Three-fourths of Earth’s surface is water, and one-fourth is land. It is quite clear that the good Lord intended us to spend triple the amount of time fishing as taking care of the lawn.

— Chuck Clark

At last! It’s warm and dry enough to consistently enjoy the outdoors and I’ve spent this week outside. I don’t even mind the yellow hue of our lawn; the greening effect of rain will come soon enough. It’s time to enjoy the natural treasures of the Pacific Northwest and talk these days is all about the salmon.

Got your license? Is your boat ready to take out? Have you pulled your smoker out of storage? Have you scanned the beaches and seen any jumping? Which side of the island have you heard the salmon are running?

Fun to catch and even better to eat, many salmon are making their way back to their places of birth to spawn. To know their story and to be part of it is to see the hand of God at work.

While the life cycles of salmon vary by species and some remain in the Puget Sound, others spend the majority of their lives far out to sea, traveling thousands of miles.

Most do not start their lives in salt water, however. Depending on the species, a freshwater stream or lake is usually the location where a female chooses to dig a nest with her tail and deposit between 500 and 1,200 eggs. One or more males will fertilize those eggs and it is there that 20 out of 100 eggs will survive. In late winter the eggs will hatch and the emerging “alevins” will hide in the rocks for protection and live off their egg sacks.

Those who survive are known as juvenile salmon or “fry” and must learn how to capture insects or starve. They will also head to saltwater, but the transition must be gradual. Freshwater meets saltwater in estuaries and this is where young salmon make that transition, learning how to hide for protection and feed.

Again, depending on the species, salmon spend various amounts of time in estuaries until the call of the wild propels them north, along the shorelines. Many swim thousands of miles, heading to the Gulf of Alaska and beyond.

As you can imagine, it’s a treacherous life. They must learn to evade larger fish, some species of whales, dolphins, sea lions, seals, and fishermen to survive.

One to seven years later, the urge to reproduce calls the salmon and scientists believe they smell their way home. Returning to the same spots where they were incubated, they spawn and die within a week. Their remains provide valuable nutrition for the water and food for nearby wildlife.

It’s a truly remarkable story; perfectly planned and astonishing in its detail. Not only does salmon fishing draw us near to each other but envelopes us in the natural world God has created for us, all of which speak to His devotion and great care.

Reach Joan Bay Klope at faithfulliving@hotmail.com.