The Day Gink Caused A Stink

I have been closely following the widely ranging opinions of anglers about what is now becoming known as "The Dahlberg Incident." There has been a great deal of feedback on this issue, both on Internet newsgroups, message boards, and in my email. Many of you have even posted to the Flyfishing Forum, for which I am grateful. One of the good things that has come out of this whole affair is some excellent discussion on ethics, animal rights, and sportsmanship. Naturally, there have been huge variances of opinion and I have tried to be open minded about all of them, with consideration to what each writer has said.

Some folks are getting tired of reading about Dahlberg. With some threads on the rec.outdoors.fishing.fly newsgroup getting into the hundreds of posts, it is understandable.

With that in mind, I would like to tell you a story about an angler named 'You'. After reading about You, I would love to know your reactions. Did You have an experience that caused you to re-consider your definition of ethics?

You had a young son. For whatever reason, the son was given the nickname of 'Gink'. (Oddly enough, it's the same nickname I had when I was a kid. Must be Irish or something.) You loved Gink very much. The nickname was just one of those terms of endearment that You could have fun with, making up little rhymes such as "Gink! You made a stink!" or "I like to wink at Gink." Dr. Seuss was a favorite in You's house.

Ever since the son was born, You dreamed of the day he could take him fly fishing. As You's son grew, You introduced Gink to fishing. At the age of 2, You would sit with Gink on a dock as Gink held a cheap little bait casting rod with a line, bobber and hook. You showed Gink how to impale a wiggly lively worm on the hook, and because Gink could not quite cast, You would cast the line out, hand the rod to Gink and sing little songs together like "Here fishy fishy fishy!" or chant "We want fish for dinner, we want fish for dinner."

As the years went by, quite often You would leave Gink at home while You went off fishing. Gink was just not quite ready for fly fishing, having not yet even mastered casting the old bait rod without some pretty huge crowsnests resulting in the spool. As much as You wanted to take Gink along with you, there were times when You simply wanted to enjoy the atmosphere of fly fishing in solitude, casting your fly in the midst of hatching tricos, waiting for a nice brown trout to sip the surface and inhale your barbless hook.

It mattered not whether You actually caught anything - just being there, perfecting casts, learning more about the winged things that flew from the surface of the river, and feeling all in 'tune' with nature. Ah, You was truly a great sportsman, and although You did enjoy eating a meal of fish, You learned that the most sporting of sportsman always released their fish, especially if the fish was anything in the Trout or Salmon genus - the most highest and revered genus, sometimes almost even worshipped by some devoted disciples of fly fishing!

You did not bother himself much with worrying about where the frozen fish he would cook for dinner came from. He would feed it to Gink quite often, reminding Gink that even though it was not as tasty as the pickeral they had caught last year using live minnows as bait, it came from the deep depths of the ocean, and contained ingredients that would protect Gink's heart. Not only was You becoming more of a modern day sportsman, taking pride in learning the most up to date catch and release methods, he was also becoming very health concious. You took the most pride though in teaching Gink about always doing the right thing, and wasn't it so important to respect the life of a wild trout? How better could You teach Gink true values than by taking him fishing and letting him learn all about nature?

Finally the day came when You thought Gink would be able to handle a fly rod without causing You a great deal of aggravation. When he turned 16, it happened to by You's 25th wedding anniversary. What a great reason to take Gink out West! You would far rather spend time on a river with Gink than be traipsing around shopping malls with his wife. Besides, Gink deserved some real quality time alone with his Dad. The wife would understand. She probably would appreciate the break from You and Gink too!

You and Gink poured over brochures of fishing lodges that came into the mailbox daily. Gink agreed that the only place that would be chosen would be the lodge where the management supported Catch and Release. Nothing but the most ethical for You's family. You had taught Gink to disdain those awful bait throwing people who called themselves anglers! Just imagine! Fooling a fish with the real thing! Now, that is not sporting! You even commented to Gink once how much more enlightened he felt since giving up the pickeral trips several years back. Gink replied that he was looking forward to graduating to real fishing, real sporting and honorable angling! "Ah, Izaac Walton would have been proud to have Gink along," You thought as he fondly watched Gink practice his fly casting in the back yard.

