You know, the more I read the post on here and the more I just hear in general I wish I could go back to being a kid. I remember when all there was to fishing was grabbing the boat, tacklebox/vest, poles, a lunch and hitting the lake/river. Just relaxing and trying to catch fish, but more then anything was spending time with my Dad. I do my best to clean up after myself. I do more cleaning for others then anything. I'm finding that fishing has turned from more of a passion to more of a fight anymore. Lounging on the river has become a "gotta get the honey hole first". I decided a couple years ago that it was time to relook at my life and decide what mattered most to me. Fishing wasn't just CATCHING fish, but also enjoying the company you're with or just the outdoors. Alot of the complaints I hear are just, but it's becoming repetitive. As of right now, the best thing to do is do your best to be the best sportsman/woman you can be and set examples to all the rest. Instead of blowing up at someone, try to talk or just smile and say "have a nice day" and grin and bear it. It just has been bothering me hearing about sleds vs drifters, drifters vs bankers, etc etc etc. Why the hell can't we ALL get along and try to cooperate. Alienation of a group or name bashing isn't going to solve anything, just flare tempers more. I think that it's time we get together as a group of sportspeople, once we do that MAYBE we can take on bigger issues such as state/tribal, etc. I'm sorry for venting, just couldn't sleep and I've read enough posts lately that it was bugging me. I had my Dad give me his old trout rod and reel. An old eagle claw glass (w/metal ferrules) and old mitchell on it. Brought back alot of old wonderful memories and kinda made me smile, but made me sad too. I remember my first Steelhead on the Puyallup, but then wondered if my kids will ever catch one there of that quality. I remember floating by guys on the Kalama, Toutle, back in the early/mid 70's and saying "Hi" with smiles. Now you barely get a grunt from a stonecold face who's worried if you saw them hook a fish or not. I remember when people had favorite rivers they fished exclusively and rarely strayed. Now it seems most people hear a report then run to the river. Most of these guys spend their time anchoring in holes and spooking fish, thus ruining fishing for us all who know and love a river (NO, I'm not saying rivers are exclusive, but shouldn't be fished by report, but by pure want). I just worry that my kids won't have a passion for fishing like I do (eventhough they both do now) due to the fact that someone they encounter on a river/water is mean or spiteful to them (like so many more people are nowadays). What's worse is I do my best to teach my kids ethical practices on a river, but hard to enforce when my kids see others do things unethically. I have a picture I love of myself with my two kids holding a 15lb chum that I was about to release (due to C & R on the Nooch that year). Then, I had to try to explain why I released mine, while a driftboat up at the head of the hole was hooking them and conking them in their boat. I know the past will never come back, but I hope maybe someone will read this, and look back at their past. Maybe it may change their minds about how they do things, maybe they'll just think I'm an asshole. If we'd all get back to basics maybe things could change for the better. My logic now is, I fish because it's something I love to do, if I catch something great, if not it's a good day on the water. I don't need first light, or first run on a slot. I can fish all day, and take my time doing it and just letting my kids enjoy their Dad as much as I enjoy them. Just food for thought, just had to get that off my chest while I couldn't sleep.

------------------