
Different sizes of hooks
Pliers, to help remove hooks
Stringer, to hold all the fish you catch
Sharp knife
Ruler/scale
Flashlight
First-aid kit
Insect repellent
Sunscreen

The Best Fishing Days for 2006, when the Moon is between new and full:

Jul. 25-Aug. 9

Aug. 23-Sept. 7

Sept. 22-Oct. 6

Oct. 22-Nov. 5

Nov. 20-Dec. 4

December 20-31

THE BEST TIMES to fish are when the fish are naturally most active. The Sun, Moon, tides, and weather all influence fish activity. For example, fish tend to feed more at sunrise and sunset. During a full Moon, tides are higher than average and fish tend to feed more. However, most of us go fishing when we can get the time off, not because it is the best time. But there are best times, according to fishing lore:

One hour before and one hour after high tides, and one hour before and one hour after low tides. Inland, the times for high tides correspond with the times when the Moon is due south. Low tides are halfway between high tides.

During the "morning rise" (after sunup for a spell) and the "evening rise" (just before sundown and the hour or so after).

When the barometer is steady or on the rise. (But even during stormy periods, the fish aren't going to give up feeding. The smart fisherman will find just the right bait.)

When there is a hatch of flies -- caddis flies or mayflies, commonly. (The fisherman will have to match his fly with the hatching flies or go fishless.)

When the breeze is from a westerly quarter rather than from the north or east.

When the water is still or rippled, rather than during a wind.

HERE ARE 20 fly-fishing terms, defined by Silvio Calabi, author of The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Fly-Fishing, (Henry Holt & Co., 1993).

ARBOR: the spindle, or axle, of a fly reel

BUCKTAIL: animal hair used in fly tying

CREE: A mottled ginger color

DANGLIES: small gadgets that fly fishermen like to hang from their vests

FANWING: a type of dry fly

FLYMPH: a soft-hackled fly

FINGERLING: a baby fish, about the size of a finger

FLUE: the soft fibers at the base of a feather

GAPE: the bite of a hook

HAYWIRE TWIST: the strongest loop connection for tying wire to a fly

HERL: the individual barb of a feather, usually from a peacock's tail or an ostrich plume

HIPPERS: hip boots, worn to wade into brooks and streams

KYPE: a growth on the end of a trout or salmon's jaw that makes it curve upward like a hook

MATCHING THE HATCH: the dream scenario whereby an angler puts on the water an exact imitation of whatever aquatic insect is emerging

PARR: young salmon, usually 5 to 8 inches long

POPPER: a type of surface fly that produces a gurgling noise when twitched through the water

PRIEST: a club used to deliver the "last rites" to a fish that won't be released

SALTER: the sea-run form of the brook trout

SQUARE TAIL: a nickname for brook trout

SKATER: a type of high floating dry fly meant to "skate" across the water

TEASER: a hookless bait or lure used to draw a game fish to within casting distance

Hartson Sager Dowd

hsdowd@telus.net