Finally, the time had come. You and Gink were impressed with the hosts of the lodge they had chosen. On the first day, talk had naturally turned to the wonderful runs of Steelhead recently. Steelhead! Part of the trinity of Salmon-Trout-Char, the most highly revered of all fish! In hushed tones, the host spoke of the great Steelhead, about its glory, its power, and its beautiful shiny colors. You could hardly contain his excitement, looking so forward to introducing Gink to Steelhead...Steelhead on the Fly!

It was of course, very understandable that the lodge host had become concerned in recent years about the proliferation of a certain fish that was unwanted in the river. Chub, they were called. "Awful fish!" he had mentioned. "They are not welcome here at all! They may interfere with the food supplies of our blessed Steelhead! They used to live in this river, we thought we had rid the river of them, but now, they have returned," the host sadly mentioned. "If you happen to catch one, be sure to kill it, so it does not breed further, thereby increasing the populations of chub!"

The week at the lodge was almost finished. The fishing had not been good at all. "Must be all those chub the lodgekeeper had mentioned, huh Dad?" Gink had commmented to You. "Oh well Dad, all this time with you, learning important things has been so swell!"

It was disappointing. Just a few hits, but no Steelhead landed all week. You was impressed with Gink's attitude though. "He is becoming such a sportsman!" You had thought, as You wandered further up the river to another pool. You was very confident in Gink's ability to fly cast and wade on his own. Now if only Gink would hook and land a Steelhead!

Suddenly, You heard Gink calling! "Dad! Dad! Get here quick!" You was about 150 hundred yards up river, wading a fast flowing part of the river and at first wasn't sure if he was imagining the sound above the noise of the rapids upstream. But You heard it again, "Dad! A HUGE one!! I've got a HUGE fish! DAD!"

You gingerly maneouvered his way over the rocks, finding the shallowest and safest water to be traversed requiring wading upstream, against the current. It was rough going for You, but he was determined to watch, with pride of course, his son Gink land his first fish on the fly! Finally, he made it to the shore and quickly scrambling his gear together, made his way to where Gink was.

"Dad, bring the camera! This fish is so big!" Gink yelled. You wondered to himself if his camera was in easy reach. "Dad, I've almost brought it in!" Gink yelled. "Hurry!"

You fumbled and found the camera. "Shoot! I forgot to put the fresh film in!" You muttered to himself. "Wait son! I'll be there in a jiffy." Quickly, You loaded film into the camera, thinking about the photographs he was going to be able to show all his friends at work. "I am going to feel so proud!" You thought to himself.

"Dad! The fish is here! I can see it! Oh please Dad! Hurry up!"
"Hold on son, I'll be there as quick as I can!" replied You. "Keep the fish close to you, in the water until I get there!"
"Dad, the fish is at my feet. Oh Dad, I want a picture of this so badly. I am going to try to guide the fish out into a bit of deeper water, until you get here, ok Dad?"
"Of course son! Good idea. We will have some great photos to take home with us to show the neighbours!"

All of a sudden, You thought about some distant regulation you had heard about. "Was it honourable to hold that fish in the water, on the line, just to take a picture of it?" You thought to himself. "Of course we need to get a picture! Everyone is expecting it!" You decided. It was of course Gink's first fish on the fly!

Finally, You reached the spot where Gink was fishing. Gink had never handled such a big fish before. You tried to call out directions to Gink, wanting him to limit any harm that the Steelhead..Yes! It was a huge Steelhead, would suffer.

"Try and bring it over this way, Son."
"O.K. Dad, but the fish seems to have new life! Its going off in the other direction."
"Well, do your best. I can't take a picture of you on the other side, you are standing too close to that bush. You need to bring it in on this side."
"I'll do my best, Dad. You know that!"

