My good friend and fellow aquatic hauntee, George Jacox, posted earlier today about books, specifically fly-fishing books he liked.  He elaborated a bit on his main thesis.  George's post drew a rather agreeable comment from our common friend, William (Bill) Schudlich.  Bill's comments got me to thinking.  First off I just had to make this comment:

----

Shoot, y'all just named half my 'special selections' library'.

As well as the Maclean books - I re-read each of Middelton's book's mentioned by Sir Willie of Schudville .. and I do hope one day to get a copy of Rivers of Memory.  I so want to read this book! And - if I my ship stops sinking - MAYBE - a copy of, The Starlight Creek Angling Society! I would love to own this book. But I would just like to actually see, hold and read one!

I also totally agree that Traver (real name: John Voelker) books and stories are must reads; with Trout Madness and Trout Magic list high. Voelker was a personal friend of my good friend and colleague from the Traverse City , MI area, Dave Richey. When you speak with a person who actually had, on-the-water/in-the-woods, intimate knowledge of a legend like Voelker, you get a sense of just how much one can miss by not being in the same arena, venue or age. CARPE DIEM!

---

Then I got to thinking about other books - besides my shared enjoyment of those mentioned by George and Bill.  I started to go over some other books I've read - and re-read - over the past few years.  So a list began to form.  But not just a list.  What began to form was a much deeper meaning than just reading good books.  There was - and remains - an intimate relationship with the books I read, the people I know, icons I wish to meet, passions I love to pursue.

Especially any of the above fortunate enough to also coincide with just about any value on the subject of FLY FISHING.

       It's not merely about literary interest ... it's vastly more important than that!!

Here's my addition to the conversation:

1_ Anything by Thomas McGuane .. but especially The Longest Silence. This is a book title one should read, ponder and practice.

2_ Paul Quinnett's books: Pavlov's Trout (the quintessential book on Outdoor Ethics!); Darwin's Bass and Fishing Lessons (should be requisite for anyone taking to the water!  Paul is a clinical psychologist and developer of the QPR (Question, Persuade & Refer), Gatekeeper Training for Suicide Prevention program. Paul knows a thing or two about the benefits of fly-fishing!

3_ M.R. Montgomery's, Many Rivers to Cross .. wonderfully imaginative - yet at times, heart rending - a culinary delight of Western fishing for it's vanishing native lands, vistas, ecosystems and it's most desirable, cold-water citizens.

4_ Anything by David James Duncan .. most notably for it's popularity - The River Why.  But, if you've not read his book, My Story as Told By Water - you have not found the reason for WHY, Maclean could write, "I am haunted by waters." Read it and you, too, will find your explanation.

5_ Every word written by John Gierach! PERIOD.  The guy is a veritable Pied Piper of Fly Fishing Story. There are few writers - from any genre - whom I can read and re-read their work - on any page, at any time - for any length of time ... and enjoy it every time.  This magical aura surrounding Gierach's writing never ceases to amaze me.  He's constant in his ability to addict the reader.

6_ And - not because this book is a piece of literary wonder, but because it keeps me in remembrance of a fine man, whom I miss very much: Tight Lines, Bright Water Water-  by Dave Engerbretson. It's a good read about a man who loved, life and enjoyed helping others do the same: in all aspects possible in the grand outdoors: freshly mowed backyard or deep wilderness. There are still times- when I find it hard to believe I cannot just email or call this jolly fellow - my good friend - of such incredible aquatic pursuance knowledge. So, I annually re-read this book... and regularly scan it for tidbits of remembrance.  It's a good habit that I shall continue to nurture.

If there's a special outdoors/fishing/fly-fishing/hunting or whatever person, who has impacted your life; who is no longer living: if they've written a book - or if only a card, letter or left you with a recording or a simple phone message: revisit it:  often. Recall their 'voice'; that energy that made them special in your life; to your life.  Keep their flame alive for you.  Then, Pass It On, to light the way for others.  Pass On... their remembrance to others, so they too, can get to know your special people.  Everyone needs to get to know special people. This is a priceless gift to the future.

