The water is frigid as the bank along the Arkansas River in Colorado turns white with snow, its edges blocky, hard with ice. Winter is harsh, solemn, and filled with anticipation. Birds of prey wait in the trees, ready to leap onto mice and rabbits. Elk and deer browse for any bits of vegetation, watchful of hiding hunters. Some try to sleep the season away in warmer, drier caves and burrows, hoping not to be clawed from safety. In the water, though, fear, food, and warmth are not at the forefront of the Fur-Bearing Trout’s mind.

Medium in size, this species of fish is dull brown with a yellow belly and specks of copper, and green; males are more vibrant, showing off hints of reds and oranges too. These fish are special. At the beginning of winter, a handful suddenly change; a sixth soon sport beards and body stubble. Feathery and yellow-brown, the hair spreads and intensifies; interspersed with darker strands, more mottled on top, and light upon the underside, it blends…