Making a Difference
I hope that what follows will not be viewed as self-congratulatory, for that is surely not my intent. What I hope it does demonstrate is that, at least sometimes, one person can still make a difference.
When I purchased my small parcel of land at Hughes Creek, Montana, it was not difficult to catch trout--only difficult to hook fish ten inches or more in length. It was evident that angling pressure had reduced the trout population to myriads of small fish, and few of any size. In fact, the first year I fished my stretch of the Creek I only caught two ten inch cutthroats during the entire Summer.
I immediately imposed a “no kill on cutthroat trout” policy. Now I need to be careful to note that I can not legally keep people from killing trout on my stretch of Hughes Creek. However, I can legally deny them access to the Creek through my property if they do not abide by “my rules.”
As it has turned out, everyone has been very respectful of my wishes on the matter, and the results of the “no kill on cuts” policy have been startling, indeed!
Last Summer I hooked and released more than twenty cutthroat trout ten inches or longer from the same stretch of water that yielded only two such fish in 1992.
The lesson is rather clear. Give the stream and the fish a chance, and you will be impressed with the results.
In this instance, it does appear that one concerned and dedicated conservationist can (and did) make a significant difference in the resource.
If you suspect that I am encouraging you to attempt to also make a difference in your particular locale--you have not missed the message!