Carpe Diem ! Seize every moment, every minute of every day - do so with gusto - and renew the definition of:

WHY? ...

"...fly-fishing is such a magical place, with magical moments, made more wonderful, daily... by the magical relationships... between, man, water, fish, feather and fur."  - Sam Stovepipe, Sage of Gar Island

Keep the passion going.  Read. Remember. Restore.

My Life As Told By Water, by David James Duncan	The River Why, by David James Duncan	Trout Bum, by John Geirach
Pavolov's Trout, by Paul Quinnett	Darwin's Bass, by Paul Quinnett	Fishing Lessons, by Paul Quinnett
The Longest Silence, by Thomas McGuane	Many Rivers To Cross, by M. R. Montgomery	Tight Lines, Bright Waters, by Dave Engerbretson

How important - TO YOU - is your ability to enjoy Outdoor Activities?

A LOT you say? Then you have the opportunity to PROVE IT.

Read this report as of August 23, 2011 - Fly-fishing industry threatened by Congress .

Now... you MUST DECIDE: What are YOU going to DO about it?

No, this is not a matter of letting 'others' ... bear-the-burden, carry-the-load, fight-the-fight or launch-one-for-the-Gipper... NO, it's time YOU take a personal stand, make a personal investment .. or your TIME, ENERGY and SOUL ...and if you can, money.

That's right, money is not the first thing requested, nor is it required. It is the last thing needed.

The cry of, 'Give now, to solve the problems we face...', has been the siren call that has become the ignition-booster in the fire that is ready to burst - out of control and onto the scene. This seek-for-money, has blurred our view, clouded our judgement and influenced our motives.

Money is not poison. But power is. In our society, money is the all perceived power. Remove the money and there is no power. Thus, we do not want to loose the Power of WE, when the money is gone. WE must exist and be effective through our personal investment of TIME, ENERGY and SOUL. It can be done. But will it be done. Time will tell.

So, if you think you can only give money, and leave the other three elements out - DON'T BOTHER ! You are part of the problem. WE do not need any part of the problem contaminating our efforts. Thanks, but, No Thanks.

Let's hope enough people are willing to get involved so that YOU and I can become a WE.

But, lets not deceive ourselves into thinking this all just started with the recent inductees into the inner-circle-of-great-discombobulation. It has been building for a long time.

There are also more players in the foil than the obvious reveals. This is a clear case of, "It's not what you see that hurts you nearly as much as what you do not see." There are forces, fired by agendas unrelated to each other, willing to ally to each other to accomplish their agenda-based goals. They are quite dissimilar, but the results will be identical. Those results will culminate in the loss of our two most precious commodities: Freedom and Natural Resource.

That the current warning flag comes from the fly-fishing industry does not mean the rest of the outdoor heritage activities will go unscathed. EVERYONE who enjoys a nice walk into the woods, meadows, plains, mountains, or deserts - as a refreshing break from the daily grind - is under-the-gun.

Whether you're just a casual stroller, bird-watcher, weekend or obsessed fisherman, occassional or life-long hunter, competition junky, or a tweed-donning-purist... each and every one - regardless of purpose in the outdoors - will loose. The will be no exceptions...!

At last count, that includes roughly 90% of the entire human population. THAT! ... is a loss _TOO BIG_ to allow.

So, yeah. It's a big, scary, deal! I guess the only question left is this:  

What are YOU going to DO about it?

Again I will repeat: Let's hope enough people are willing to get involved so that YOU and I can become a WE.

U+I = WE

This formula could be translated as: Unified Individuals Working Environmentally.

That acronymous statement may seem more an oxymoron and an impossible task. It may be, but ...

Exceptional problems require exceptional thinking to produce exceptional solutions.

This would be a very good step toward an... Exceptional Outcome.

Arthur O'fieldsteam

WORDS ... it is said, have launched ships, made and brought down nations and have inspired all, from kings to the common man.  They are the currency of communication.  As the old saw says, "Clothes make the man.", similarly words make the character of any person.  For how we speak is more important that what we speak. Because what we speak is constructed of the How.

