"I remember the first time I caught a chinook salmon. I was still a kid and we were fishing on a tributary of Idaho's Salmon River. When I thought the fish was getting away, I dove into the shallow, cold water and looped my arms around it. I grabbed the fish -- and someone else pulled me out of the water.

This fish didn't get away. Nor did the story. My kids are sick of hearing about this (or any other fish) tale. They know the punch line because the story has been told in so many forms over the years.

The same is true for our region's stories. We tell folks about the greatness of the Pacific Northwest, eager to convey just one more tidbit of information after our listeners have said enough."

Get the Story:
Mark Trahant: Fish stories get better and better (The Seattle Post-Intelligencer 8/1)

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