DAVE TAYLOR SKEENA- ANGLER ROB BROWN Santa and Nick twas the second week in December and still there was no snow. The Street lights bent over pools of rain water that looked like oil slicks in the artificial light. The shops had been shut for hours. Cabs and cop cars prowled the black roads. Gangling youth with baggy pants and backward caps slipped from alley to alley like hunted game, When had this town tumed into a city, Nick wondered? It seemed as if he’d gone on a short vacation and returned to find the place full of coffee shops, designer clothes, video stores and even shops flogging erotic paraphernalia, no fess. Everywhere there were houses where there used to be trees. Every house had a lawn and a driveway with two cars, Where had al] these people come from? Where did they work? How did they afford those big trucks and smooth new cars? He’d put those questions to his cronies at the sport shops. No one had an answer. True, this was still a small town, bul there was consid- erable less elbow room now. He didn’t like it. The cat bolted knocking over some bottles when he opened the door. “It’s me,’’ he called, His wife was still up, bathing in the glow of some talk show. ‘‘You’re late,’’ she said. “Stopped and had a beer after the stores closed,’’ Nick said. ‘‘Stores are packed, Got one of those drill sets for Bert. Couldn't find anything suitable for anyone else.’? He sighed as he sank into the sofa. “Speaking of presents,’’ she said. ‘“What do you want from Santa?’’ They were long past surprises, had been since the Bert left home ten years ago, Sometimes be wondered why they exchanged gifts at all. He looked at the little plastic tree with its obnoxious symmetry and thought a moment. “More fish in the rivers. Nice big, bright fish that you can kill and take home for dinner.” At this she smiled wistfully, recalling a time when the kids were small: Christmas holidays past when there were fewer fishermen and more fish. A lime when he’d go out and come back with a handsome shining steelhead. He still went out. It was a tradition. Sometimes he'd catch one, but the regulations would force him to let it go. When he arrived at the river the next day there was a fisherman working the Avalanche Rua: a big heavy set fellow, il tured out, wearing a bright red jacket and heavy wool toque. Nick wondered where the man had parked his truck. “‘How’s fishing?’’ he asked when he was near enough. The old fellow looked up and smiled an engaging smile. His cheeks were red as apples from the wind. ‘‘Il’s just fine. Just fine,’’ said the old man punctuating the comment with a deep, resonant laugh that made his beard shake and his belly quiver. ‘Look al the beauty I caught before you came.’ The old man pointed to a clump of willow a short way up the bank. A fish, a large one, lay gicaming under the shrub. He looked at it, groped for a gentle way of saying what had to be said, but didn’t find one. ‘“You’ve broken the law,’’ he told the old guy. The old man peered over his wire rimmed glasses, smiled, then shook his head. “No [ don’t think so.’’ He put down his rod then walked to the spot were the fish lay, picked it up, and carried to where Nick could examined it more closely. There was indeed something different about this fish. Its scales were larger than a steel- head’s. Jt had black spots on its gill covers and on its back bul no spols on its tail. In the thirty years he'd fished the Skeena and its tributaries he'd never seen anything like it. The old man spoke: ‘‘These are Atlantic Salmon, They es- cape from fish farms. Folks on Vancouver Is- land have been catching them for some time, bul this is the first time I’ve seen them in the northern tivers.”’ He faughed another rotund laugh. “T’m glad to see ’em, though. Go ahead and fish. Kill a couple for the table, there’s nothing in the law that forbids it,'? he added shouldering the salmon. ‘I’ve got to go. It’s a busy time of year for me,”’ The happy old geezer disappeared around the bend. There were fish there alright, wonderful scrappy salmon. Nick killed two and made for home feeling young and fulfilled, It was if someone had reached back into a past Christmas holiday pulled out a good fishing day and wrapped it for him. As be put the fish in the trunk he noticed there were no tire tracks in the fresh snow, just tracks, lots of them. Not moose spoor, as you'd expect, but the imprints of a herd of large deer. - Strange, . Nick thought. I wonder where the old boy parked? Skeena snags Six in Smithers YOUTH WRESTLERS from Skeena Junior Secondary picked up six medals ai a wrestling tournament held in Smithers, December 14, Five teams competed at the event, and coach Joe Murphy says it was a good experience for his young team. “This tournament was a little smaller than the last so the competition wasn’t quite as intense,’” he says, ““But the experience was really valuable, especially for the novices. You just can’t get that from practices.”’ Gold medal winners in- cluded Ajit Jaswal in the 57 kg category and Brent Trombley in the 41 kilo class. Silver medals went to 45 kg rooki¢ Brad Gunnlaug- son and Tim Hargreaves in the 57 kg category. Skeena also bagged two bronze. Those were had by Jon Peltier in the 41 kg calcgory and 63 kg Chris Bettencourt, Murphy says his crew seems to be shaping-up well, The Terrace Standard, Monday, December 30, 1996 - BS but he cautions that it’s still a very young team. “They have a long way to go,”’ he says. ‘Experience means everything in this sport,”’ Unfortunately, one of Murphy's more experienced wrestlers is out for the sea- son due to an unrelated in- jury. Aaran Ferguson, who was team captain Jast season, won't be competing this year because of a concus- sion he suffered in a mountain biking accident. Ferguson will continue to practice wilh the team and help coach. However, doc- tors have advised him not to compete. “Tt’s too bad,’’ says Mur- phy. ‘But he'll still be a big help to the team.”’ All of the medal winners from Smithers will be com- peting at the Northern BC Winter Games here in Feb- ruary. “They’re all looking for- ward to that,’’ Murphy says. “Tt should be a great tourma- ment.” SNOWMOBILING is a popular winter activity. Make sure this season is a safe one. Photograph courtesy of Ron Niesner safe snowmobiling Contributed MANY THINGS make snowmobiling fun: the breathtaking beauty of a snow-filled woods, field or mountain; the precision per- formance of a well-designed machine; the satisfaction of traversing snowmobile maintenance: the owners manual and your dealer. Consult both to make sure your machine is kept in top form for dependable, enjoyable fun. Before cach the winter ride, follow the ‘‘pre-op’’ check outlined in # Air time SNOWBOARDERS are out enjoying the white stuff at the snowboard park up on Shames Mountain, But you don't have to leave town to catch some.air. Several boarders have built a jump on the hill just below the Terrace Arena. the Northwest 638-7283 Indoor soccer rep chosen TERRACE indoor soccer players were outmatched in ’ Kitwanga two weekends ago when they competed at Zone playdowns to find a zone rep for the Northern BC Winter Games. Since Terrace is the host city, we still get to have a team at the games. But men’s indoor soccer repre- sentative Lorenzo Campancili says it would have been nice to have had two rep teams. “There's a lot of players in Terrace who would have foved to be at the games,”’ he says. “But we were up against some really lough competition.” The Terrace squad made i it all the way to the finals but were outplayed by.a tough Kitwanga team with a tight defense. Kitwanga took the match by 3-0. Meanwhilc, the women’s zone rep will be from Kitimat. Campanelli says that in spite of his team’s loss, the playdowns were very excit- ing for all the teams in- volved. . ““We were all treated real- ly well,”> he — says. “Everyone there was very supportive.” untdown ( BY SANDY GLENDENNING landscape with friends and family. If snowmobiling is in your plans for this holiday season, make sure accidents don’t ruin your fun by remembering these impar- tant tips courtesy of the ‘Safe Riders”? pro- gram, ‘You Make Snowmobiling Safe” International Manufacturers Association, B.C. Snowmobile Federation and member snowmobile clubs. Akohol and snowmobiling don’t mix Forget that myth that alcohol warms up a chilled person. It opens the blood vessels and removes the feeling of chill, but it docs nothing to increase body heat. Instead, it can increase the risk of hypothermia, dangerous lowering of the body’s core temperature, Alcohol increases fatigue, fogs your ability to make good decisions and slows your reaction time. Most states and pro- vinces prohibit the operation of a snow- mobile while under the influence of al- cohol. As a safe rider, you: * Know your abilities and don’t go beyond them. * Know your machine's capabilities and don’t push beyond them. * Know your riding area. Get a map. Talk to local folks. * Learn more — read manvals and other materials from manufacturers, administra- tors and snowmobile associations, or waich videos or computer programs from these sources, Snowmobile clubs and provincial associations offer courses, information and activities. Many members are certified driv- ing instructors and/or safety instructors, Keep the machine the machine in shape You have two good guides available for your owner’s manual. Follow ihe rules Regulations on sled registration and use are different in various paris of the snow- belt. Check with natural resource and law enforcement agencies, and snowmobile dealers or clubs in the area you're Visiting. Dress appropriately Wear layers of clothing, so that you can add or remove a layer or two to match | changing conditions. A windproof outer, layer is especially important, as are warm gloves or mills, boots and a helmet. Think ahead Many problems will be avoided by using common sense. Minor problems can be avercome by carrying a uscful tout kil, spare parts, flashlight, first-aid kit, and. a few survival items such as -luigh energy food, fire starting equipment and a-com- pass. Take it easy A safe rider has to drive within the limits of the machine and its driver. Remember, speed is not the measure of snowmobiling fun. Slow down and enjoy the scencry arid the experience. Ease up on the throtlle es- peciaily when near other machines, people, trees, animals and other objects. . File a plan “Snow plans’’ describing your machine, © group and planned route can be time: and life-savers, Leave one with your family or friends. Always let your. family and friends know you’re back or arrived al- your destination. No one likes needless searches. Snowmobilers savor the winter world and that calls for extra responsibility. Training, experience and awareness are all ‘traits of the accomplished siiowmobiler. Meet the challenge Happy New Year, Terrace, Ready or not, 1997 has ar- rived in all it's glory. It’s going to be a great year, You're going to manage to keep all your resolutions and it’s gaing to be a year filled with opportunity and prosperity. I may sound like Pollyanna Sunshine but just think of the great blank slate before you just wait- ing to be filled, One of the first events to pencil in for the new year is the 1997 Northern BC Winter Games. Just think of it. All those enthusiastic athletes playing their hearts out because they love their sports. It’s an appealing picture isn’t #? Imagine those bright, eager young people on our ski slopes, in our gymnasiums, our hockey rinks and on our playing fields. It would be sad indeed if some of those youngsters who are so eagerly anticipating their visit to Terrace have to be told that their event is canceled. This is a very real possibility if enough billets are not found to house the anticipated 1,800 athletes under the age of 19. Terrace youngsters who are looking forward to tak- ing part in the Games will also lose out if their particu- lar event is called off. Terrace has a reputation for meeting any challenge and there is a challenge before you now. Waiting until the last minute won’t help in this situation, It takes time for the security check, the billet assignments to be made and the overall processing so now is the time to make the move. Call the Games office at 638-1997. The folks there will be happy to give you all the details and even arrange [or a registration form to be delivered to your home if you didn’t keep the one that arrived in your cable bill or thal you found in your grocery bag when you shopped at Overwaitea or Safeway. You'll be able to take pride in knowing thal your ef- fort was part of the reason that the 1997 Northern BC Winter Games stand out as the best ever ond that open- ing your home helped a couple of youngsters Achieve The Dream.