One of the most emotionally charged memories from my early childhood was centered around throwing a beautiful little trout into the bushes behind me; and the frantic search that followed in an attempt to find and rescue the little guy before he gasped for his last dry breath. This unfortunate little fish, may he rest in peace, was one of the very first fish that I somewhat successfully fooled with an artificial fly as a youngster. The excitement, pride and guilt that surrounded this debacle will rest in my memory for a long long time, as I am sure many outdoorsmen will always remember their first fish, kill, summit, run, rapid... etc.
That day on the river, in a spot I still cherish, I was so excited to hook a fish that I accidentally yanked it right out of the water and flung it into the brush behind me, where it was swallowed up by the willows, never to swim again. In some ways it was the sacrifice of that fish that led me down a passionate path of pursuing and protecting fish and their environments. Although trout make a home in some of the most inhospitable and severe regions on earth, I learned quickly and dramatically in my first encounter with one just how delicate and fragile they are.
Because these fish are so very sensitive to environmental factors, in addition to their unparalleled beauty and the equal beauty of their natural environments, I find them to be one of the best critters to study as a sort of aquatic canary to give us insight into how we are affecting changes on our natural environment. It is a goal of mine to learn more about trout, more about this planet and to protect one of my favorite pastimes so that many generations to come can marvel at these beautiful fish.
That day on the river, in a spot I still cherish, I was so excited to hook a fish that I accidentally yanked it right out of the water and flung it into the brush behind me, where it was swallowed up by the willows, never to swim again. In some ways it was the sacrifice of that fish that led me down a passionate path of pursuing and protecting fish and their environments. Although trout make a home in some of the most inhospitable and severe regions on earth, I learned quickly and dramatically in my first encounter with one just how delicate and fragile they are.
Because these fish are so very sensitive to environmental factors, in addition to their unparalleled beauty and the equal beauty of their natural environments, I find them to be one of the best critters to study as a sort of aquatic canary to give us insight into how we are affecting changes on our natural environment. It is a goal of mine to learn more about trout, more about this planet and to protect one of my favorite pastimes so that many generations to come can marvel at these beautiful fish.
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