To catch a trout

I could be a little early on this one. But, I think the worst of summer is probably over. The "worst" of summer in Nebraska are those days when the temp in near 100 and the humidity is not far behind. You feel like you are stuck inside of a hot washcloth. Yuck.

It's during those days that my mind turns to trout fishing. No, I am not taking about trout fishing in Nebraska. I am talking about trout fishing in the distant hills...Colorado or Wyoming. It's been a while since I have been trout fishing. In fact, it has been so long I can't find my pole. That's sad and also a true sign of aging when a guy can't find his pole. And, I can't find my flies either. That's sad and a true sign of aging when a guy can't find his flies. Do you suppose I could find Colorado?

That's not all that easy, either. No, I can find the state. And I can find the mountains. And I can drive right through Denver without getting shot at or returning fire. It's finding a trout stream that is getting to be the problem. Or should I say, finding access to the stream.

Up around the Vail area, the streams and small rivers bubble along the Interstate rushing along to their meeting with the soon to be mighty Colorado river as it heads for the thirsty mouths of Californians and soon to be Californians about half dead in the desert between the river's bank and Old Mexico. Hopefully, the big trout put on their turning motors before they get swept into the muck of California living and politics. (Yes, I know the river has to do some battle with Arizona and the Grand Hole but I am not a tour guide for the great West. This is Colorado trout story.)

Where was I? Oh yes. Access. That is the problem today. Access. The once grand mountains now are covered with homes. Where the fires once raged and burned out the brush, now they burn out a California Brie and her forth husband. The own the land. They become the stewards of the land. The block access to the trout streams and somehow, they become far superior in their stewardship of the land than folks like me who have been going to Colorado since Boy Scout days.

They get it your face.."Hey, you can't park there. Hey, you guys are ruining the moutains and you make the fish suffer."

If you do find it to a nice little stream, the California backpackers come along and start giving you grief about what is the "right" way to take care of the rivers and the fish. The right way, of course, is to ban fishing so everyone can see the beauty of a big rainbow swimming along in Gore Creek. Where is a bear when you need one? Sick 'em snaggle tooth! Sick 'em.

I can only imagine what Colorado is going to be like in 10-20 years after all of the California outdoor experts move their because they are tired of climbing over mountains of illegals and want to climb mountains of mountains.

I guess iff I wanted to be remembered for my gift to conservation, I need to find a way that will make living inside of a hot damp washcloth appealing to a California no-it-all.

Here fishie fishie...