In The Outdoors

In the fishing tackle industry, Las Vegas resident Ken Whiting is known as the “Wizard of Rods.” His rod designs have dominated the competition in recent years, and during the 2007 International Convention of Allied Sportsfishing Trades (ICAST), Whiting won top honors in both the freshwater and saltwater categories, as well as the overall “Best of Show” award with fishing rods made from carrot fibers that were produced by e21 Fishing.

Preliminary results of the 2008 Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey were just released by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and waterfowl hunters can expect to see fewer ducks when they go afield this fall. Preliminary estimates place the overall duck population at just more than 37 million birds, a 9 percent decline from the 2007 estimate of 41.2 million birds.

I have decided that fish are much smarter than we give them credit for. I also think they are mean, vindictive little creatures capable of orchestrating intricate plots designed to humiliate unwary anglers. My guess is that fish study the fine art of angler humiliation while completing the curriculum offered in their schools.

Friday is Independence Day, a day to celebrate the establishment of a broad spectrum of personal freedoms found in these United States and nowhere else. It’s a day to celebrate the inspiration, the intellect and enlightened vision of our nation’s founding fathers — a day to recognize and give thanks to those who spilled their blood and gave their all to see those freedoms established.