On the 12th day of Fishmas, a rainbow said to me: “I am an Alaska rainbow trout. Do not offer words of praise for what I do, but rather, what I am as a fish. You don’t favor one race of humans over another, so why do so with fish? I deserve no more consideration than a rockfish when it comes to sportfishing potential. I may jump better than a rockfish, but most would argue he is tastier than I am. But this culinary difference is not what makes us special. Life is what makes all fish equal and precious. The pigments in my skin were once the elements of supernovas exploding in brilliant galaxies. All anglers can hold these same elements in the palms of their hands. This is my gift to you, but only if you remember that like humans, all fish are created equal.”
On the 11th day of Fishmas, a grayling said to me: “I am the result of countless years of evolution in clear, clean water, and yet my range is limited because I cannot survive in pollution. I am at the mercy of mining runoff, development, and clear-cutting
that would remove the natural barrier of vegetation that provides shade and cover along the rivers and streams in which I live. The iridescent blues, yellows, and purplish hues of my scales that make me the ‘Prince of Sportfish’ exist by virtue of pure wilderness water. To sustain the gifts I offer, be a steward of pure waters. For in my prospering is humanity’s salvation, and in my disappearance is humanity’s demise.”
On the 10th day of Fishmas, a coho said to me: “My aggressive nature in striking lures serves to not only fulfill my destiny, but also to be a test of your restraint. Anglers pursue me because I am easy to catch, but as a result, I am easy to overharvest and incur abuse from anglers who kick me back into the water, or injure and maim as they unhook me and throw me back for a larger fish. I provide food and sportfishing opportunity more than any other salmon, but my greater purpose is to help instill self-control in anglers. Anglers can transcend their primal urge to possess and kill all the fish they catch by learning to take
only what is necessary, show respect for the fish they catch, and possess those fish in memory through catch and release.”
On the 9th day of Fishmas, a cutthroat said to me: “Why do anglers give Christmas presents each year, but do nothing for the fish they claim to cherish? They take fish year after year, and most give nothing in return. I see only limited streamside conservation, such as habitat creation – which I crave – and little government interaction to enhance cutthroat runs, with all the attention going to the yo-ho-ho coho salmon and rainbow trout. These practices seem a tad cutthroat to me.”
On the 8th day of Fishmas, a pink salmon said to me: “Why do anglers stereotype me as a species with no big-name sportfish qualities? They think I am inferior to other salmon and unworthy to be a maincourse meal. Do humans disregard a mild-mannered person as inferior? My milder flavor is often more agreeable than the stronger king or sockeye salm-
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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
DECEMBER 2017 | aksportingjournal.com