Good on ya Touchy

[bellhender]

I would just like to thank my new mate Touchy for showing a Canadian boy from the B.C. bush how a flathead and mudcrab tastes. The times my wife and I spent with him and his son fishing at Jumping Pin was some of the most memorable times of our holiday. The fact that Canadians are frozen Aussies or Australians are tropical Canucks has once again been proven out by the similarity in our senses of humour and the fact that we can both giggle at the Poms and Yanks. No offense to them there just a little too easy to giggle at!

You guys should be aware that because of Fred's (Touchy's) personable nature, skill of fishing, and generosity to prove it, he is truly an Ambassador of Aussie good will. Not wanting to be out done I offer this up to all members of Ausfish as my thanks to Touchy and his mates. If you are coming to British Columbia in Canada and want to go for a fish in the northern bush get Touchy to give you my e-mail address and I'll take you for a tour. You carry the rod and I'll stand behind you with the rifle as where we will be fishing there will be better fishermen (large hairy ones). It is an experience everyone should have once in their lives. And with Gods will and my 300 Winchester Magnum you will live through it. No Kidding (sorry I'll try to speak in Auz) Fair Dinkum!!

Which brings me to my last point. Just for the record, I did jump up on the seat when I thought the mud crab was going to get loose, but I only "practised" squealing like a school girl (haha).

Thanks again Fred

Gerry O' (aka Bellhender)

[el_carpo]

Wait a minute! Wait a minute! I can handle being "Giggled at" by an Austrailian on the other side of the world who doesn't know any better , but I'm not about to let some goofy, half-witted maple-leaf-flaggin', bear fearin', frozen arsed, north of the border, French sort-of'n, "eh?"-sayin' Canadian giggle at the greatest people of the greatest nation the world has ever known. America is symbolised in "Uncle Sam". Canada is symbolised in "Stewie", the left-handed, nose-picking, Star-Trek obsessed, computer geek with a pimply complexion who lives in Uncle Sam's frozen tool shed and fears talking to girls. Take that!!!! And what's a Pom?

Does this lame joke of mine count as an international incident?

Hey, I'm just messing with you BellHender. I like Canada. Everyone knows that there are lots of great people in Canada. Where they are?, that's still a mystery!

You giggle?

[craigie]

El-Carpo,

A 'POM', is a slang name for an English person. Have a look through the 'Saltwater' chat board, there is a whole thread devoted to 'Pommy Bashing'. Should bring you up to speed.

Sounds like Canadian and American rivalry is very similar to Australia and New Zealand, at the end of the day we are all still 'Buddies'.

Cheers
Craigie.

[el_carpo]

Absolutley Craigie! We Americans and Canadians always give eachother a tough time in jest but in reality, we get along just fine. In this war against the terrorists, we're all in the same life-boat so it wouldn't be such a good idea to "really" bash the other rowers. We're all walking around with big old bull's eyes on our foreheads. It's really sad and scary. I never want to see anything like 9/11 again! The senseless death and devastation of so many and so much....If I could sacrifice myself to ensure the end of all this madness and horror, I'd do it in a heart-beat.

Anyway, I don't want to think about that stuff right now so.......

Is it true that if you capture one of those free range hobbits they have living and roaming all over in New Zealand, you get a free dvd copy of the ,"Lord of the Rings:The Return of the King?" 'Cuz if it is,--"IT'S HOBBIT HUNTIN' TIME!!!!" Yeee-hawww!!!

[bidkev]

Nice posts bellhender and el carpo. Is that a typo bellhender or are you of the Jewish faith? ;-)

For me,the post epitomises all that fishing and mateship (in Oz) is about, the breaking down of class and other barriers that mar everyday life.

I'm a pomm by birth who has absolutely no desire to return to my mother country, other than to perhaps see the Lake District just one more time.

Trying not to get into politics here but I think the Brits had their "spirit" broken by Maggie Thatcher. She may have re-kindled an economic recovery (for the few) but in a few short years, I saw the average working bloke go from a happy-go-lucky guy who whistled as he worked, and nodded to the guy in the street, to a guy in constant fear of losing job and home.
The Brits used to be like the Aussies in "everyday attitude" just as folks here jib each other and take it on the chin, so did the Brits, but not anymore. I'm generalising here as to when I left 8 years ago.

