Teen Camp Essay Contest | Third Place | Sofia M!

Every summer, TU Camp and Academy graduates are invited to enter the TU Teen essay contest, in which they share their camp experiences. This year we have five winners, and we'll be sharing the winning essays and a little bit about the writers throughout the months of October and November. Our third to share is the t essay by Sofia M. You can read her essay and more about her below. 

My Camp: Michigan Youth Trout Camp 

My TU Chapter: Headwaters Chapter of Trouts Unlimited

My favorite stream: The Holy Waters of the Mason Tract on the AuSable River

What I like most about being outside: I love everything about fishing! From tying the flies to bringing in my fish. The quiet, the breeze, the smells. As soon as I have to leave the water, I am thinking about the next time I can get back in. :)

By Sofia M

While attending Trout Camp in Higgins Lake, we went to one part of the Au Sable river called the Mason Tract. There the river was very calm, and huge jack pines covered both sides of the water. Tons of trees tipped over the river, some about ready to fall into the water. Scattered on the sides of the water, were branches clumped together in big groups. It was magical.

This area is very important to me, because my family has a lot of history there. I am the fourth generation to fly fish on the Holy Waters, starting with my Great Grandfather Pete. My parents even got married at the Mason chapel! I feel that I was born with the beauty of the Mason tract in my blood.
 
I made a lot of casts in different places, seams, branches, behind rocks, everywhere! It seemed like it took forever, like I was never going to catch a fish. But all of a sudden I caught my first brown trout. I was so excited! There was no feeling quite like it! I reeled him in and the counselor I was with scooped it up with his net. With the trout in my hand on the net, my counselor took pictures with our cameras.  An hour or two later I caught two more, these ones were Brook trout. I loved the way they glistened and how the brook trout have red fins with a white line on the bottom of them. They were like little works of art. So we repeated the same routine two more times. and I got even more excited than before.

I had a great counselor at camp who made my first fly fishing experience  wonderful. After a little while my counselor said we should head back to the rest of the group. So while we made our way down the river, he allowed me to cast every few steps we took. After three hours in the river, I had caught three trout. It was now a little past dusk. What a great day it had been.

Unfortunately my Grandpa George passed away before he could teach my Mom to fly fish. But I am so thankful that I was given the opportunity to go to TU camp. Not only for the fun and experience, but so that I can teach my Mom, Dad and sister to fly fish too! I am so happy that I can keep fly fishing and the Mason Tract a tradition in my family.