What has happened to the world?

[GoodOlBoy]

Yesterday I go in to a Wal-Mart. I ask the sporting goods guy the following question. . .

"Do you have any Cane poles?"

Response? "Yes sir they are right there on that end cap."

I go look. . . . What do I find? Collapsable Synthetic fishing poles. . . . I go back to him.

"No I mean CANE poles, made from CANE!"

"Made from cane? What's that?"

I then realized this guy is probably only about ten years younder than me. . . . . . . WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE WORLD?!?!?!?!?!

All I wanted was to get a few cane poles (Even the ones with the ferrules (sp?) would do) to give to some boys for Christmas. . . . . .

Sheesh. . . . I will be 31 next week, and I feel like I am living in ancient history. . . . .

GoodOlBoy

[Steverino]

It's a sad testament to the declining sportsman living amongst us. Because the majority of department style stores have seen declines in their fishing/hunting wares through the years, the local stores around me are about the size of a crammed broom closet. (A couple rows of Hoppes #9, a few sizes of patches, perhaps two boxes of shotgun shells-sans slugs, only birdshot or target loads, perhaps- if you're lucky, a camo seat cushion, and 3 or 4 reel selections with about a dozen rod offerings total (in baitcasting, spinning) The lure offering is limited to a small heap of terminal tackle (few size weights, bobbers, leaders, hooks) and a couple packs of plastic worms, a few different spinnerbait and crankbait offerings round out the "assortment"

Heck, the paintball section has now dwarfed the fishing/hunting section. It's been a losing proposition in the communities that I live to carry these products.

There's a variety of reasons but I personally believe that the largest reason is due to the fact that not enough young people are carrying the sporting traditions foward. Take a kid fishing, shooting, or hunting.

[GoodOlBoy]

Its mighty hard to get a kid started when you cant get the gear to start them off right anymore. . . .

Single shot rifles/shotguns.
Cane fishing poles.

Someday the lack of these items will cause the downfall of mankind.

GoodOlBoy

[Steverino]

Point taken G.O.B.

[Steverino]

Some of my fondest memories are spending a summer fishing off a pier with my older brother on a small man-made lake near my boyhood home. We used cane poles and when you felt anything that even resembled a bite, those poor hapless catfish and carp were yanked from their watery homes towards the heavens.

Who said there's no such thing as flying fish??? Go tell that to a kid with a cane pole!

[M.T. Pockets]

I caught my share of bullheads & sunfish with a canepole til I could cast. I used the canes that came tied to trees that my dad would buy at a local nursery. They seemed huge to me but they were the bamboo cane poles about 8' to 10' long with a piece of braided line tied on the end. I'd check with a nursery in your area and see if they have the kind you're looking for.

It would be a shame if kids couldn't go out and pick their own nightcrawlers and go fishing.

[DogYeller]

GOB, you ain't the only one.
http://espn.go.com/outdoors/general/...h/2030437.html

[GoodOlBoy]

Yup Dog Yeller I had figured that was the case. You know one of the big problems is that we use to cut our own poles, and now all the creek and river bottoms where they use to grow have been flattened for more and more cow pastures. All these new fangled A&M and UT grads will tell you that you don't want an inch of shade on yer pasture! That prevents the grass from growing in that half inch square and will cause a tragic loss in land utilization or some such malarky. Creeks that we use to fish on under big oak, pecan, hickernut and black walnut trees are now bare for miles, and they wonder why there are so many washouts during the rainy season? All the big pines, or at least most of them, have been cut for lumber and pulp wood. We use to raise fatter and better looking cattle on half overgrown mixed hardwood and pine bottomland than these people raise now on their "scientifically designed" ranges with special winter grasses, and optimum sunlight growing areas. . . . . stinks to high heaven. almost nothing but clean creek banks and fencerows as far as the eye can see. . . . . I ain't seen a deer more than six points since this garbage started here in the mid late 80s! Sheesh. But these overeducated ner do wells will tell you that all you need for great bucks is a 5 acre plot of genetically engineer glover, a corn feeder, salt lick, and Lord only knows what all! We use to shoot better fatter, bigger bucks, squirrel, coon, possum, rabbit, you name it BEFORE science came along to "save the wildlife!"

GRRRRR I am logging off before I set my soapbox on fire. . . . .



GoodOlBoy

[DogYeller]

Everybody planting bermuda grass where we had native pasture has just about wiped out the Quail around here.

[rubicon]

They timbered up to 100 yards from my hunting cabin. The mill got a new machine of some kind and they cut all with a 5 inch stump or bigger to send to this mill. Then to add insult to injury they sprayed to kill all the beech. Ruffled grouse and turkey were thick but not now. The local sports shop now has more crafts and souvineers than sporting supplies and the 80 year old hardware with oiled hardwood floors and a wooden ladder that slides on a track hanging from the ceiling to get to the high shelves no longer sells steel traps, guns, or ammo and has filled those areas with rubbermaid and appliances. I understand these folks are just trying to hang in there but it.s sad.