The city of Bozeman in Montana may be nearly 1,000 miles away from Vallejo, but it sure is a fan of one of its residents.
Victor Johnson, an engineer and over 50-year resident of Vallejo recently returned from Bozeman, where he and his wife, Nancy, donated his full archive of books, notes, interviews and other material to the Trout and Salmon Special Collection in the Research Archives of Montana State University. The school has been deemed one of the top five research universities in the world.
MSU has established 11 special collections of the subject matter of interest to future researchers on its state and region. Though most of the material is on earth studies, one is titled “Trout and Salmon.”
Johnson says that while giving a talk, he met an archivist from MSU, who became interested in his work.
“I am considered to be the worst writer there is on my subjects, and the best writer, because I am the only writer on them,” the good-natured Johnson smiled.
Part of the agreement is that he can add any additional books to it, as they are written.
John Randolph, former editor and publisher of “Fly Fishing Magazine,” said in an email to Johnson: “Your research on all these subjects is the best ever written on the broad histories of our sport. I wish I had read them 30 years ago … No one has done a better job in this area of research/writing.”
Johnson grew up in Michigan and Arkansas. His father was a chemist and his mother was a Latin teacher. His family embraced the outdoors, often dabbling in fishing in the White River.
Johnson’s work for Exxon has taken him around the world, allowing him to meet people involved in the business of the sport. While in Paris he interviewed a member of the OIE, the world organization that sets standards for 180 signatory countries on animal health, including for aquatic animals. Such notes are what Montana State wants to conserve and make available.
Johnson said he picks topics that allow him to research in-depth around the theme, “How did we get from there to here?” He wanted it to be of broad interest, so wrote on topics such as, “Why does a fly line float?” and “How did waders happen?”
He says with California warming, more pathogens are found in fish. “We are,” says Johnson, “entering a world of aquaculture.”
There are now 23 hatcheries in California for fly fishing near Vallejo, with Putah Creek at Lake Berryessa being the closest site, Johnson says.
He says the world has used up all sustainable natural fishing.
“Trout live in beautiful places,” Johnson said. “Mother Nature doesn’t play by the rules we’d like. Salmon and trout need cool water. When it doesn’t rain or snow, they don’t do well. The world is changing pretty fast, but I think it will turn out OK.”
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