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As I mentioned last week it will cost you more to fish, hunt, camp
or park in British Columbia on April 1. Let's start with the new
rates for fishing licences. Resident fees go from $30 up to $36.
Canadian resident fishing rises from $40 up to $55. Non- resident
alien fishing from $55 up to $80. The rates for steelhead and non-tidal
salmon tags are unknown at this time. Seniors and disabled licences
will probably show a small increase.
Hunting
Hunting licences have taken a larger increase. Resident hunting
has gone from $21 up to $32. Canadian residents from $46 to $75,
and non-resident alien hunting from $145 to $180. Species fees have
not yet been announced but are expected to increase. Seniors and
disabled will also have a proportionate hike.
Camping
Camping fees are also going up. There will be a $3-$5 parking fee
in 28 parks. These parks are located on Vancouver Island and the
Lower Mainland. Full service camping will go from $18.50 up to $22.
Marine parks will be standardized at $2 per meter per night for
moorage.
Of course, no one likes price increases. We all want things to
stay the same, except of course, our wages. Because it has been
quite awhile since the last price hike, this was not a surprise.
The government's spin on this is that under the new plan, all monies
collected will be dedicated back to those services. Parks in BC
have doubled over the past decade and it costs more to maintain
those facilities. The park user fees will offset the money paid
to service contractors.
Hurt?
Are these price increases going to hurt tourism? Not likely. British
Columbia is known for its beautiful parks and world class fishing,
hunting and scenery. Many visitors tell us we are giving it away
too cheaply. Visiting other parts of Canada and the US leaves me
feeling how lucky we are here in BC. Many provinces and states do
not allow you to just pull over and camp anywhere. Costs are high,
all wood is charged for, and you definitely do not feel safe.
Big business
However, tourism in BC, the fishing and hunting sector, is estimated
at about 1.5 Billion dollars to the province. Surely that resource
should be taken care of with adequate funding even in a poor economy.
With regards to fishing, I think visiting anglers should be able
to come to BC with a great chance of catching a Wild BC salmon or
enjoy the many catch and release, fishing opportunities in our rivers
and lakes.
Hatcheries should be maintained to provide extra stocking for the
put and take waters, and conservation officers, biologists etc.
and field personnel able to do their jobs.
(All previous issues are stored in the ARCHIVE
for your convenience)
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So as a resident it will cost me a total of $17 more
for my hunting and fishing licence. Not happy about it but it certainly
won't stop me from enjoying what BC has to offer.
Waders
Lightweight, waterproof and breathable waders are starting to take
over the wader market. This year, anglers will find the breathables
in price ranges from $200-$600. These new waders are a joy to wear.
Their weight, ease of getting them on, and most of all their breathability,
make them an ideal choice for the avid angler. Gone are the days
of sweating profusely in the neoprenes on a hot day. Toughness is
not an issue, as you see many guides wearing these waders all day
every day. Of course, you need to take care when busting brush,
cutting firewood, handling sharp objects, but you would do that
with any wader.
Neoprenes
My breathables have given me 5 years of comfortable trouble-free
service. Neoprene's still have their place, especially in early
and late season fishing. Neoprene does have a built in safety factor
in that they have enough flotation to float you. When you are wearing
the lightweights you must make sure to wear a flotation vest, suspenders
or belt type of PFD.
Fly line
If you are using an old fly line, and in the market for a new one,
you will be in for a pleasant surprise. Today's new lines have much
less annoying memory, are more durable, lay out straighter and cast
longer. Not a bad combination.
Scientific Anglers lead the way with their AST group of fly lines.
AST stands for Advanced Shooting Technology. I guess that is an
engineer's way of saying the lines are really, really slippery.
They have a coating on and in the fly line, so it will maintain
this slipperiness for the life of the line. Does it make that much
difference? Sure does. It will probably add 10-15% distance to your
casts. Most companies are now making a version of these super slick
lines and they are a great improvement over the older ones.
Last longer?
Would you like your fly line to last longer and cast further? Of
course you would. When was the last time you cleaned your fly line
or dressed it? Fly line, unlike wine, does not improve with age.
Fly lines become contaminated with algae, dirt, pollen, etc.
Before the start of the season, lines should be washed in luke
warm water and soap. Pull the line through a soapy cloth a few times.
If the line is of the older type, you can dress the line with a
line dressing cleaner and conditioner, which will enable the line
to slip smoothly in the guides. The new AST lines should not have
any lubricants placed on them.
More of Bob's photos on the Photo page
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