Well then, we can play the ultra literal game if you want to. I mentioned drivers licenses - kids without one of those and a car to go along with it will have a tough time accessing a lot of spawning creeks. And, around here a lot of them are behind locked gates and "No Trespassing" signs.

When you surveyed those creeks did you walk to all of them from your house or did you ride a bike? Bus? Train? Boat? Plane? Just how did you get there? Did you skip school to do it?

With a very little effort it's easy to extrapolate from my statement that the kids in the age group I referenced have not had the opportunity to spend a weekend fishing with their parents, uncle, older brother, etc.for wild steelhead. These are the kids that in the not too distant future will be entrusted to "manage" this resource. It will be tough recruiting from a class of youngsters with little to no life experience with fish or fishing. (Super market experience not considered in that last statement in case you want to get literal again.)

I'm not sure what got you interested in fish enough to spend a career working with them. Was it because you were NOT fishing for them when a youngster? If so, I hope you are smart enough to realize that you are the exception and not the norm.