Idono -- The American River is truly remarkable. Where else can you catch 15lb steelhead in the middle of a city with almost 2 million people? I take my hat off to the folks who decided way back in the 1960's to start an organization to clean up the river and its banks (esp. Goethe Park). That steelhead swim at all in the Sacramento-American and Feather Rivers is a tribute to these folks. Congrats on the nate.

Ryan -- I should have mentioned that there were two divisions for this topic -- 'Below 21' and 'Over 21'. Your post hasn't won the 'Below 21' contest (there's bound to be plenty of competition), but it will certainly beat anything in the 'Over 21' category by a long way. I didn't laugh as much as I said 'Oh, he's done THAT, too' as I recognized myself in your stories. Everyone on the Board must have lost their Mom's car keys at LEAST twice (or locked them in the trunk), just for starters. Before we get into the 'no line/ no lures/ no license/ stepped on rod/ tore hole in waders' parts.

Reminds of some wise man's observation that "That only thing Man learns from history is that Man doesn't learn anything from history." Oh, to be eighteen again . . . .