In the news: C Bay

Hopefully many will learn from this and take it to heart. I had to scrape a few off the pavement.

Your incredible story and advice should be posted permanently in a new sub-form, "Advice for the Ages", so important. THANK YOU for sharing your story Arnie!

Thanks Arnie. A good story to share!

This is my Sobriety Tattoo! I quit drinking Oct 2022.. Before then I couldn't fish without a beer between my legs and believe me I fish LOTS!! Best decision I ever made! It was just a matter of time that I was going to get pinched in my boat, SxS, Truck, Snowmobile... I spend 2-3 days/nights at a time in my sleep in hut on Nip, I specifically target Jumbo Perch, all wallys go back even if in the slot and I only bring home bout 20-30 Jumbos.. I'm a better Angler by far Sober.. No more hooks in my hands or lines in my prop lol

Great to see MNR officers out there doing some much needed enforcement.

Sucks to see the police wasting our tax dollars dedicated for policing, out there harassing families spending time outdoors with BS charges.

FYI - a portable hut is no different than any ice hut - they are ALL portable - IF - it has drinking water, a toilet - a 5 gallon bucket with garbage bag, a "sleeping bag" - a heat/cooking source.

In my Canada - the Police would be spending all of their resources right now fighting the organized crime and gangs who are "shooting up" our cities.

The outlaws are taking over the cities and the sheriffs are out harassing the ranchers, and fisherman and hunters.

Perhaps that same Police force could have been on the streets of Toronto on Family Day weekend - checking Gang members for their correct Documents, Open Liquor, Fentanyl possession, handguns .........

Time for Ontario and all provinces to dedicate Policing funds to fight crime FIRST.

The hundreds of millions of tax dollars poured into the OPP SAVE (Snowmobile, ATV, Vessel) program could be used to POLICE Organized Crime and Gangs and start to fight back against gun crime in our cities.

When there are 2 shootings a year in any given major city, then by all means spend all kinds of our tax dollars on SAVE programs, custom snowmobiles, custom trailers, custom ATV's, custom boats, SUV's , maybe some drones, and helicopters ......

Time for Police to start a SAVE program for Canadians living in cities, with the SAVE money - maybe save some Canadians from being shot on our city streets in broad daylight.

Priorities ???

Hopefully many will learn from this and take it to heart. I had to scrape a few off the pavement.

Thank you Fisherman, Huntsman, Grivertim and Jamie.

That's an amazing story Longfish!
I know I have done crazy things when I was younger. We all think we are invincible. LOL

I'm glad you included the cost of one DUI charge/conviction. I guess if you look at the big picture, that $30-40k is cheap compared to a worse case scenario if you were in an accident and injured someone (or worse). This should be an eye opener for anyone!

I know someone who went through the blowing device fiasco. It's amazingly sensitive. If he just brushed his teeth - the toothpaste fumes would sometimes set the alarm off. He also had a very challenging time finding a company who would insure him. I believe he was paying around $6-700/month for his insurance too.

I rarely drink outside of my home now days. I live in the country, so driving is a necessity.

Fisherman - I don't believe I could insert a pencil into a small hole like that sober or drunk! HAHAHA!

The alcohol rules are way too strict in Ontario.
Why cant myself being the designated driver take people out
on my boat or to my portable ice hut
and let them fish, drink and have some fun.
My car, ATV, sled or boat will be there when I get pulled
by the cops. If I am sober what is the big deal.
What ever happens after I drop them back
off is their problem if they are stupid enough
to drive while still drunk.

No different from me driving them to a bar and driving
them back from were I picked them up.

The loss of your car licence for being charged with impaired
operating a boat is crazy
Not everyone operating a boat has a car licence.
If I get caught I loose both car and boat. And
I am not even driving on the road.
But, my buddy in the cottage next to me who
does not have a car licence gets off with only
loosing his boat licence. (Very grey area on that one).

Do not get me wrong here. I am totally against
anyone who is impaired while driving.

The rules are way too strict, boy I'd say something but I would get canned from here. How many have you scrapped off the road or seen headless, how about the ones that drown because of booze.

