Take a trip in a hot air ballon


In Search Of Fish And Heroes In Our Nation's Capitol

I just recently returned from our nation'sfisherman has earned the right to adorn our
capitol.I would love to tell you I was therenations capitol??!!Is the salmon not worthy
stumping for protection of rivers and fishof overlooking congress and proclaiming it's
habitat, but alas I was really there buildinglong and dutiful journey? Perhaps a rotting
a snowman in front of the Washingtonsalmon would be a better representative of
monument.We all have our priorities.Actually,those  who  make  decisions  for  us??
I didn't really fly across the country to
build a snowman-albeit a worthy venture-butIs it too much to ask for a single carp or
to attend a training class for my real job,catfish cast in bronze to give glory to the
which OBVIOUSLY writing is not. While there,species that swam our waters and fed our
I took a little extra time and toured the DCexplorers as we headed west? Or is the
area.Having last been there twenty-four yearspresence of "bottom feeders" in Washington
ago it was really interesting to note thehitting a little too close to
changes and general feel to the area.It washome??Hmmmm....Where are the statues
1981 and the living was easy. Well, for usdepicting our great fishing presidents--doing
anyway. I'm sure the countless homeless andwhat they enjoyed most?Where is Cleveland,
transient politicians weren't having such anArthur, Hoover, Carter or Bush? They should
easy time, but I remember the visit as abe shown smiling with a big stringer of trout
completely relaxed time.We could drive up toby their side. Heck, Sonny Bono even has a
the base of the Lincoln memorial and "zip" upplaque, the least they could do is stick a
the steps and stand beneath the impressivered herring statue out there somewhere.The
hunk of rock that pays tribute to our 16thfather of our country even made his living
president. Incidently, according to thatfor a long while off of commercial
bastian of accuracy--Wikipedia-- Abe wasfishing--but they stick a bronze of a
never into hunting and fishing- even forfreaking hippo up. How many hippos helped
food. Of course Encarta mentions he spent hisrelax our embattled leaders during times of
youth fishing and walking in the woods, sogreat crisis in this great country. Monica
I'm not sure we really know. Maybe he fishedLewinsky should have gotten a statue before
alot  but  set  'em  free?that hippo got one!Every great cause starts
somewhere, and if this has to be the time and
I guess that makes him one of the originalplace for this radical movement--so be it.It
"catch and release" advocates.Literally.Heis time we put a fish in Washington.So while
did have a guy named SALMON Chase as hisyou are out there saving the whales and doing
Secretary of the Treasury, so we can alsoyour part to control global warming, rest
safely say he was a supporter ofassured that I will be doing my part to get
SALMON!!But-once again I digress.2005 is verythe fishing world its long overdue proper
different in "the district".Barricades andrespect.So how about it Mr. Carter--make sure
security checks everywhere, there isthat if they ever choose to erect a statue to
certainly an air of tension and distrust allyou in Washington, it includes a five weight
about. Of course some will say there hasrod  and  a  Rainbow  Trout...
always been an air of tension and distrust in
DC.
_____________________________________________
Obviously, the post 9/11 safeguards are______________________"The narrow and
necessary and I for one was only slightlyill-conditioned people who snarlingly count
miffed at the extra procedures that have toall fishermen as belonging to a lazy and
take place in order to insure everyonesgood-for-nothing class, and who take
safety.Besides, I like walking around thesatisfaction in describing an angler's outfit
Smithsonian in my underwear.Seemingly, thereas a contrivance with a hook at one end and a
is a memorial or statue for everyone andfool at the other, have been so thoroughly
everything in DC.Statues of FDRs dog,discredited that no one could wish for their
Einsteins hair(with the rest of himmore irredeemable submersion." - Grover
also),buffalo, noble steads and even aClevelandA.J. KlottAuthor, writer of fishing
hippopotamus stand proudly in bronze orhumor, and "fly tack" peddler. A.J. writes
stone, but nowhere was there a tribute to ourabout the people,characters and modern day
finny friends.A national travesty.Are youevents that surround the fishing world. His
telling me that at no time in our nationsfirst book is due out in December of 2005.
history, not once, a worthy fish nor



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