There are a number of new rules and regulations that are coming in to effect, the biggest being that boaters of any age operating any kind of motorized pleasure craft will be required to hold a valid license (even a canoe with an electric motor). In order to acquire a boating license all candidates must first past a mandatory 5 chapter online course and receive a minimum grade of 80% on each quiz at the end of each chapter. Once completed, they must also pass the open book online test comprised of 50 questions and receive a minimum grade of 75%.

See the official post from BoaterExam.com for the full details.

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Campion Marine has been building high-performance sport boats and cruisers for 36 years. The company, at its facility in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, builds the Allante line of sport boats and cruisers, the Explorer sport utility water craft, Chase high-performance boats and the Svfara wake/surf towboats. They manufacture more than 37 models and 48 variations of boats ranging from 16 to 30 feet in length and market and sell their boats in more than 30 countries.

“I have wanted an ecologically friendly boat for some time, but the right combination has not been available until now.” says Hayhoe. “I have spent a lot of summers on the Muskoka lakes and I am impressed with Campion’s vision towards a more ecologically responsible boating experience. This will be an exciting project and I look forward to picking up my Campion bio boat from Campbell’s Landing and getting out on Lake Muskoka.” Gary Campbell of Campbell’s Landing Marina states, “We are extremely excited about this project.” Campbell’s Landing is located in Gravenhurst, Ontario on Lake Muskoka.

“In Summer 2009, David de Rothschild and a crew of experts, scientists and creatives will sail 12,000 nautical miles across the Pacific Ocean from San Francisco to Sydney in a boat made out of plastic bottles and recycled waste products. This epic voyage is named The Plastiki taking inspiration from Thor Heyerdal’s 1947 expedition The Kontiki.”

I cant wait to see how it goes!

via The New Yorker

via Zentastic

It wasn’t long until we starting hooking into them, first I hooked into a small pike that completely missed my lure and ended up getting his mouth wrapped up in a fluorocarbon leader and just refused to let go. Once I got him close enough to the boat and notice my xrap was swimming care free about an inch away from the fish I quickly grabbed him behind the head and pulled him out of the water.

Unfortunately that would be the first and last fish I boated for the evening, though the follows continued all day long frustrating Martin until he finally landed his first Toronto Islands Pike, and then his second, and finally the largest one caught the trip!

It was a pretty awesome opener, and the fishing is only going to get better as the season progresses! To see all the photos from this trip please visit our gallery for the Toronto Islands 2009 Fishing Fury photo album.

If you plan to fish Toronto Harbour by boat, be sure to get a Harbour Permit first or you may find yourself paying some serious fines! Find out more at www.torontoport.com

What about you? How was your pike opener? Send us your photos and stories or comment below, we’d love to hear them!

6. When packing food and drink for a fishing trip, skip the bottled water. Stick with cans or glass bottles if you can, better yet, take your own flask filled with desirable liquids. Glass and aluminum and be easily recycled over and over, where as plastic eventually breaks down during the recycling process. You can even buy bottled water in a can now! If helping the environment isn’t reason enough, think about how much money you’ll save by using tap-water.

5. Pick up used fishing line. I filled a grocery bag full of discarded fishing line (and coffee cups) last week. Most people don’t realize that the line will still be sitting there well after our grand children have passed away. Its an easy thing to do, and many fishing stores offer a recycling program for old line, so check with your local bait shop!

4. Make your own lures and tie your own flies. One of my big complaints with fishing tackle is the amount of plastic used in packaging. I’ve been making lures for a few years now, and have not only saved money, but created less waste as a result. There are dozens of great sites to buy lure parts for everything from crank baits to spinner baits.

3. Use a canoe, or downsize you boat motor. If you are a big bass fisherman, not doubt you know all about the latest high power, gas guzzling bass boats. Downsize your motor, or go with a four-stroke and you’ll be saving gas money and the environment in the long run. Even some major fishing tournaments are starting to go green, just check out the worlds first carbon neutral sailfish tourney.

2. Fish with friends! If you are going out in the boat, invite some fiends along. Call it boat-pooling – theres no need for you and your buddies to be out on the water in multiple boats, meet at the launch and fish in the same boat.

1. Try biodegradable fishing tackle. Berkley has had a line of lures called GULP! that are completely biodegradable and many other companies, such as Trigger X, are following suit. You can even switch to biodegradable fishing line!

If you have any tips for greener fishing, feel free to share them with us!

Beautiful Jump from Boat – The most amazing bloopers are here