We stood in a cold Appalachian stream, my daughter holding a tiny wild trout in both hands. Not for the photo. Not for the show. For the release. The moment mattered more than I expected. The fish slipped from her fingers into the current, vanishing upstream like a whisper.
That’s what started this post.
Because every kid needs a creek.
Not just to fish. To wander. To lose the phone signal. To get soaked past their socks and feel something real. We’ve given kids every screen, every toy, every distraction. But the creek? That’s still theirs—if we don’t forget it.
I wrote The Call of the Creek because I believe in this. Not as a throwback or some sentimental hobby, but as a lifeline. Fly fishing isn’t about catching. It’s about remembering. That there’s something in you that still recognizes the rush of a cold stream and the flick of a wild trout’s tail.
This book isn’t a guide to tackle or gear. It’s a walk back to the water. It’s about rediscovering the places and feelings that shaped us—quiet mornings, fast water, and the joy of doing something slowly and well.
When we filmed that short clip, it wasn’t staged. It was my daughter, holding the smallest trout we’d ever caught. She looked up and smiled—not because she’d landed it, but because she was part of something that couldn’t be bought, streamed, or replicated.
That’s why every kid needs a creek.
Not a resort. Not a screen. Not another structured activity. A patch of woods. A bend in the stream. Somewhere they can step into mystery, learn to cast, miss, try again. Somewhere to listen. To wait. To care.
We don’t protect what we don’t experience. And wild places don’t last without wild hearts. That begins with kids—kids who’ve touched the water, felt the pull, and watched a fish disappear back into the current.
Let’s give them that.
If you’ve ever felt the draw of the river or wondered what it means to pass on something true, The Call of the Creek was written for you. For your kids. For their kids.
The answers aren’t complicated. They’re just cold, clear, and waiting in the water.
Buy the Book:
The Call of the Creek: The Art & Soul of Fly Fishing for Wild Trout on Amazon →