I love the Oz way of life and attitude towards each other....it reminds me of how it *used to* be over there when I was younger. Everyone here seems to be able to take it as well as dish it out :-)

kev

[el_carpo]

I agree Kingtin. It's when times get tough that we need to lighten up and have a laugh the most. It reminds me of a story that happened here a few years ago. Some coal-miners got trapped way, way, way down below the surface. They were down there for days and days and water was rising. It looked like all was lost. One of the fellows started to lose it and began crying and was probably going to speed up his departure from mother Earth. His friend calmed him with a joke. "Hey don't worry man, we'll get out. I wonder if we'll get overtime pay for this?" It made the man laugh and brought him back from the brink.

If you can laugh, you know you're still sane. Keep laughing!

[Churbro]

This is why we all love to fish and chat with fisho's as one person could be a docter and the other might be a service station attendent but once we hit the water we all become equal, it's a great sport with lots of rewards.....even a few fish if were lucky.

[clutter]

El Carpo,

I think you left out "Seal Basher"

Clutter

[clutter]

Forgot to add that over here we sometimes refer to Canadians as "Snap frozen yanks" as well as the term "seal bashers" as previously mentioned.

Clutter

[el_carpo]

Seal bashing, snap frozen Yanks. Thanks Clutter. I stand corrected.

Hey, glad to see you posting on the Chicago site! Believe me, those guys are going to flip when they see some of the fish you Australians catch. When I browsed through the image galleries here, I must have said, "Whoa! What's that? That fish is gigantic!" about a hundred times! Australia is like the Holy Land of fishing! You have great ocean fishing and fresh water fishing.

Fishing here in Illinois can be fun and still serves to make life worth living, but the variety and size of your fish just dwarfs our fishery by comparison. Not even close. One fish that is a giant here is an uninvited guest. The Asian Big-Head carp is in the Mississippi River! It's been spotted in the Illinois as well, I think. If that stinker gets to the great lakes--Game over. The fish can grow to 100 pounds and jumps clear out of the water when frightened by the sound of boat motors. I kid you not, there are stories of guys getting knocked out and losing teeth. I can see it now, I'll be out wading in the river and be knocked out and drowned by a giant carp! It wouldn't be so bad if I wasn't sure that the cause of my death would cause uncontrollable laughter among the mourners at my funeral!

[Fisherman02]

doesn't surprise me at all
fred is one of the most decent blokes i have ever met!
nothing is too much of a hassle for him.
It would have been easier for him to say that he had an operation on his thumb and he had to rest in bed or whatever. But he turned up to the m n g no worries at all
a decent bloke and someone i truly admire
cheers jack

[Randall]

He`s not a bad ole fart if you get him after midday!!

Only bloke I know who took a spike in the thumb to get a few weeks off.

Fred....you`re the man.....

Randall.

[lordy]

I would just like to thank my new mate Touchy for showing a Canadian boy from the B.C. bush how a flathead #and mudcrab tastes.

When are those useless Canucks going to the cup final again. (just don't tell me you are a Flames fan).

[gunna]

You are spot on Bell hender. About two years back I was visiting from Sydney & asked the members for some help on the Pin and surrounds. Touchy invited me to his place for a cuppa & gave me a number of copies of articles and maps from magazines - as well as personal advice. Terrific thing to do for a total stranger. Onya Touchy.

[Touchy - R.I.P.]

ALRIGHT ALRIGHT, ENOUGH, You bloody mob are making my hair turn white with embarrassment,As I see it I'm only returning in kind the sort sharing it has been my pleasure to experience with a lot of fisho's I have had the pleasure to fish with/against,either in clubs or with acquaintances,Just look at this site for instance,the camaraderie shown here is next to none & the sharing of all things fishy be it from some of our "legends"(No Nugget dont get a swelled head just yet mate,get a few more years on the clock )or the everyday bread & butter mob.Fisho's Rule. . Cheers Touchy.PS. Thanks for three of those posts Mum. 8)><> ><> ><>.