Ba - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, December 23, 1997 DAVE TAYLOR SKEENA- ANGLER ROB BROWN | a Sporty gift ideas very year I prowl the local stores looking for Christmas gift ideas I can stock on the shelves of this _ column. My hope is to help make this mother of all shopping seasons a little less hectic for you folks out there casting around for . & present to give the sportsperson in your life. Fortunately Terrace is blessed with three really fine tackle shops making my task, and yours a lot easier. Since this piece will appear very close to Chrisimas Day it will only be of help to last-minute shoppers, but it will appear in plenty of time for the post-Christmas rush, and you can use these suggestions for birthdays as well. My first stop this year was at Fish Tales on Highway 16 where manager Dave Elkins had a stack of Caddis Float Tubes on sale for about 130 bucks. I’ve never tried these inner tubes ‘with saddles but anglers who have say they are simply the most comfortable way to fly fish a lake or pond. Anyone who has dragged a skiff or packed a canoe into a jake that can’t be ac- cessed any other way will appreciate the fact that float tubes and the fins to propel them weigh only a few pounds. The Caddis Tube is your basic model but it is durably-made, and you won't find a better price. The great northwest is either soaking wet or drying out. Fish Tales has a line of waterproof- ing kits that will ensure your outings are a lot less moist and a lot more comfortable. Nikwax is made by same soggy bog people in England, pe and: ‘it looks like the real deal. There is Nikwax 1, wax. for laminates and microfibres, spray-on for tents, wax for cotton fabrics, polar roofing for down, down-proof for down sleeping bags and the Nikwaxians even manufacture wax for ropes and stuff to waterproof your charis and maps. Owners of Gortex have told me dirt and wash- ing will make that miraculous breathing fabric inhale like it is trying to catch its last breath. The Nikwax cleanser dedicated to polymer fab- rics may be just the thing to extead the life of a Gortex raincoat or boot. Speaking of raincoats, Dave Elkins carries Patagonia’s SST. The SST has enough pockets to hold all the gear you need and your lunch. It has special pockets to protect your hands, it’s completely waterproof, and when you fasten the sleeves, zip it up and engage the hood it feels like you’re in your own little tent —- oh yeah, it looks good too. The SST is expensive because it is the best. This can be said of all of Patagonia’s line, most of which Fish Tales carries too. If you buy a Leatherman you will wonder how in the heck you ever got through a day without it; I certainly wonder that about mine, Now I ‘see the makers of Leatherman have come up with a super-tool complete with adapter that enables the machine to mount another half dozen heads and a blade. I want one badly. Fish Tales has them for a hundred bucks after taxes. North Coast Anglers, appropriately located on the comer of the river streets Kalum and Lakelse, is another cornucopia when it comes to gear. The Lightening Bug, a swivel-headed little lamp and clamp suitable for knotting small flies to gossamer lines at dusk and illuminating the darkening trail afterwards, caught my eye; so did the pewter flasks begging to be filled with enough beverage of choice to take the edge off a fishless day. A good pair of binoculars will enhance any outing, Randy and Leona Murray, the propric- tors of Northcoast have an excellent selection of vest-sized binoculars from $90 and up. As Alan Theriault of Northcoast pointed out, waterproof is a lot different from water-resistant. The hefty models he showed me were multi-coated, heavi- ly armoured, and guaranteed against fogging up, The nice thing about our local tackle shops is the high level of expertise provided by the likes of Marshall Perrin at Fish Tales and Alan. Leona, and Randy at Northcoast The same could be said for Misty River Tackle where Brian Patrick has had the good sense to employ Troy Bangay and Peter Kryznowski, young enthusiastic and knowledgeable outdoorsmen who grew up in this country, Peter and Troy guided me through a stagger- ing assortment Spin'n’Glos and other local favourites. When it comes hardcore gear fish- ing, Misty River is really well-stocked, Elut that is not all they have, Brian bas amassed fine se- lection of Loomis Oy rods and Ross reels, all of them on sale at reduced prices. Knives are particularly useful to the out- doorsman. All of our local shops have a fine se- lection of the best brands along with the tools to keep them razor sharp. lisde guys. In service and knowledge they can’t be beat. This Christmas — aiid long afterwards — drop in and give them some business. SARS ‘protect leather .and suede; there is .wash-ia . TERRACE STANDARD Northmen take El Nino title THE TERRACE NORTHMEN won the first-ever El Nino Classic ‘two "weekends ago, beating the visiting Prince Rupert Seamen. (photo courtesy Val Belina) Players flock to warm weather tournament IT’S A tradition that dates back all the way to, well, to this very month actually. But if the warm weather manages to regain it’s grip on the northwest, the El Nino Classic could become a winter tradition — at Ieast for this year, or whenever else E] Nino comes to town. The Terrace Northmen Rugby Club put together the event and managed to entice the Prince Rupert Seamen to town two weekends ago for some off-season play. In spite of the short notice, the Seamen came with 19 players dressed and ready to rumble. The Northmen were ready for them, with an even larger contingent of swartby players. ‘Weather conditions were ideal,’ says David Hull of the Northmen. “The field was supple, but not squishy. In fact, it was probably in the best shape it has been in all year.”’ “The field was supple, but not squishy. In fact, it was probably in the best shape itt has been in all year.” —David Hull The players were also in pretty good shape, given the time of year, and the game turned out to be a very spirited affair. Rupert struck first, with a try and successful conversion. 638-7283 But Terrace came back with two unconverted tries of their . own. At half-time, the score was 10-7 for the Northmen. In the second, the Seamen scored on a penalty kick to give them 10 points, but that’s where they stayed. Terrace added two more unconverted tries to make the final 20-10. The Northmen had so much fun that they’ve tentatively — scheduled the second El Nino Classic for Jan. 4 — weather permitting. “If the weather continues, we’ll keep playing,’’ Hull says. Huil points out that the games are especially good prac- tice for the Seamen because it will help them keep in shape . for their Provincial Finals, which take place in Williams Lake the first week in May. The Northmen next play on Christmas Day, with their annual two-hand touch fun game. Super BM leads soccer league Two teams undefeated at mid-season break _THEY’RE AS good on the hardwood as they are on the grass. Super BM of Terrace Men’s Futsal is at the iop of the league standings as teams enter the Christmas break. With 15 points, the team has won all five of their games this season. They’ve also only al- lowed in five goals, highlighting a very tight defence and some excellent goal-tending. The team is largely made up of members of the summer-league’s Super BM squad, who won this year’s Men’s Championships. But while some teams have made the transi- tion from field to court easily, others have not been as successful. Forestry, who finished in second-place in the summer league, is languish- ing in ihe basement of the indoor standings, having won just one game. Junior teams have tough road ahead of them IT’S GOING to be a rebuilding season for two of Ter- race’s Junior boys basketball teams. Thomhill Jr.’s team mostly consists of young players who are new to ihe sport. And Centennial Christian’s Jun- ior team is actually made up mostly of Grade Eights. “Tt'll be a struggle,’’ says Thornhill coach Gary Turner. ‘We've got a long road ahead.”’ Thomhill didn’t have a Grade Hight boys team last year ——so Tumer says that for many of his players, this is their first year of organized basketball. Meanwhile, some studenis at Skeena Junior Sccondary have already had several years of basketball experience. That’s because many of Skeena’s players took part in the popular Mini- Basketball league sponsored by Caledonia. ‘That really helps,” Turner says, “dt gives them a big advantage in experience.” Centennial Christian may have an even tougher year. ‘Tt’s really a very different game,” says league spokesperson Jacques Corstanje. “It’s . very quick. Ball control in that small area be- comes extremely important.’ Western Pacific is also undefeated, with four wins and a tie. Park V&cM is in third place, with a record of 3-2, Indoor soccer, or futsal, has proven to be even more popular this year than the last, with eight teams in the league. There are even several players wait-listed. The Men’s Soccer Association is very well- organized these days, complete with a dis- ciplinary board and a fine system for rule- breakers. Players even have to bring league-sanctioned photo ID to every game. If a player forgets his identification, odds are he won't be allowed to play. Corstanje says the identification was neces- sary lo stop non-registered players from enter- ing games — both for insurance reasons and . fairness reasons, “Tt also allows us to control suspended players more closely,’’ Corstanje says. If a player gets a red card from the referee, it now means an automatic one-game suspension and a $25 fine, Referees hold suspended - players’ ID cards until the fine is paid and the suspension served. Corstanje says all the regulations have been initiated to keep the game fair and fun for all the players. “This is a rec league — everyone has to go back to their jobs the next day,”’ he says. ‘‘Our objective is t0 have people focus on the game and sportsmanship.” Corstanje says the measures appear to be working, since incidents of unruly behaviour have dropped dramatically since the measures have been in place. Men’s indoor soccer action starts again Janu- ary 11. Mill closures and super stores are hard on the — | won’t be esay.’” Most of the team consists of Grade Eights who moved up to play at the Junior level because there weren’t enough Grade Nines, and no Grade 10s tried out for the team. “This is going to be a very challenging year,’’ says coach Edgar Veldman, ‘We're a litte short on both size and experience.’ Veldman says he actually anticipated having a very strong Junior team this year, But two of his best Grade Nine players from last year moved away over the summer. That left just Kevin Braam as the retuming Grade 10, and he decided to play for Caledonia to get some higher- level experience. So Veldman had to allow Grade Hight players on the Junior team to fill it out. And he says it will be a tough sea- > son for them. “They have to keep a positive attitude,” he says, “The will pay off ins a couple of years, but this season li Grace on ice ._| MEMBERS OF the Terrace Skating Club had a chance to dress up and put on a great display of their talents last Friday. Their Pop Concert consisted of a skills demonstration and solo perfarmances by many young skaters, That's Sandra Whittington performing a solo skate.