It's simple, this is the law. We all grew up with it. We all know even small amounts of alcohol can impair your judgement. So why do we still take chances around the soft water and ice fishing with alcohol. If we don't like the law, that's just too bad. There has to be laws and rules and regulations in society. Common sense is part of the infrastructure of a human mind in a normal society. Common sense can be considered law or rules or regulations. Common sense tells us not to swim or operate anything while while consuming alcohol. Ice fishing can be dangerous. If we need to drink so bad, so be it. Just follow the regulations, or stay home, and have that drink. Or maybe spend more money to get a suitable ice bungalow and drink a little or drink a lot. After all, it is our choice on how we will live our lives. It's that simple.

It's not that simple.

The law has changed (BA limits) and doesn't always get applied fairly. Sometimes well-intentioned people get nailed due to "intangibles" or simply just because of the man with the pen.

I recall a story from IIRC, southern ON maybe 10yrs ago where a couple guys got charged with impaired. They were in a paddleboat or something similar, tied off to a dock.
Serious implications over a technicality. It made the news.

My own story; I got pulled over one night driving home after getting fitted for a buddy's wedding (I was best man). It was mid-week. We got fitted after work and both worked the next. We stopped at his place for a beer and to relax after.
Driving home there was a vehicle on the opposite side of the first intersection, but back a bit from it. The light turned green, and I hesitated.. but went through when the other vehicle didn't advance right away. It was a cruiser, and I essentially made an illegal left hand turn in front of it.
I was young, and honest. I told him I had a beer (only had one, earlier in the evening). He was a rookie cop who thought he had me for impaired. But he had to call his sargeant for a breathalizer. I blew 0.00. It p##### him off, and he charged me with "stunt driving".
Lost my license (temporarily) and the car got towed. Then the court proceedings. Don't get me started on that.

There's lots of stories like the ones above. Probably one or two amongst the charges in the "weekend blitz". Far too easy to say from the outside looking in that it's "that simple".


My $.02

X2!!! Thank you!

With respect to all reading this. Many of us have been pulled over in our lifetime. Some interactions went poorly, and some went well. I never comment on anything unless prepared to contribute to the topic in a positive manner. Don't drink and drive...don't drink and swim...don't drink and ice fish...don't drink and operate any equipment...dont drink while in the boat.. don't drink and argue with your wife or kids or family and friends. If you do any of these simple activities, don't impair your judgement. Use common sense. It's that simple. We are setting an example to the next generation of our children and future anglers. Is it wrong for us to set a good example by following the regulations? No it's not. So keep it simple and be a man of honor, that others respect. Being honest and respectful is contagious.

Well said Jamie. I also want to thank everyone for their posts. The more we openly talk about it, the more people we might reach. I shared a dark piece of my life to help people. For me if it helps one person....makes it worth the exposure. I have went through this part of my life for 2.5 years now and am looking forward to June 2025.....yes 3 months to go and I will be paying a lot less insurance, be able to drive more vehicles than just my one car, be able to afford insurance on my ATV for ice fishing, not get pulled over to get checked out because they flagged my plate.

Also I now have a criminal record as it was a criminal offence, I plan to apply for a pardon as that also affects what you can do in life. Like crossing a border, being bonded, anything that requires a police check, simple things like driving in another country and renting a car.

Thank you everyone for not being negative towards me.....I appreciate all your comments.

Ontario "Open Liquor law" is a bit much yes.

Driving anything impaired is just not common sense.

I had a client in Lake Muskoka - that received an "Open Liquor " fine while in his boat TIED TO HIS DOCK , cleaning and vacuuming his boat - with a beer in one hand on a nice hot 30 degree day.

OPP also handed out fines to 14 other people in the small bay he is in, everyone was in the water or floating around on something - boaters, canoers, some teenaged kids playing on a kayak out off the dock without any lifejackets or safety equipment - swimming and hanging off a kayak - apparently they got together when the OPP boat left and added up $1,200 in fines.

The Ontario OPP SAVE detachment is all about revenues in fines.

Time for some reallocation of Policing resources - time to move all SAVE officers into the cities and fight GUN CRIME.

When we no longer have daily shootings on our streets in Ontario , then perhaps they should do back to making fisherman, boaters, ATVrs, and hunters "safer"

City police claim they need more resources to Stop the daily gun crimes, and Ontario spend millions and millions of policing dollars on OPP boats, ATV's, Trucks, Snowmobiles, trailers and officers

Money needed to fight crime - not open liquor, and kids using a "vessel" to play and swim with, without their waterproof flashlights, and lifejackets