It’s no secret that the Henry’s Fork is a river of grandeur. To those that fish it, it is like a church – a sanctuary that breathes fly-fishing legend. However, the South Fork quietly rumbles in the distance, with striking beauty, and equally legendary status. The South Fork’s deep, ripping currents, and plugging canyon walls hold many anglers fish of a lifetime. However, beyond trout fishing, it is the community deeply rooted in the waters of the South Fork that help bring the river to life.
Even before my first Morning Bites, it was evident how much this river meant to so many people.Afterward, it just solidified it. Total strangers from across the country—I even met a French man who didn’t speak English—all uniting under one river. Hearing the support and feeling the love from passersby truly makes the work that SFI and HFF do worthwhile.
What really stands out to me is the talent of the Henry’s Fork Foundation and the South Fork Initiative. It was clear from the time I arrived here that these folks are ready to work. Their passion for the South Fork is second to none. It is clear how much my supervisor, Devan Ence, cares for and wants to see SFI succeed in every capacity. It makes me want to work that much harder because it is truly a special program. What has been a pleasure for me is his ability to work with people. I recently just finished the TV series, The Bear, and at one point in the show Richie learns how to manage a restaurant and care for guests. One of the biggest aspects of this was remembering how small, minute, and even perhaps unimportant details turn a customer into a friend. The people of HFF and SFI have mastered this.
As an avid-fly angler this internship has been everything I thought it would and more., so far. With a lot of summer left I can’t wait to keep hitting the water in search of the monster trout the South Fork is famous for. It has been a joy, and I am incredibly grateful to those who have gotten me out on the water learning the ropes of the South Fork. Soon I will become competent enough at rowing a drift boat to hopefully guide them to a fish as well!
I know my last blog post left you on the edge of your seat. Today I’m going to answer the question that has doubtlessly been on everyone’s minds: did I catch a fish? Let me tell you, it was getting down to the wire. I’d been out many times with the incredibly patient Claude, to no avail. Not even a bite. Claude’s patience was really commendable as I stubbornly, astoundingly refused to improve.
As my time here at the foundation wraps up, I have been doing a lot of reflection. As such, I have concluded that the amount you can learn in one summer internship is unrivaled. It can range from scientific technical skills to office interpersonal skills, and anywhere in between. Some things are self-explanatory, and some are learned through trial and error. This range is what makes internships so valuable. I’ve compiled a list of the
Putting in the hours. Credit: Estelle Edwards Fish are omnipresent. Whether Claude’s talking about his latest catch, an angler is asking me what fly to use (I don’t know), or I’m taking Utah suckers out of gillnets, I am drowning in fish… but I have never caught one. I have yet to be blessed with a bite on a Parachute Adams, Zebra Midge, or Montreal Whore, but thanks to fishing-adjacent research experiences, I’ve gotten a
I grew up fishing on the North Carolina coast. From flounder and speckled trout (not actually in the trout family) deep in the creeks to Spanish mackerel and bull redfish right off the beach, all the way out to what feels like the middle of the ocean trolling for king mackerel and cobia, I loved the wide variety of fish. One sunny July morning a few summers back, my dad and I headed offshore in
