Fishing for Donations

Hey Team,

I’m finally back in the real world after an amazing trip to Zion National Park. My camera was dead while I was there but as soon as I get the pics from another camera I’ll post them here with some Zion story time. But for now, there’s something even more exciting to talk about!

Guess who learned to fly-fish!

I’m going to go ahead and assume you said, “BRETT!” and I’ll say, “Good guess!”

I was in the rustic world of Mapleton, UT this week where (thanks to Jesse and Adam) I was able to learn the basics from the safety and warmth of the edge of a pond.

It may not have been “A River Runs Through It” but it was probably exactly what I needed for a first try. PLUS, I’m a broke dude and free is always better than having to buy a fishing permit.

The experience as a whole went pretty well. I DID manage to catch a tree…twice. So that was fun. It was a little bit tougher to get the hang of a cast than I thought it would be.

Eventually though, after some practice I managed to catch a GIANT Bluegill! It was HUGE. At least a quarter pound (maybe even half a pound). And that’s when I realized I hadn’t quite gotten over those feelings of being an ass when you hook a fish.

FLASHBACK

I was fishing in Avalon Harbor at Catalina Island off the coast of California once upon a time not too long ago when I managed to hook a little fishy through the gill (or in some other awkward way…that part is kind of fuzzy). I pulled him up and obviously he was too small but he was also kind of injured so I felt pretty bad when I threw him back in the water.

But not nearly as bad as I felt when I got to watch through the clear water as a swarm of other fish took advantage of his injuries and began to eat him alive. That was a few years ago and I haven’t been fishing since.

Fly-fishing did have some really cool advantages over “typical” fishing though. I really liked that you had to work a little bit harder for it and it was cool that for the most part you get to see everything that’s happening. So, suddenly it’s more about whether or not you can trick a fish into thinking you’re a fly instead of just waiting for a schmuck to grab the worm you hid your hook inside of.

At least that’s a LITTLE closer to a fair Man Vs. Beast match-up. (Sadly, the beast in question was still a half-pound fish that’s lived its entire life in a pond.)

But I was assure that Bluegill can take a hook to the lip like a champ and still come away smiling…so to speak. How my teacher for the day knew this I’m not sure, but as long as I believe it I get to feel like less of a jerk.

I’m done.

Brett.

#44…GONE! That brings me to within 20 of going home! What can you guys do to help make that happen?

Lots!