The Ignorant Angler

A few weeks ago, while driving back from the Grande Ronde….we stopped at a roadside rest area in Kooskia, Idaho.  There was a covered kiosk that told the history of the area.  It was pretty neat…..






The fact that fish swim so far... and continue to return... and some, few, wild stragglers remain... in spite of "mitigation"... is simply amazing.

Over the years, I've spent a number of memorable fourths of July in the outdoors.  In 2006, it was the last full day of a week long float trip on Lake Creek in Alaska.  Great memories for my wife and I.
We covered quite a bit of water the first day.  After that, it was a leisurely trip as we floated and camped our way downriver. 
There were a number of notable firsts such as……..
Casting a 10 weight.  There was "chuck and duck" with line that seemed as thick and heavy as telephone cable.
Streamside dutch oven meals.
Spraying one's butt with bug dope upon entering the shelter that housed the porta potty.  A most invigorating sensation.
Seeing fish that were roughly the length of ones leg swim under the raft in the shallow water of Lake Creek.  "Wow, look at that one!" was a most common refrain.
Most memorable perhaps was my first fly rod caught king salmon.  It was morning.  I'd been ferried to a cross river gravel bar.  The fish hit and immediately star…