Cat-like reflexes. It’s just gotta be his cat-like reflexes. He can cast a bit farther than I can, but I think I make up for it with my stealth. I’m shorter than he is, which definitely helps when you’re trying to put on the sneak. We’re both using Pink Squirrel anchor nymphs with small dark midge droppers. We’re both getting strikes, but he’s catching twice as many fish as I am. I keep missing most of mine, but he seems to connect almost every single time! It’s just gotta be his catlike reflexes.
It’s the second Sunday of the open season and I am fishing with Joseph Duncan, one of our younger members. Joseph and his siblings grew up fishing with their father, Dan Duncan, in Wyoming, where Dan grew up. Dan brought Joseph to a couple of chapter meetings a few years ago, where Joseph learned about trout camp. Joseph applied for a Kiap-TU-Wish scholarship to the camp and attended the following summer. He came back from camp, fished more and attended some chapter meetings. Then he applied to be a youth counselor at trout camp the next summer. Now, Joseph is mentoring other young trout fishers, writing articles for RipRap and politely putting some of his “elder” chapter members to shame on certain unnamed tributaries to certain unnamed rivers in Western Wisconsin. All this started with an adult—in this case Joseph’s father—sharing a love for the outdoors with a young person, and then other adults sharing their experiences at places like Trout Camp, until an interest and love for the outdoors ignited itself within the young person and it became their own.
Other Kiap-TU-Wish participants from Trout Camp, like Grady McAbee, Anna Kuehn, Eloise Olson, or Dahlia Olson, could share similar stories of learning new skills, growing in self confidence and coming back from Trout Camp with more enthusiasm for trout fishing, coldwater conservation and spending time with other young people who enjoy the outdoors. All of our campers have come back and shared about their camp experience at a chapter meeting, which is impressive in itself. Many have taken on active roles, sharing their skills and youthful energy with our chapter. All have seemed comfortable interacting with adults at our meetings. In my opinion, our campers are a pretty impressive group.
I haven’t been to Trout Camp yet, but it sounds like a pretty neat experience. If you would like to volunteer at camp this summer, or better yet, if you know of a young person who might enjoy attending Trout Camp this summer, contact me at (715) 781-6874, or jswagner@bremer.com. There are a limited number of youth we are allowed to send to camp each summer. We ask interested youth to complete a short application to apply for these spots. Normally, campers need to be 12-16 years of age and be interested in learning more about bait, spinner and fly fishing for trout. Parents or guardians are responsible for transportation to and from Trout Camp. Kiap-TU-Wish pays the $250.00 cost for the applicant(s) we send to Trout Camp each year.
Oh, and one more thing. If you happen to be out fishing with one of our younger members, and he innocently asks to take a picture of you with a puny, but colorful trout you just caught, beware! That picture could be posted all over social media before you’re even half-way home.
Happy Fishing! —Scott Wagner
