A wave of emotion

Even over a year later, tears well up in his eyes when he talks about it. The “wave of emotion,” as he describes it, is understandable given that the moment was 15 years in the making. “Even last summer when I took my son and his friend out there and told them the story; it still gave me chills to think about it, and just a huge sense of accomplishment.”

In June 2021, Chad Mellison, a fish and wildlife biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Reno, Nevada, was flyfishing the North Fork of the Humboldt River in northeastern Nevada. Mellison was in the area for field work and had never fished this section of the river before and decided to make a few casts after completing his field work and before heading home. 

Little did he know that casting his line in that day would lead to one of the most meaningful moments of his career.