I undertook my first fishing trip of the year today.  It wasn’t good.  It was not good.  Good it was not.  I don’t consider myself to be a radical environmentalist or a radical of any political issue or cause but what I experienced today has given me a little insight into what some of these kind of folks may be feeling.
It all started when I turned my truck onto the road that leads to my secret winter time fishing hole.  Immediately I noticed there had been some dirt work done and some spots leveled off and graveled.  No problem I think.  Such is progress.  People build things all the time especially in areas around a beautifull lake.  It’s a couple of miles down this dirt road to where we fish and about half way there we run into a couple of pretty big shiny metal pipes running parrellel down the side of the road.  I start to get a little more than curious about this point.   I keep wondering where these pipes are going and then it hits me.  Oh no, I think.  They’re following the road that leads down to the fishing hole.  The sense of dread builds in me as I, and the pipes, snake our way closer to the water.  We round the last bend and my fears are confirmed.  A big pump truck is sitting there attached to the pipes right next to the water.  The truck is pumping water out of the lake to some new gass wells they’ve drilled down the road and, I’m assuming, pumping god only knows what back into the water.  Damn.
Not one to give up easily, I went on down the bank a ways and unloaded my tackle.  I get everything set out and proceed to catch a whole lot of nothing.  This is unusual.  Our secret fishing hole almost always produces fish in good quantities.  I begged the fish.  I cursed the fish.  I even threw in some loose change out of my pocket for a bribe.  Nothing.  This could all be a coincidence.  Maybe the fish on this day weren’t going to bite no matter what.  This is certainly a possibility.  I DO NOT know if the drilling and the pumping of the water has anything to do with the lack of fish I caught today.  I have no evidence to make a case either way.  However, I feel there is an arguement to be made here.  Do we really need the gas or oil from this small area so badly that we would risk fouling up one of the truly beautiful lakes on the planet?  Is it that important?  I want to know at want point does our need for more energy trump our desire for unspoiled lakes and wilderness?  Do I have to give up my fishing for this stuff.  I don’t want to.  I want gas for my truck also.  Is it an either/or question?  I can have gas for my truck but I have to give up the lake.  Or, I can have the lake and no gas to get there.  I’ll be honest.  The question sucks.  The answer sucks.  The fishing sucks.  We cannot have our cake and eat it too.  Right now I want to throw my cake at those damn pipes.  That’s my squeal for today.  Drill baby squeal!