| The Winter Olympics....Once again the
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| | beneath the ice fisherman's stool as he
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| fishing world has been ignored.As I sit
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| | scrambles for shore before disappearing
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| watching a spine tingling, heart
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| | into the frigid waters.Talk about the
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| thumping, always tension packed Olympic
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| | agony of defeat....2)Boat Slalom. Never
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| Curling event competition, I can't help
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| | mind the luge, bobsled, or skeleton(which
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| but wonder why a fishing event has never
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| | at first glance appear to require the two
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| been represented in the Olympics.What are
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| | major athletic skills of courage and
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| they trying to say?Are they saying that
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| | alcohol), try standing up in a drift boat
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| there is no athletic prowess involved
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| | while running a classIV rapid with a 40
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| when trying to flick a #12 Adams to a 20
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| | pound salmon stripping line off of your
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| inch ring created by the kiss of an 18
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| | reel, hell bent for return to the ocean.
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| inch Rainbow trout!Is the firing of a
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| | Yes, athletes in ten layers of clothing
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| high powered rifle after skiing around on
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| | including the mandatory flannel outer
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| a pair of wooden planks any more
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| | jacket, will try to stay afoot while "the
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| demanding than fording a riffle packed
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| | driver" navigates the boulder choked
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| stream and tossing a chunk of powerbait
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| | channel of a stream. Not only are the
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| deftly into the "honeyhole" pocket
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| | contestants timed in this event, but
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| containing an 8 inch stocker?I see no
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| | style points are given for the degree of
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| difference.But then I'm an idiot.Or am I?
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| | difficulty the athlete shows while doing
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| Let's at least take a look at some future
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| | "gunnel grabs", "spins", and the ever
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| options for the winter Olympics, that can
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| | popular "aerials". Throw in a number of
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| finally give the fisherman his due when
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| | slalom gates, and you have the making of
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| it comes to skill and athleticism....1)
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| | an event made for television. Fall in or
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| What event shows stamina and grit more
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| | lose your salmon, and it's sorry
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| than ice fishing? I propose a winter
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| | Charlie--see you in four years."OOOHHH,
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| Olympic event that is comprised of ice
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| | tough break Vern--Elwood has been
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| fishing. In this event, contestants will
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| | training all his life for this moment,
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| be timed on their ability to saw a hole
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| | and to see it all go overboard in one
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| in 8 to 10 inches of a frozen lake
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| | instant is heartbreaking...."3) No
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| surface, run in sneakers across the
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| | offense to our Canadian friends north of
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| frozen ice to a designated staging area
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| | the border, but --CURLING!!! CURLING!! A
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| where they will grab up a rod, and stool,
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| | combination of bowling on ice and a group
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| and sprint back across the ice to the
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| | of shop keepers trying to keep the
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| open hole, bait up, and sit for hours in
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| | storefront spiffy.Gawd, the winters must
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| a fierce northern wind. The athlete then
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| | be awful up there.Outside of the obvious
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| will hopefully, eventually catch a fish,
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| | "sex appeal"of the Olympic Curling
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| pull his fish from the ice hole, drop it
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| | events, the only thing more thrilling
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| in a bucket, and sprint again across the
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| | would be to watch Dick Cheney go quail
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| ice, into a 1975 Ford pick- up truck,
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| | hunting.But, given that there is a place
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| drive across the finish line to the
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| | on the podium for chiseled curling
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| cheers, flag waving,and cow bell jingling
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| | athletes, I'm sure we could find a spot
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| of his fellow countrymen.More challenges?
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| | for the skilled athleticism of the Winter
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| Perhaps a couple of fellas name Swen and
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| | Fly Tying Team !
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| Ole can sit across from the contestant
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| | This event would obviously be dominated
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| and constantly be throwing a verbal
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| | by the American squad, which has trained
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| barrage of "You Betcha's" and "Don't ya
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| | year round in a meat locker in Detroit.
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| know's" at the athlete, as he or she
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| | Size #28 midge after miserable size #28
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| agonizingly attempts to coax a fish out
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| | midge, the Americans have relentlessly
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| of the water.Talk about grit!!Of course
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| | been training, by tying these little
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| the Norwegian contingent might not have a
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| | buggers to 8x tippet--in a meat locker
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| problem with this and be at a decided
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| | kept at 14 degrees below zero.That's
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| advantage.HOW do you say "you betcha" in
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| | minus 26 celsius for our European
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| Norwegian anyway?We will all watch as the
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| | competitors.There at the Olympic Fly
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| hole starts to skim over with ice,and the
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| | Tying arena, in frigid weather, teams of
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| athlete frantically chips away at the
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| | fly tiers will take to the vice, and tie
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| hole to keep it ice free.All the while
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| | up various flys. We will watch pained
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| precious time clicks away as the fish
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| | expressions and complete intense
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| only nibbles at the bait.They can even
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| | concentration as athletes try to get
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| hold this event indoors at the Olympic
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| | their fingers to work in the icy cold. We
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| Hockey or Figure Skating venues. It might
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| | will hold our breath as they try to get
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| even make the hockey games more
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| | the hackle and dubbing just right.
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| interesting with a few holes in the ice,
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| | Precious time will tick away as they blow
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| and figure skating?PLEASE... a double
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| | on their hands, and we watch split screen
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| axle into a gaping hole in the ice will
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| | images of just where the Olympic hopefuls
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| add more excitement than Tonya Harding
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| | lost time along the way.Of course,in this
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| and Nancy Kerrigan living in the same
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| | two day event, athletes will be judged on
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| trailer park. Or they can leave a few
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| | speed, style,difficulty, and the ability
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| frozen fish on the ice to help add to the
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| | to catch and release fish.So, here's to
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| Olympic ambiance.The events could also
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| | the athletes of the XX th Olympiad, and I
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| easily be held as a "two man" competition
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| | will see you fishing rod in hand, in
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| with one athlete fishing, while the other
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| | Vancouver in 2010.A.J. Klott
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| builds an ice shack.If the extreme thrill
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| | Author, writer of fishing humor,and "fly
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| of the Downhill is your cup a tea,
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| | tack" peddler. A.J. writes about the
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| imagine if they hold the event on thin
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| | people,characters and modern day events
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| melting ice. The now famous runs of Franz
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| | that surround the fishing world. His
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| Klammer and Hermann Maier will pale in
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| | first book is due out in December of
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| comparison to the crackling of ice
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| | 2005.
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