I was a little taken aback last Sunday to hear Darryl Choronzey announce on his show Going
Fishing that he was retiring. Watching Going Fishing has been part of my Sunday morning ritual of
flavoured coffee and a cozy chair in front of the TV for years. I will miss him.

I always enjoyed the show. It might have had something to do with the idea of the local guy who
made it big but it was more to do with the kind of fishing show he created. It was just about fishing. Sure
he flaunted his fishing equipment and fishing location sponsors but it didn’t come across as a lecture on
how to fish. It was about someone enjoying fishing. It was always obvious that Darryl enjoyed catching
and eating fish.

Mostly, I enjoyed and appreciated that Darryl took time out of each show to comment on the state
of our fishery not only in Ontario but also across Canada. None of the other fishing show hosts who make
a living from the fishery in this country take any responsibility for giving something back by standing up
for the natural resources that have provided them with a good living. It can’t be easy to stand up and
criticize the MNR and the Government of Ontario for their handling of our natural resources when one of
your biggest sponsors is the Province of Ontario. But Darryl stood up for our natural resources and for
that I thank him. There are far to many anglers and hunters who are oblivious to what is happening to our
natural resources. They pay their membership in OFAH and feel they have done something. If we don’t
soon stand up and demand better for our natural resources we may be the last generation to have had the
opportunity to enjoy them.

Gaye Smith
Former Chairman Temagami Stewardship Council
519-353-7275