I’ll never forget his breathing….labored, strained, intense. I yearn
for it. I crave it. I dream about. Chasing it down has cost me
thousands of dollars, countless “sick days” from work, and any
hope at all of being a normal, productive member of society. Let
me backtrack…Au Sable River, June 2012, at the end of a 16 mile
ten hour marathon streamer run. I’m holding a steelhead sized
landing net in one hand while attempting to steer the boat around
numerous rocks and logjams. My good friend, Jeff, is battling the
largest trout either of us has ever seen. Not a word is spoken…the only sound is the breathing of a guy trying not to lose his
lunch and me trying to stay out of his way. A few tense minutes
later, as the mammoth fish slides into the net, celebration
ensues. Photos were taken, beers were cracked, laughs were had,
and memories were made.