How long can I continue?

Thanks for the chuckle TheFamousGrouse !! It is too bad there is not any super clear ice that is 5″ thick and see how they would like that for an adventure.

You are the Grouse! but loved the story!

eyeguy507 wrote:

engineers are the best

usually no real world experience just CAD drawings and office work

Where would all your fishing gadgets be without enjuniers? The problem is that our public schools, along with parents, are failing. Too much screen time and not enough exposure to the real world. Imagine being a northerner spending his first time hunting in a southern swamp. You wouldn’t know a cotton mouth from a copper belly.
They need experience and mentoring. Not unfounded attacks. Just because the kid didn’t understand ice formation in Minnesota doesn’t mean he won’t be a competent engineer. You’ll note that he was asking questions in an attempt to understand things, so I guess there was more to him than a CAD screen. Your stereotyping of engineers kinda sounds like envy to me. And didn’t someone once say that jealousy is the sincerest form of flattery?

Agree! I was glad he was asking questions, good to step out of your comfort zone, kid is secure enough that he didn’t mind a couple of chuckles. Many of us live in our own little ‘echo chambers’ that we create for our own comfort.
As far as our schools, I am an art teacher, my students are working with clay, paper mache’ cardboard, rock, etc. We do not have the time for computer stuff and I feel they get enough of that everywhere else.

….and I train engineers. You wouldn’t believe the number of students we see who’ve never held a wrench, or walked in the woods. Even their math skills are lower in comparison to students 25-30 years ago. Many who took AP calc find themselves taking a semester of pre-calc. I credit that to the “whole-math” that was taught where everything was group think. …everybody in the group got the same score, regardless if they knew the content, or not. We’re not letting kids fail in the safe environment of instruction. Instead we put our stamp on them and send them out to the world, where failure has real consequences.

Good points but more importantly where did you get that FAT crappie?

Same place I get all my crappies……in the mouth. NW WI is full of lakes with fish like these. A couple of falls ago I got into a school of slabs. Boated over 30, of which 20 were longer than 13.5″ For reference, that “little” one was over 11″, several were over 15″. . . . . . .you know what they say about blind squirrels….

Ice is a LOT stronger than most people think. These numbers are pretty eye opening. A little education goes a long way.
Of course when you have years like this with the insulating snow, things can get a little dicey:

https://rivergages.mvr.usace.army.mil/WaterControl/Districts/MVP/reports/ice/ice_load.html

My boss at my last job had a coffee cup that said “Of course I am right. I am an engineer.” He was gifted that after making a $$$ mistake. Great guy. Common sense is not common, and one takes for granite the information they know. You may laugh at something someone doesn’t know or understand and I am sure there is something they could do the same with you. You are never too old to go fishing. You may just need to find another way to do it or find help. Was out Sunday and saw a guy and his son come out. The son helped his dad from his wheelchair in to the side by side. Stopped and asked me a couple of questions. Went and set up the portable and helped his dad in. Dad must have been in his 80’s+.

Wow Dee

Nice story Rod, sweet.