Water is precious, essential for life, and inspirational. We are drawn to rivers and lakes not just for the basic needs of survival, but also for recreational and spiritual replenishment, a calming of our psyche, an opportunity to encounter nature in all its glory. The motion of water can be mesmerizing, whether the turbulent flow over cataracts or the soothing flow in a deep pool. When one is on the water, the chance encounter with Brother Bear, a timid fawn, or a soaring osprey builds everlasting memories.

Even though the water that flows in streams and rivers represents a mere 0.002 percent of Earth’s water, it plays an outsized role for most of us. While one can feel the energy of the sun and hear the wind shake quaking aspen leaves, there is something about struggling to stand firm in the onrush of moving water as it works its way downstream that makes the earth’s energy palpable in a singular way.

The magic of moving water and the animals that reside in streams and rivers is the source of inspiration for the collection of stories and poems in this book. The authors bring together a richness of experiences, some drawing life lessons gained from being knee-deep in flowing waters. Many stories focus on fly fishing for trout, but like Norman Maclean’s “A River Runs Through It,” the act of fly fishing is merely a vehicle to tell deeper stories.

We open with Jim McLennan’s tribute to esteemed fly fishing experts who wrote eloquently about the blue-ribbon trout streams of Montana that compelled mostly boys and young men to dream of the day they would ply these magical places. As Jim tells of his journey, one is led to conclude that there are other places, other rivers that yield larger and more trout than the revered Montana streams. Yet, the aura that surrounds the iconic Montana Rivers prevails. This theme returns in the memories shared by Chris Pibus and David McCumber.

A common thread that emerges from all the authors, even those who focused on the art of fly fishing, is that time on the water evokes much more that landing a beautiful cuttie, bow, brook, or brown. There are echos of John Denver’s “serenity of a clear blue mountain lake” in the poems by Doc Mehl and Doris Daley. There are stories in essays by Pat Munday and poems by Doc and Doris of precious natural resources lost to greed and arrogance. There are also hopeful expressions in the story about Iris, a resident osprey, by Kaitlynn Okrusch. There are poignant love stories recounted by Kayla Lappin, Paul Vang, Jerry Kustich, David McCumber, and John McKee—each linked to adventures on streams. Beyond the life’s lessons shared in these tales, there are suggestions for your next dining experience with recipes for the rivershore campfire and for elegant dining room table spreads.

The stories told in this book are drawn from Alberta and Montana, with a photography gallery of images by Tim Foster from Nova Scotia. Artwork by Tyler Rock (glass bull trout), additional photos by Mike Forbister, and chapter heading drawings by Rich Théroux provide depth to this production.

Wisdom River is both real and imagined—a metaphor that draws in precious memories and inspirations. The real place, shown on maps as the “Big Hole” in Montana, was initially named “Wisdom River” in 1806 by Lewis and Clark, who were commissioned by Thomas Jefferson to find a water route to the Pacific Ocean.

Wisdom Rivers exist wherever we are learning on their banks—the Tigris and the Nile; the Columbia and the Amazon; the Mackenzie, the McKenzie and the Bow—all are Wisdom Rivers. Every headwater stream, every Fish, Willow, and Rock Creek brings wisdom. Most of the work herein was inspired by fishing for trout. Sometimes the fishers are fly fishing, sometimes they’re fish hawks, and in at least one chapter no one is fishing at all.

—Larry Kapustka, Diamond Valley, Alberta

Chad Okrusch, Butte, Montana

2023