Liam Strand
Fish Gone!
...Leaving fish juice on my camera lens.
|
|
Free Fishing Day in Wyoming
by Terry Allen
June 4, 2018
Worm dirt, Worm dirt, Worm dirt.
That's what I was repeating over and over as I finished flossing my teeth Sunday morning...so I'd remember to write it in my notebook to add to this story. I had noticed worm dirt under my nails that was still there after a Saturday night shower and a Sunday morning shower. It was there because Saturday, June 2nd was Free Fishing Day all over the State of Wyoming, sponsored by our State Game & Fish Department; and I'd been fishing nightcrawlers out of a styrofoam Ridley's cup to bait my #2 hook with.
I used the same memory process Saturday night when I found a Tick on my Belly, Tick on my Belly, Tick on my Belly...and I was googling how to get him to let go. I had a cigar handy...but it seemed like a high risk plan so I gave up the most photo-worthy idea I had. Choking him to death with sun tan lotion didn't work, flicking with my finger nail didn't work, finally just grabbing hold with steady pressure for awhile got him to let go...and I flushed him. Sorry, my trip to the Zen Buddhist Retreat was a long time ago.
At the CCC Ponds: A whole slew of Game & Fish people in red shirts were demonstrating different things. Pete was exposing the brain of a Speckled Dace and explaining how to think like a Dace in case you wanted to catch one.
Luke Shultz was teaching stream function, stream habitat, erosion and deposition; and why certain habitat didn't have a whole lot of sustainable life and conditions in it.
Liam Strand and his Dad were trying to work out a "hold and admire the fish" moment, and it was only about a half a moment before he made good his escape.
There was a burger and dog bbq going on in the parking lot, being conducted by some of our favorite archeologists. I missed my burger because I forgot to say, "My burger, my burger, my burger." Save one for me next time, guys. I'll get it in 10,000 years when it's done.
I found myself fishing off the spillway at sunset when Madeleine and Scott Murdock came by. I learned her husband Stan had been part of the group to get the spillway put in, and Madeleine had done a lot of the ordering and such.
Pretty soon it was just me, one trout, and a tick on my belly getting into my truck, with a Bluebird watching from a rock as we bumped back down the dirt road to Pinedale.
Thank you Dawn Ballou at Pinedale Online for sponsoring this story.
Terry Allen: txpartisan@gmail.com
|