In my life words are a most important commodity. They are, after all one part of my biotope of creativity. I do enjoy creating imagery with the combination of words.  Thus, there are sources of words which are especially important ... even dear to me.

My family is a source of such words.  My wife is my dearest friend and most invested colleague in life. She and I also share in the delights of being permanent partners in - post-parenting - for a fabulously wonderful young man.  His offspring are the combination of his efforts and the woman whom he married and has become his best friend and colleague and our daughter. From their committed friendship have sprung two (thus far) children; the apples of all our eyes.  Those two darling offspring are our most treasured treasures.  They are Brooklyn and Wyatt.

BBW or, Before Brooklyn 'n Wyatt, there were many words, along with their connected moments, for which my wife and I consider as most treasured moments.  Such things as the first 'I love you'; and the "Yes!" to an engagement request; and the "I do." promissory of a life-long commitment of love and devotion.  Then as parents, the first words of our son, "Mommy", "Daddy". To a lessor extent for us - but monumental to both sets for grandparents - hearing his first terms of 'grand' applied to them and the follow-up whimsies he sent forth.  As he grew and expressed his mind; even in the times of disagreement; we saw in his words, the character of the man he would become.  The vocabulary he grew up with was not tainted in words that bring embarrassment and shame. But, rather with words that uplift, encourage and speak to a higher focus.  He has, in life thus far, mirrored the pictures painted by those words.  The pleasure we as parents derive from this, flows in an unspoken, yet not wordless, vocabulary of love and respect.  For a parent, it truly - doesn't get any better than this!

Over the past 8 1/2 years - the time since Brooklyn came on the scene - my wife and I have been adding an entire lexicon of words we use to bring smiles, tears, warm-fuzzies, and moments of pure joy to our lives. Then 2 1/2 years later, our family increased by one, when Master Wyatt came along.  He has been a remarkably wonderful addition; both to life and the now expanding B&W Lexicon.

Utterly astounding, it is, how a simple phrase such as, "That's not right!"; or a word like "Grandpa?"; can usher in both a concrete point of how to live a treasured life, or just warm the cockles of the heart. All the while bringing a smile - that heartily competes with the brightest of sunrises - on our faces.  But it happens: daily!

Our B & W Lexicon of Endearing Words and Phrases is filling up with such treasures as:

• "Oh Grandpa..."
• "One time..."
• "I do!"
• "Will it hurt you?"
• "She's over me."
• "I don't like cauliflower!"
• "Keep it in your mind."
• "Are you pulling my leg?"
• "It's just my 'magination'."

With many more to come.

To you, the reader, there is little emotion stirred from the list above - unless you have a direct connection of your own.  For me however, it's a world of metaphor. Each word and phrase telling an entire story.  One which each time I see - I am taken back-in-time to the moment the memory was made.  This is the power of words.  Ad a series of musical notes to the mix and the memory is encased in neural concrete.

The name of our granddaughter, Brooklyn, for me conjures an entire book; literally. The story came to mind the minute I heard what her name would be. It has nothing to do with an urban landscape, nor the bridge so associated.

The scenic memory takes root in the first five letters of her beautiful name: BROOK.  As an avid fly-fisher, I am also a lover of the colder water fish known to the fraternity of trout lovers as Salvelinus fontinalis. Or more commonly known as the Brook Trout. Not actually a trout, but a member of the char family, the brook trout is to the cold water fishes, what the wood duck is to waterfowl: shear unadulterated beauty.  A magnificent array of color and beauty. My granddaughter is well named.

Within a few days of Brooklyn's birth I began fantasizing non-stop about a time in the not-too-distant future, when she would begin asking me to take her fishing; to teach her to fly-fish; and the days upon days of joy and excitement the two of us would share in pursuit of the finer, more artistic part of the wonderful event called fly-fishing.

