A Fisherman's Advice

"I wish I had figured it out when I was your age instead of in my 60's," said Forest.  He was sitting on the tube of the 20 foot raft, pole in one hand, looking upstream to the clear running waters of the Chena River.  Rudy and I were standing on the gravel bar, while Kathy, Forest's wife, fished from the bank.  They're traveling through Alaska and today was their day to fish.  On their bucket list is a mission to catch fish in each and every state.  To succeed they each have to catch a freshwater fish.  We'd been hitting the Arctic Grayling and they each had caught upwards of 10 fish.  Nothing spectacular on the Chena but the water was a bit cloudy due to recent rains and they were happy as soon as they each had their first.  Alaska was the 36th state crossed off the list. 

Forest had already been raving about the day.  Fish, sun, and fellowship on the river.  The three things he was looking for in a day of fishing and Rudy and I had provided all three.  The water was swift, the fishing stress free, and the conversation flowed.  Early on Forest was having a difficult time bringing in the grayling due to his aggressive reeling once they were on the line.  Rudy was eventually able to instruct him to not "Bass" the grayling, referring to the speed and aggressiveness with which Bass are generally reeled in.  Grayling require a more delicate touch.  A fisherman will have best luck if one plays the Grayling in to the boat. 

There were clouds in the sky, keeping the heat of the day down to a mild 70 degrees, a slight breeze to keep the mosquitos at bay and between Rudy rigging the lines and myself handling the raft we drifted through a near perfect day on the upper Chena River. 

Stretching our legs on the bank, Forest turned the conversation to our work.  "You may not get rich but you've got it figured out.  Just keep doing what you're doing.  Wish I had figured it out when I was your age.  Just don't make the mistake I made.  Don't go corporate.  Keep doing what you're doing.  I thought I needed to work my way up, become the CEO of Sears.  What a mistake I made...."

We looked past each other, eyes wandering across gravel bar, spruce and birch forest, to settle on current, watching the slightly swollen river waters flow by searching the surface for the rise of a Grayling.  A Raven's call pierced the afternoon's stillness, the fishing had slowed in the heat of the day, and we were left with nothing but the company of each other, the Raven, and the cool, swiftness of flowing water. 

We climbed back into the raft, drifting through the remainder of a beautiful day on the river, content in having it all figured out.