There’s an old saying attributed to Teddy Roosevelt that often comes to mind when I’ve been fishing for a while with no success: “Nothing in this world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty.”
President Roosevelt actually visited Idaho a few times, making notable stops in Wallace, Boise, and Moscow. The “Rough Rider” was so inspired by the Gem State during one visit that he designated over 10,000 acres in the Treasure Valley as the Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge. A quarter of a million people now visit it — one of the oldest refuges in the country — each year.
Lake Lowell is the heart of the wildlife refuge and is one of the best warmwater fisheries in the state. The Snake River also passes through and is arguably not just one of the best fisheries in the state, but the world.
The Snake River may be best known for being the lifeblood of Idaho’s agriculture heartbeat, but for those of us who love to fish, it’s pretty amazing, too.
From border to border, the Snake River runs through Idaho for more than 1,000 miles, carving a deep smiley face across the southern half of the state — only fitting, since the river puts smiles on so many anglers’ faces all year long.
From the world-famous fly fishing waters of the Henry’s Fork and South Fork down to the carp and sunfish stretches of the Snake as it cuts through the Magic and Hagerman Valleys, up to the bass and sturgeon sweet spots in the deepest canyon in the country at Hells Canyon, there’s something for almost any angler. And the Snake is just one of many stunning places to chase after freshwater fish in the 43rd state.
One of the best things about fishing — especially for species like trout — is that fish don’t usually live in ugly places. That’s probably why those of us who love to chase after them like Idaho so much.
The background and scenery can be extremely important when you’re fishing, especially when the fish aren’t biting. The beauty of the location can help turn frustrations and failure into a forceful reminder to enjoy the moment, the company, and the views.
As I often remind my sons when we’re out chasing after fish on slower days, they call it “fishing” and not “catching” for a reason.
Sometimes fishing can seem easy, sometimes it can seem impossible. Sometimes you look like a wizard waving a magic wand, sometimes you look like a fool standing in a river waving a stick, to paraphrase the legendary author Jim Harrison.
One of the other great things about fishing is that sometimes it only takes one fish to make your whole day or your whole trip. Heck, maybe even your whole life. As Jim Harrison also once said, “In a life properly lived, you’re a river.”
Regardless of how you like to cast or which species you prefer, if catching fish was easy, it wouldn’t be worth it — although it’s pretty nice when you hook into one of those days when the fish are as aggressive as a pen full of sows at suppertime.
That’s why it’s always good to follow some other classic advice from Teddy Roosevelt whenever you’re headed to the water, “Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far.”
