Entry by flight "Angler of Failure No More" by Russ Dale I caught countless fish as a child. Then a period of 20-plus years elapsed until I picked up a fishing pole again. I was excited to buy a fishing license. I had all the gear: a comfortable chair, fishing hat, nice pole, bait, tackle and more. I was ready! I was keyed up for the fight. So what if I hadn’t caught a fish in my adult life? Everyone around me would catch fish. Friends to my left and right caught fish after fish after fish. Children and babies in strollers caught fish down the way. The most decrepit of the elderly, on oxygen, were reeling in monsters within my sight. Even fishing “The Dream Stream” I was unable to lure a fish to my tainted hail. Cries of jubilee echoed around me each and every time I went fishing. The shouts of fish-catching pleasure that echoed across the lakes made me fish-on with more fervor and determination. And I was skunked for 3 years. I did not catch a thing for three seasons! Never once saddened, I watched, time after time, year after year, the mob-others snare the elusive fish. I was an “angler of failure” but it did not bother me. The vast expanse of the wild made me happy. I did not let this “angler of failure” burden deter me. I knew that when I eventually did catch a fish, it would be a glorious moment worthy of epic poetry and song. I eventually hit the trout jackpot. On a Saturday in May 2009 I went to Turquoise Lake, a 1,800-acre reservoir west of Leadville, Colorado at approximately 10,000 feet in altitude. It was named for the semiprecious stone that was once mined in the surrounding area. It is beautiful wilderness formed by a glacier with fresh pine scent in the clean air, cool breezes and nature galore. The day I hit the trout jackpot is a day I will never forget. I caught all sorts of trout: Mackinaw trout, rainbow trout and brook trout. It was a gaggle of trout. I caught 12 trout all total but kept only my limit. How sweet it was. I cooked those trout on the grill on Memorial Day 2009 with butter, dill, garlic, spices and tender, loving care. It may not have been the biggest of fish in history, or the prettiest of fish, but to me it was the most magnificent fish I had ever seen. It was one of the most delightful, surreal moments in my life, as evident by the happy paralyzed and startled look on my face.

© 2009 Fish Explorer

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