Finally, Gink was able to bring the fish back to the shore. You, knowing Gink had never quite handled a fish this size before, tried to provide instructions on the proper way to handle a fish of this size so it could be released safely back into its own world. Of course, unused to 20 pound Steelhead, had a little trouble and was not quite expecting the fish to be so slippery and so heavy at the same time. After some moments, he was able to get in a good position, and You clicked the shutter, thinking about how proud he was going to be showing off Gink's first fish on the fly!

Gink placed the fish back in the water, and with one full swish of its tail, obviously none the worse for wear, the mighty Steelhead gracefully swam back towards its pool. Gink and You watched, in awe, thinking to themselves that the fish was returning to its mate, getting ready for its task of propogation so that future generations of Ginks and Yous could admire them.

All of a sudden, a man in a green uniform appeared. He approached Gink and You and advised them he had watched the proceedings through his binoculars. He identified himself as the Authority on the River who's duty it was to protect all Salmon and Steelhead. And, in that Authority, he advised You and Gink that Gink had done a terrible deed! Gink should have brought the fish in faster, and released it as soon as it had reached the river bank. This constituted a terrible crime, and most certainly, and good fly fisher worth their salt would know it was a most hidious crime that had just been committed. Gink had injured a fish, in Authority's estimation. And of course, on the river, it was Authority's estimation that counted!

You tried to explain to the Authority why he so badly needed the photograph. All their friends would be so envious, and yet so proud of Gink, catching such a wonderful, beautiful steelhead. "But of course, we needed that picture!" You exclaimed to the Authority. The Authority would have nothing of it. Gink must be charged. Not only must Gink be charged, but You had to give up his camera. The Authority seized it. "Evidence," he had piously stated.

No amount of pleading had worked. Had the trip been ruined? "We are leaving tomorrow, respected Authority," You quietly said. "We travelled many miles to this here shrine of Steelhead, and we would like to at least take our camera back with us. How may we retrieve it, with the film?"
"Well. Now we are talking! If you pay the fine, we will return the camera with its film! No problems!"
"But, is there no way I can see a Justice about this issue?"
"Well certainly, sir. You can apply for a court date, and defend the charge. Your court date will be in about 6 months."
"But, but, we live 2,000 miles away! We go home tomorrow!"
The Authority peered over his brand new Serenghetti sunglasses at You and Gink . "If you want your camera back, pay the fine. If not, we use the film for evidence if you decide to attend court. We are also not responsible for any damage that comes to the film."
"Oh No! It's Gink's first fish on the fly! The film must be protected! At all costs!"
Smirking, Authority said, "Well, in that case, here is the amount of the fine. You should understand that the fish in this river are not here for you to take pictures of. They are here only for fly anglers that have achieved the 9th degree of the Salmo Temple. You are only very fortunate I do not also sieze your rods and reels," lectured Authority. "But, pay the fine. Its only a few hundred dollars. It pays my salary. Tell you what, Buckos, you come to my office tomorrow morning at 8AM sharp, with a receipt for the paid fine. You get your camera back."

After making arrangements to pick up the camera after You and Gink had paid the fine, they left the water, dejectedly and returned to the lodge. Finding the lodge keeper, they reported all that had happened. The Lodgekeeper shook his head slowly in a sympathetic manner, then gave directions to the Court House.

You and Gink showed up at the Authority's office the next morning 15 minutes early. They waited, but Authority never showed. Instead, a subaltern came towards them. You and Gink explained that they were there to pick up their camera and produced the required receipt. The subaltern advised them that the plans had been changed! In fact, You and Gink would now have to go to another office to retrieve your camera. It mattered not to the subaltern that You's wife would be waiting at the airport back home and all heck would break loose if You and Gink weren't on the plane!

Sighing, you went to the other office, where he was met by another subaltern. Instead of simply giving back the camera, this Subaltern wanted to interrogate You! "But, look, I have payed this money to get my camera back. Please, just give it to me!"
"No Sir! Not until you answer more questions!"
You sighed. "O.K. Hurry up though. I want my camera, and I need to get out of here."
After what You felt was further badgering, he was finally given back his camera, and allowed to leave.
"Look son Gink, understand this has caused an awful stink! But of course, I still love ya anyway." You were heard to say on the way out.

Conclusion To Gink And The Stink

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