Passing on the knowledge and the ethic
Ran into Marlon Meade today at Irvine Lake during the pre-opener celebration. I don't think there are many people who can catch trout and crappie better than Marlon can -- unless it's one of the more than 50,000 children he has taught to fish.

That's right, 50,000. About six years ago the DFG actually did something right (kidding, most of those folks are on our side) and Carrie Wilson had Marlon made an ambassador of the state as part of the Passport to Fishing program. They keep track of their events and Carrie told Marlon he recently passed the 50K mark in kids taught.

I had missed seeing Marlon at the Eastern Sierra Trout Opener press reception in Bishop last spring. Berkley's Bob Hoose explained at the time that Marlon had to stay home with his sick father. Well I'm glad to be able to say that Marlon's dad Curtis was on hand at Irvine and knocking the heck out of the trout.

"I know you lost your dad, what, four or five years ago, and I remember how you wrote about fishing with him right up until the end," said Meade. "It's so important to get that time in. Dad can't go up to the high altitude lakes anymore, that's why it so great having this (gesturing at Irvine Lake).

"And I can't think of a better place to teach kids how to fish," he added. "That Kid's Lake over there is going to be packed this weekend and those children are going to have a blast.

"The fishing is so good out there right now, I can't wait to get back out after lunch."

You could call it childlike enthusiasm. It's something we learned from our dads.