Forks of Duchesne with Piscary Club

You've heard the story about the guy walking on the beach with literally thousands of star fish washed on the shore and he's walking along tossing them back into the ocean. Another person comes along and says "there are too many star fish you can't toss them all back...it doesn't matter." The person tossing the star fish pauses and says, "It does to that one."

It's a cheesy story, just about as cheesy as the comment you hear from people who say, "Oh you’re a teacher, that's nice, you matter, and you effect the lifes of so many people." We'll that is true, and it is nice and warm and fuzzy. But it's just a job like any other job--you go to work and you do your job. You get so caught up in the daily grind that you forget the product you are producing, and that although it sounds corny...well every now and again you have those days when you're reminded that you get to some kids, and that you have an impact.

We have been planning on taking a bunch of kids at West fishing for months now; we were thinking of the Weber--its close and fun all the right stuff. But the truth is that it's not really all that beautiful, and most of it is right next to the freeway--a real negative for me. We'll as circumstances would arise at the last minute I had a wedding in Altamont to attend, so plans changed to the North Fork of the Duchesne. The Oracle also thought it would be a good idea to hit the West Fork as well.

The plan is to take 10 kids total, 3 teachers. One teacher had something come up, and 4 kids showed up--including X. We'll maybe the impact will be on less kids, but remember the star fish guy. Don't worry about all the fish on the beach, just concentrate on the ones you have some contact with.

For 2 of the kids this was a first time fly fishing, and it was a first time driving up Wolf Creek Pass. The leaves were maybe a week past their prime, but absolutely stunning. Both the forks looked utterly fantastic--the flows are perfect. I'm thinking the second any reasonable dry hits one of these holes--POW these boys are going to be into fish galore. That was not the case, the actual catching part of the fishing was a bit less then expected. Both The Oracle and I were hoping for more, knowing full well that it helps to hook fishermen via hooking fish.

But I have to stick to my Thoreau quote that it's not about catching fish. Maybe the hook is set when you stop in a little German bakery in Kamas, or acting like idiots, to embarrass them with your tomfoolery. Maybe the hook is set on the drive up, spinning ridiculous tales with fictional characters—putting kids on the spot with ad-libbing some wacky story about a overweight biologist named Gary. I know the hook is set deep when you cook up sizzling Brats with warm kraut, and an ice cold lemonade, chips and hot salsa. Combine all that with the autumn leaves that are on fire; how can it not take some hold? How in the world can you not want more of that? I promised then that they would enter the river boys, and exited as men. Monday morning when asked, Vineeth said, “No, I entered the river a man and I came out a man,” That was just the answer I was hoping for--hook set!