Huffman Catches and Releases a Steelhead

Jared Huffman my esteemed US Congressman is vacationing in the far northern reaches of our state.  He went fishing for Steelhead on the Smith River and caught a beauty.   Check out his picture that he posted on his Facebook fan-club page shown above.

I am happy the hard working and green congressman is taking a break and very happy that he returned the Steelhead he caught by releasing it back to the Smith River.  Mr. Huffman caption his FB photo with the following comment: “Wonderful 3 days in Del Norte County, including a visit to the Smith River and a chance to catch and release this gorgeous wild steelhead!”

John Rapf one of Mr. Huffman’s fans who is allowed to comment on the FB page (I am not) commented: “Unfortunately, the odds are that fish died from being held and out of the water for the time it took to take the picture. You can look it up. We should either close rivers to fishing or allow to keep what is caught. I'm for closing until the runs recover.”

Mr. Huffman replied: “John, I can assure you this fish was handled very carefully (including no net), revived properly, swam away with vigor and is just fine.”

John Rapf then said “Here's a link to an article that touches the surface of the issue:http://troutunlimitedblog.com/debate-is-catch-and.../ if you use google you can find some interesting research. Living on the SFK of the Trinity, I see folks hitting the same holes and stretches of river time after time. I think that the mortality rates are much higher then good people realize. I also don't think that just because the fish swims away it is fine. To steal a phrase from Jared, "it just means it swam away." My opinion only. I am so proud of the work Jared does. I talk him up a lot. Keep up the good work.”

Mr. Huffman then replied to his fan John “Thanks John. Please note that the article doesn't cite any data or studies - it just raises questions, and in the end seems to endorse catch and release. Please also note that if I catch a hatchery steelhead, I have no problem keeping it -- as the author seems to endorse as well. Onward.”

OK Mr. Huffman certainly has time to fish and time to communicate with John who is “so proud of the work Jared does.  John also commented that "I talk to him a lot.”

Well the Green Machine has tried in vain for over a year to have 15 minutes of chat time with Mr. Huffman on the subject of the SGIP funds that were given or will be given to Bloom Energy and or its customers like AT&T.  I do not need to talk to Mr. Huffman a lot.  I do not need to have him spend his time reading Trout Unlimited Blog.  I do not need to question whether the fish he caught and released is doing fine or became food for another sea creature.  I just need to ask him about the quarter billion dollars of SGIP money and the emissions of CO2 and VOCs as well a a quick question on solid toxic waste that contains sulfur in these Bloom Coffins.

Frankly Jared I don’t give a damm about one fish you caught.  I want to catch the “big fish” that own, direct, manage, and operate Bloom Energy.  I want to catch the big fish of AT&T that lied about lowering carbon emissions here in Northern California when they more than doubled them.   If I catch these big fish that include steal (note the pun) heads like Al Gore, Colin Powell, and John Doerr.   I certainly won’t release them after catching them.  I would make them live in that sulfur pit they created but only after they release back the quarter billion dollars they greenwashed their way to get from we the people through legislators like you.  These steal heads will be forced to wear cone heads.  Bloom may be reliable, green, and efficient in Remelak but it is a dirty, inefficient, and unreliable pine cone on planet earth. 

Gore, Doerr, and Powell can pretend they are from France and are green but each of them is dressed as Father Beldar not Father Christmas and they bear us no gifts.  As for Mr. Huffman I need to tell him that Steelhead is a consumable.  He is welcome to spend any time, after he meets face to face with me, wading in cold rivers catching and releasing fish and pretending to be a wild and crazy guy.    As for me after my meeting with Mr. Huffman, should it ever take place, I will sing the last verse of Bob Dylan’s song I shall Be Released. 

Here is that verse:

“Standing next to me in this lonely crowd,
Is a man who swears he's not to blame.
All day long I hear him shout so loud,
Crying out that he was framed.
I see my light come shining
From the west unto the east.
Any day now, any day now,
I shall be released.”