My fantasy melded into the story of a little girl's journey along a stream in which a little brook trout emerges from it's egg sack learning to fend for itself; growing into a young parr and making it's way in the watery world of the stream, regularly visited by the little girl and her family. 

The opening scene has the little girl riding in her car seat, along the winding road that parallels the mountain stream in which the little brook trout has just emerged.  As the family car passes over the bridge spanning the soon-to-be-home of the tiny trout, the little girl; unable yet to speak or know the world about her, sees the colors of the newly emerged leaves and the light as it gently filters down from the blue sky above and she smiles.  She has no idea why, but a feeling of comfort, warmth, belonging and home come over her.  She's far too young to understand any of this beyond the sense of comfort and it makes her smile.  Interestingly, this same feeling washes over her every time their family car passes over this bridge. No other. Just this bridge.

Three years later as she and her daddy walk along the stream, just down from the bridge, the fly her daddy had just dropped into a feeding lane vanishes. A few minutes later, the little girl and the now 3 year old brook trout meet.  Immediately she falls in love with the brook trout; she wants to take it home. Her daddy tells her about the value of being selective and letting the trout go back to the water and live; to make more trout and maybe she'll visit again by taking another of daddy's flies. The trout, knowing nothing of love, but a lot about fear of predators, does not - when looking at the little human - feel the fear she has of the warm thing gripping her.  The moment is brief, but forever in the minds of both entities.

The story continues to tell the interaction of the brook trout and the little girl, culminating in the day, 3 years later, when the little girl catches the little brook trout and the little girl must make her first life and death decision.  You will have to read the book (and I will have to finish writing it) to find out the answer. 

All of this washed over me -again and again - like an ocean wave.  Each time bringing in more information, idea and energy. Somehow, I just knew Brooklyn would become my fishing companion.  And now in her 8th year, she is beginning to make a move in that direction. 

I was greeted with a phone call a few weeks back with a request from Miss Brooklyn. "Grandpa?" she asked. 

"Yes, Miss Brooklyn, what can I do for my precious little lady?"

"Grandpa, would you take me fly-fishing?" 

At that moment, somewhere in the realms of my heaven, angelic choirs lit off into a mighty Reggae line and the steel drums echoed among the mountain tops!  Music to my ears!  Bingo! I'd hit the lottery!!  All of this and a thousand times more.

"Why, sure thing princess. When do we go?", I was able to gasp out.
"Oh, Grandpa, it's still too cold. But I want to go as soon as we can.", she intoned.  
"We'll do it fist time we have opportunity. Maybe when you and Wyatt come stay with us this summer. How about that?", I added.
"Oh, can't we do it sooner? I really want to go fly-fishing.", she pleaded unnecessarily; I was totally sold!
"We will go fly-fishing at the very first opportunity and we'll do it as often as we can and you want to continue. How's that?", I committed.
"OK. That sounds great. I hope it's really soon.", she said with great plans and hope.
"Me, too, sweetie. Me too!", I said concretely.

Unlike the verse that greeted me, when I would take the final drink from my favorite Donald Duck whistle cup as a kid, "All Gone".  This story, instead winds into another word phrase of memorable importance.  I hear the musical refrain, the song which ushered my wife and I from our marriage ceremony, courtesy of Karen and Richard Carpenter, and remember - "We've Only Just Begun".

Oh! Have we ever ...just begun.

I reckon, the reactions we have toward those nagging events of frustration and despair - we find in daily life - explain why we, also - those afflicted with the insect-born-disease known as fly-fishing; in spite and in direct conflagration of the logical action; remain attached to life’s gut-wrenching longings, those secret desires to make a fabled trip to: name your ‘point-of-exotica’.  OK, I’ll suggest... Patagonia.

The chance to go in search of the fabled masses of giant fish, chomping their maws, for the opportunity to mangle my flies; to render useless my leaders and tippets; to destroy my fly-line; to melt the guts of my reel. In other words, to ‘blow the doors off my outdoor fantasies’.  

Yeah.. the frustrations of daily life can tipple your top into … thinking about: THAT... place!

