by Theo Anest
I once wrote a paper for a writing contest my senior year in high school with the topic being "I'm happy when..." I knew the way my experiences for the topic came together and my heart knew what I felt in those happy times, and as a result it was reflected through my writing. I originally decided to enter this contest for extra credit in my high school English class. I was to receive points for completing an entry, and as I really did not put any excruciating amount of thought into it...that was why it was so perfect. I didn't put any THOUGHT into it because thought is what comes from the head.
As part of the topic "I'm happy when," I could think of nothing better than to write about my safe little haven in Steamboat, Colorado where I have spent so much time fishing for Northern Pike. My mind was instantly in my favorite place in the whole world. Thus, it was not difficult for me to imagine what I would be seeing, if I was actually there. I wrote of wild turkey gobbling in the distance, and massive elk coming to the riverbank for water on a cool crisp morning, as I looked up at the still snow capped and ever so majestic Rocky Mountains of Colorado standing right before me. Such scenery will be vivid in my mind for as long as I may live. Now that I look back on that particular night in which I wrote this paper, I realize how tuned into the paper I was.
What started out as one half page turned into five. I just kept writing and putting my one personal insight of the things I had witnessed on the water into my paper. As much as I love the scenery, I still had to write something about the reason I was there and that was fishing. One particular story I mention involves a section of the river where old rusty cars bank the side of the river to prevent erosion. As I made a cast into the trunk of a '57 Chevy, a 38-inch pike came out of the trunk and slammed my fly! Such amazing predators they are. Pike are truly the toughest kids on the block. I went into great detail to describe the species and why I love fly fishing for them so much. As I recall, I wrote something of the nature, "Their sides lack the colorful jewell box flash of the rainbow trout. Instead they are camouflaged to their surroundings and have hooded eyes that seem to glare with evil intent just above their snout, which is lined with razor sharp teeth. They are atop their food chain, which is why fishing for them is such a battle between equals."
Through this paper, my passion for fly fishing was involuntarily revealed. How often can a person do their favorite thing in the world while surrounded by a place that God surely must have spent a little extra time on? I could have written 30 pages, but for purposes of the contest I had to keep the paper at a reasonable length.
As it turned out, the paper I had written for a measly 15 extra credit points had no impact on my grade in the class. What did happen was I won the writing competition of some 300 applicants. Through my own writing process and a passionate subject, I won one hundred dollars. The money is not all I received from the experience, however. It made me take a deeper look at myself as a writer and an avid angler. I have put so much time into both writing and fly fishing, it truly is special when the two can come together and create something as beautiful as both can be.
Theo is a pike fanatic, who fishes exclusively with flies. He resides in the Yampa valley Colorado
Tags:
enterteinment, fishing, hobby, passion
Posted at: 10:56 AM | Add Comment
