INTRODUCTION

"They fasten red wool around a hook and fix to the wool two feathers that grow under a cock's wattles, and which in color are like wax. The rod they use is six feet long and the line of the same length. Then the angler lets fall his lure. The fish, attracted by its color and excited, draws close and... forthwith opens its mouth, but is caught by the hook, and bitter indeed is the feast it enjoys, inasmuch as it is captured."

DEANIMALIUM NATURA
(The Treasury of Angling)
by Larry Koller)

For all I know, everyone in this class could be classified as an expert fisherman. We are all striving to become better fishermen, and we love this sport which gives us a better outlook on life. It provides us with a way of forgetting the troubles and worries we encounter in this world of ours. Becoming an expert is a very desirable goal, but it is worthless if we lose our honor or our good manners in the process.

I have the good fortune of knowing some of the finest fly fishermen in the west. One of these men always releases every fish he catches so that it may live to fight again someday. I personally enjoy eating a few fish that I catch, except in places like Yellowstone, where I release all the fish I catch.

Being an expert is not so much the fact that we catch fish, but that we permit others to enjoy the sport. Having good stream-side manners is as much a part of good fishing as any other part. A few things we might do would be to never race to be the first one on the water; to respect others who may be fishing, so that we do not scare the fish or interfere with their casting; to help other anglers who may be less skilled with encouragement or a few flies, but never criticize another fisherman, for we all make mistakes; to leave the greater part of the fish we catch in the stream so that we can maintain quality fishing; and lastly to obey all the rules that have been established by the Fish and Game Department.

I hope that this booklet may help you in some way to appreciate nature, and the delicate balance of life that takes place in our rivers and streams. We all can learn and benefit from the experiences we have, but the funny thing that happens in fishing is that the more we learn about fishing the smarter the fish become until they are too smart to catch. This is when we take up fly fishing for it offers limitless other possibilities outside of just catching fish.

Good luck, and I'll see you on the Provo.

Notes:

Remember:
Henry's Fork and the Madison in the spring.
The Provo River in the early summer.
The Green in middle summer, the Firehole after that.
The Yellowstone in the fall and steelheading in Washington in the winter.

Come to think of it, I don't have time to work for the good of fishing—Oh, I just remembered Silver Creek—I've got to get up there! I lost a big one there last year. Maybe I'll see you there.