Yet... in that same instant, within the folds of a bit of Patagonia-fueled-piscatorial-eroticism, we sense the rumble of a grinding, fear-fed disaster. We hit replay and loop into the scene where our idyllic pleasure, comes crashing back to reality as, 40-60 feet of tippet, leader, fly and running-line is being slammed - with a #2 streamer, bearing the hard work of honing an impaler's point, leading this aerial wrecking crew - straight into our face.  

We recall the horror stories of 35-50mph, 'in-your-face', 'rod-wrenching', 'surf-whipping', 'fishing-made-impossible', ‘total-trip-wrecking’ ... WINDS!  Unwanted natural elements dropping in, as curses-in-conspire betwixt the river and mountain gods. With little-to-no-forewarning, these demonic stirrings reinforce the spawn’s desire to pummel and disparage you - the neophyte -  of ever coming to this land of piscatorial exotica.

Oh! The Agony of Indecision in the face of... imagined despair ..!

The result, now we get to toss these two dies for an outcome.

1) Are the 'horror stories' real; if so, just ‘how real’.  Or, are they just cleverly contrived myths to keep -us- the 'neophytes’, home?

2) Just how dedicated to the 'cause'; How compelled; How BAD...do we really want to make such a pilgrimage? Are we sold or are we just window shopping ?

Interesting, isn’t it?  A lot of life looks an awful lot like that siren trip to piscatorial exotica.  

It just looks so, appealing. As well it should!  Life is very appealing.  

BUT... we must realize there are a few snags along the path. Hidden costs as well as unexpected rewards.  

Life does not come equipped with:

• an easy button
• no-pain passes
• free lunches
• do-overs

Nope. Life is, the sum total of the results - of all - the decisions we make : Good, Bad and/or Ugly.  We have the option to learn-from-past-mistakes, but that’s a painful topic for another time. Obviously, humans aren’t evolving so well in that ‘learn-from-mistakes’ area, yet.

Now, Life asks you: Which path are you on?  

IF -
... the journey is worth running into Grizzlies as you struggle through the thorns of the blackberry patch, growing in the middle of the swamp .. then gimmme a - “Hell, Yes!”  

Go for the trip. Plan away.  Go for your perceived piece-of-life’s-pie.  

But do both of us a hugemongous favor.  Don’t send that, “Hell, Yes!”, until you’ve completed your journey.  That way you won’t feel like the ‘no-do blow-hard’ we all despise.

But, IF -
… you’re not up to that level of commitment, then maybe you should stick to fishing in the local bluegill pond.  Not a bad thing.  It’s just the better choice for some. Not everyone, ‘...stands in the sun at the same time during a day.’ [1].  We each have our own time.  Don’t rush it. But...  Don’t bury it, either.

Compelled by, for, due to... the RIGHT REASONS .. no amount of 'horror stories' will keep us away.  Compelled for the right reasons, we seek a purpose the ‘winds-of-life’ will not touch. At this point we are seeking to ROIL;  to Reach Out and Impact Life.  

To ROIL, is to create a level of influence, that you - as one person - can have upon the life of one other person.  The more people we influence, the larger the area our ROIL will reach..  

If this word has a familiar ring to it, good.  It should. To ‘roil’ is to ‘stir up’, to ‘make muddy’, ‘to agitate’.  These definitions show the reality of life.  

A single action has the power to deposit effect in many different ways with nearly as many varied outcomes.

We should seek to create ripples of change, but not tsunamis of destruction.

The direction our ROIL will take, is influenced - if not determined - by the intent of our focus. If we are led by negativism, then we are quite likely to muddy the waters and create a hostile environment.  On the other hand, if our motivation is positive, we are far more likely to create small ripples of change upon the waters, with just enough alteration-in-the-normal-path to encourage our focused environment to think, consider and respond positively.

The sword swings in both directions. We must commit this reality to memory. All humans have the capability to influence others in a positive or negative manner.  Our aim should be to ROIL for the positive.

