You can bemoan "what things have come to", but that hardly means things haven't, indeed, come to "this". I don't pack heat because I'm pretty confident in my abilities to avoid a situation which would call for a piece, but you never know. Like bardo, I've decided that packing isn't in my, or anyone else's best interest.

However, like Andy (Dogfish), my partner almost always packs his piece when we're fishing. Does it bother me? No, because he's well trained in it's use, and I feel that if he did pull it, I'd be glad he had it with him. I figure, until he shows some irresponsibility in it's handling, I have no reason to get wound up about him carrying.

Gee, bardo............if only ALL of us could fish where there aren't any people. We don't all have helos, you know.