I met John Voelker, AKA Robert Traver, in the mid 1970’s. At that time he was a retired State of Michigan Supreme Court Justice, distinguished attorney and fly-fishing author. I was a Michigan policeman, soon to become the new Police Chief of West Yellowstone, Montana.
John’s books hold a place of honor in my library. Books like; “Trout Madness” and “Trout Magic”. So does his “Testament of a Fisherman”. In these crazy times it seems everything runs faster: grow your business, consume more, buy more, get the biggest-fastest computers-UTVs and ATVs so you can ride to the tops of the wildest-steepest mountains. We’re buried in information and misinformation that we devour from our cell phones and devices. I admit, I fish to get most of the taste of it out of my mouth.
John and I communicated back then thru the US Mail trading weekly fishing reports, fly patterns and criminal court news from Yellowstone. I was excited to find a couple beaver ponds in Yellowstone Park that held Labrador size brook trout, and since John always told me he wanted to catch a 4 pound brookie on a fly I invited him to come to Yellowstone for a week of fishing. I’ll never forget his letter in response, “With gasoline approaching the price of good bourbon, and because I’m afraid of flying, please send photos”. I sent John several big brook trout pictures that year. Sadly a few years later John passed away. I had many of his letters and Christmas Cards in my collection and the best place for them, I figured, was to donate them to Montana State University Library’s Angling Collection where they are to this day.
Do me, your kids and grandkids a huge favor. If you love Yellowstone. If you enjoy the wildlife-wild places-wild and native trout PLEASE read the attached then donate whatever you can to the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. The Park and surrounding ecosystem and its wild inhabitants need our help NOW more than ever before. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Your kids and grandkids will thank you too.
