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Featuring Events in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan and Illinois. Find Outdoor themed Sport Shows, Adventure, Boat, Fishing, Camping & Leisure Shows with Canadian Exhibitors.”

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Boat docks can provide a better option for anglers who prefer to stay close to the bank. Regardless of how hot the water is or how many fish are holding, there are always bass around docks. Especially the large docks on the main lake, give bass two important elements during the summer - forage and shade.

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In my post ‘Going Boating? Are you prepared?‘ I mentioned about speed demons. My boating experience revolves around my trusty old canoe, so I have to be very careful and keep a diligent watch for many of these demons who don’t seem to give a damn about us canoeists.

A couple of evenings ago I decided to go out for a paddle and fish while the sun was still up.  Paddling was good but fishing was lousy. Anyway, towards the end of my outing on my way back home, a couple of guys in their motorized boat quite a bit larger than my canoe, seemed like they decided to also get back home but at a much quicker speed than me.  Before that they were slowly chugging along until they were getting closer to me.  Then they decided to rev up and push off. They must have noticed me in my orange canoe and orange life jacket, as I was in full view. The wash they created was considerable and I had to manoeuver quickly to point the canoe into the wash, lest I would be another statistic - man overboard canoeist.

Whats with these guys? The area along the Scugog river in which I canoe and fish is supposed to be a regulated speed, but I often find that this is never the case.  One motorboat after another zooms by creating a wash that messes up the riverbanks and makes it very unsafe for us canoeists.

I sign off all of my posts with happy fishing in the kawarthas. Please don’t let me be one that is fished out of the kawarthas - I won’t be very happy about that!

Can you identify with one of these boating activities?

• going out for the day on the family boat with friends
• going duck hunting in your open boat on a remote lake
• going fishing on a friend’s bass boat
• trailering your personal watercraft to a friend’s cottage
• renting a boat for the weekend

If you can relate to any of these, have you thought about what to bring? What if your trip doesn’t go as planned? Even when you’re out relaxing on a boat, fishing or hunting, things can suddenly happen. Being prepared means making sure you and your boat are properly equipped..

In Canada, boaters must follow the “rules of the road (waterways)” and have the required safety equipment onboard. One of the easiest to remember is lifejackets. By law, you need to have a Canadian approved Personal Flotation Device (PFD) or lifejacket for everyone onboard. However, there are more compelling reasons to wear a flotation device.

Why do boaters lose their lives?

There are many pieces to the puzzle of why boaters lose their lives. Most agree that injuries and loss of life are no accident. When “accident” information is reviewed, often as part of a grim Coroner’s Inquest, there are patterns which could have predicted the outcome.

Who is at greatest risk?

Did you know that of the many recreational boating related drownings from least to most were…

1. those who drowned were out canoeing.
2. those who drowned could not swim.
3. those who drowned were in motor boats.
4. those who drowned were out sport fishing.
5. those who drowned occurred in the good weather months of June and July.
6. those who drowned occurred in lakes.
7. those who drowned were male.
8. those (over 15 years of age) who drowned had blood alcohol levels above the legal limit.
9. people who drowned were not wearing a personal flotation device or lifejacket.

More to follow on Going Boating and Are You Prepared?