Who would have thought a discussion of the ‘fear of a face-full of terminal tackle’ could lead to a discussion on one of life’s thorny problems: Our Circle of Influence and our Responsibility for Impacts: positive or negative.

Just about any attentive student of nature, young or old-timer,  who has spent time - real contact time - with the natural world, would likely provide you with the same ‘end result’ as presented here.  

These and many more important lessons, for dealing with the thorny issues of life, can be found through our interaction with the natural world. We proceed at our own peril if we ignore the lessons of our Heritage and the resources upon which we depend for life.

Reach Out and Impact Life.  This isn’t a fantasy.  We do it every day.  Take control.  Plan your ROIL. Then enjoy the ripples you spread as they return as pleasing waves, instead of fearing the potential for disastrous tsunamis.

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[1] quote from:  Sam Stovepipe, Sage of Gar Island
[2] ROIL: Reach Out Impact Life; a simple method for personal positive influence on the world around us

OK.. time for some feathers to fly.

I just saw a post by one of my Facebook Friends (FBF), pointing to the now-running, National Geographic Photo contest.

As usual the thumbnail image, in the post's LINK, was too small for me to see clearly at first. But, I read my FBF's commentary. I couldn't agree more. A National Geographic photo contest should be pretty darned good and worthy of strolling through the galleries of photos.

Then I looked closely at the image headlining the LINK in the post.

What ?? !!!!!

This is NOT a slam on my FBF here. Let's get that out of the way first. It's not his fault the image contains the content it does. Nor was he condoning the specific content shown in the image associated with the link. Besides, when you include a LINK widget this way in Facebook - and the linked-to-page has several images on it, a randomly chosen image appears. Unless you click-through the widget and choose a specific image - the first image (the fighting cock photo in this case) becomes the default. Just like what you see, when you click the link below.

The image, aside from the content, is - technically- a superb photo!

But - there's the rub: the content. I ask you.

Explain the difference

• NFL Player Michael Vick - convicted (rightfully so, in my opinion) for his illegal, immoral and ethically drought dog-fighting antics;
• A beautifully composed, in vivid color, laser-sharp, focus, wonderfully composed image of two young boys, maybe 8 or 9 years of age , in colorful, native Indonesian (Suradita Village of West Java) dress, tossing fighting cocks at each other;

Both are abuses of animals, people and sensibility.  

Both, by venue, promote such tragedy.  

One is mediated as heinous conduct, while the other a potential International photo contest winner.

Tell me I'm missing something; please! Otherwise we're sinking deeper into the quagmire of duplicity.

I'm not squeamish about blood, death or killing. I am a hunter. But neither of the two scenarios mentioned above have anything to do with the natural actions of hunting or territorial protection.

Slaughter, mayhem, murder and wanton endangerment are NOT natural.

Dogs will fight dogs - but NOT without provocation. It's a dominance thing. The same for jungle cock and every male species of animal on the planet.

The train-jumps-the-tracks when people force animals to exhibit such aggression for their (the 'supposed superior humans' in this case) own gain and/or enjoyment.

So, how can National Geographic possibly condone, support or - dare say, defend - the inclusion of this photo in their contest? It sure doesn't stand on solid ground by using the statement of the photographer. [click link below]. In which the photographer says,

"... Actually it was not a real cockfight because the rooster didn't wear blades on their feet. Children likes to play this game because they almost never have toys in their life." ... Ario Wibisono

Yeah. Maybe so. But this is as much 'fighter-in-training' for these two young boys - as it is for the young roosters. Both will end up following the imprinting they are exposed to in their environment.

So, yes... it really is cockfighting .. it may be 'mock cockfighting' .. but this is training for the 'real thing'.

Duplicity is even more effective than C4 in blowing holes in the fabric of a sane, sensible society. Selling abuse-in-training ... whether its against animals or humans ... as a substitute for the lack of toys, is about as duplicitous as one can get.

Think about it... PLEASE!

National Geographic Contest Photo ©2010 Ario Wibisono

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/photo-contest/?ref=nf