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