Trout fishing can be as simple as a garden worm, a split shot and a No. 8 hook tied onto a line and cast into a tumbling brook.

On the other hand, it can be as complicated as one man's imagination.

I recently met a fellow who certainly tests the limits of being prepared for every contingency that he might encounter on the opening day of trout season. I only know this guy as Moe, but I don't believe this was his dear mother's first words when he was born, so let's name him Moe. It was more like Melville Oliver Edwin III and he ended up with the nickname Moe.

Moe likely was one of those kids who lined up his entire miniature car collection in neat categories arranged by color, size or style and now did it with his spinners, spoons and lures.

I know quite a few guys who like to organize their stuff. I'm just not one of them. I guess my thinking is tuned into my way of doing things and it doesn't work for everyone else.

I found out that Moe knows how to plan.

I was gathering some terminal tackle for a Kids Fishing Day project when I encountered Moe. He also was gathering trout fishing supplies in somewhat of a determined manner.

I made the mistake of commenting to another consumer that I didn't find exactly what I wanted in hooks because someone had bought out the current stock.

With a sheepish grin, Moe turned to me and tossed a few packs of hooks into my cart and admitted that he was responsible for the sold-out sign.

When I peered into his cart, I figured that he was shopping for some event as well because every conceivable type of trout enticing tackle or bait was poking out of his pile of fishing supplies.

Not resisting a chance to check this guy out, I opened my line of questioning with, "Are you going out the first day of trout?"

Moe looked at me as if I had said, "Have you walked on a bed of nails lately?"

He followed that look up with, "I never missed an opener in 40 years!"

I replied, "That must be some kind of record you must really like fishing."

Those few comments opened the corral gate and fishing stories stampeded out of Moe like an old West movie.

Naturally, when I heard all the greatest angling feats and big ones that got away, I moved on to his full cart of sporting goods.

Moe explained that he prepares a complete fishing package for every stream and stream condition he might encounter on trout season's opening day.

If the water is clear and low, high and muddy, fast or slow, he is prepared. He knows that rainbows are different from brook trout and that one bait or lure is hot while another is not.

Moe prepares each set of fishing gear in small presentation cases and marks them for streams and conditions he might fish.

I asked him if that might be a bit overwhelming to keep together, but he just laughed and said, "That's what I do."

I started to push my meager cart of supplies away and thought of how different my spur-of-the moment fishing style was compared to Moe's.

We did have one thing in common, though: We both would be somewhere in pursuit of a few trout and a lot of relaxation this weekend.

As I checked out my supplies, the sporting goods clerk commented to me that it was a good thing that guys like you and Moe help out the kids with fishing.

I looked at him and said, "I just met Moe. I really don't know that much about him."

He went on to say, "He won't keep all that stuff. Every year he comes in here and buys a cart full of fishing gear and nearly all of it ends up in the hands of the local kids."

I couldn't help but to think of one of Moe's comments to me, "That's what I do."

Now here was an angler who, with his 40 years of fishing wisdom, knew it wasn't about filling a creel, it was all about future generations learning to love his beloved trout waters as he did.

Until we meet again, do something wild and take a kid fishing!

Jay E. Hewitt is an outdoors columnist for the Butler Eagle.