Tamango

By Caroline Loescher from Carleton College

One afternoon, a few of us went on an exploratory hike, and when crossing a stream, we met a park ranger who was fishing with a snare pole in a clear and crisp creek. He showed us how he poked the snare under logs and clumps of grass to chase fish into the sunlight so he could scoop them up. Even though it was early in the spring for fishing, the ranger had success. Jose had bought us a truly massive rainbow trout for dinner, and we watched as the ranger cleaned the fish with a single slice of his blade. This connection with local people who are at home in this landscape was a highlight of the trip. The fish made a delightful addition to our burritos as the evening wind picked up again.