Category Archives: Fishing With Family and Friends

What Is Project Healing Waters?

Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing Event Provides Therapy and Recovery

Project Healing Waters On the Water

Today’s feature comes to us from the Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries
from The Fishing Wire

In mid-October the trout stocked waters of Back Creek below Dominion’s Bath County Pumped Storage Station provided valuable recreation and rehabilitation for a special group of anglers on a two-day trout fishing trip in the Virginia Highlands. Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing (PHWFF), Dominion, The Guilford Foundation of Richmond and Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) hosted a combination of 12 active duty military personnel and veterans recovering from wounds and injuries incurred while serving their country. Warriors and vets from the following military medical facilities and Veterans Administration (VA) centers took part in the two day fly fishing event: McGuire in Richmond, Fort Eustis Warrior Transition Unit, Hampton, Portsmouth Naval Hospital, Salem and Staunton-Harrisonburg Community Based Outpatient Clinic. Service members and guides also participated from VA Medical Centers in West Virginia at Beckley, Huntington, Clarksburg and Wheeling. Volunteer Guides from the PHWFF programs provided one-on-one support for each warrior and vet fishing designated sections of Back Creek called ‘beats’. Another 40 plus volunteers from the sponsoring organizations pitched in to make this event a great success for a special rehabilitative and therapeutic fly-fishing experience.

Group Of Warriors

Each warrior and vet was given a complete fly fishing outfit from rod to waders featuring gear provided by a number of outdoor retailers. For the fourth year in a row, Dominion overstocked the delay harvest section of Back Creek with very nice rainbow trout. This assured the new fly fishers an opportunity to hook up with nice fish on their new 5 wt. rods. This special stocking using private hatchery stock while immediately benefiting the event, enhances the fishery for all the anglers who come to fish Back Creek. Bath County Pumped Storage Station employees provide great support and they kindly allow the group to use their facilities for the event. Phil Johnson, PHWFF Virginia’s Regional Coordinator expressed a big “THANK YOU” to all the volunteers who help make this one of our program’s best trips this year. A special plaque was presented to Dan Genest, Dominion Coordinator for PHWFF sponsored events, in recognition of his service to the organization. Mike Puffenbarger and family who operate Maple Tree Outdoors and provide the home cooked meals for the group while visiting the Virginia Highlands, were recognized for their support of the event now in its fourth year. David Coffman, VDGIF Editor for The Outdoor Report e-newsletter provided goodie bags for the vets and volunteers featuring gear and information to enhance their outdoor activities and provided photos of the participants in a special CD following the event. The Warm Springs Inn was also noted for their contribution of accommodations for the service member guests.

The many volunteers who assist with the PHWFF events note that, “We’re not just taking them fishing…” The volunteer guides who assist the service members while fishing come from a variety of backgrounds and fishing oriented organizations including the Fly Fishers of Virginia, Trout Unlimited, and PHWFF Program Leads who hold fly tying classes and casting workshops at the veteran facilities and military hospitals. Many of these Program Leads are also veterans themselves who have been through rehabilitation and recovery and see this as a way of giving back to fellow service members working to recover from their injuries both physical and emotional. Participants in Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing (PHWFF) programs and alumni receive therapy, physical and emotional rehabilitation and support for their recovery and transition back into their communities.

Project Healing Waters

WSLS TV NBC Channel 10 Roanoke news anchor John Carlin, in his Virginia Crossroads news feature, came and interviewed the warriors at the Dominion sponsored event to get a feeling on what this program has meant to the lives and families of service members who have experienced post traumatic stress disorder – PTSD. Be sure and watch this video clip for a close-up, personal and passionate look at the healing power of fly fishing…

“Is it possible that flowing water (and a few fish) are more powerful than medicine? As helpful as group therapy? Perhaps more. For veterans returning from war the answer is often yes… http://www.wsls.com/story/23661378/virginia-crossroads-project-healing-waters

Visit the Project Healing Waters website to see how you can support this valuable program. Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, Inc. is a 501 (c) (3) dedicated to the physical and emotional rehabilitation of disabled active military service personnel and veterans through fly fishing and fly tying education and outings. The 2-Fly Tournament is the organization’s headline event each May to raise awareness and funding for its 146 programs across the nation in 46 states. Visit the PHWFF website for more details. For outdoor recreation opportunities in Bath County visit their website.

Growing Up In A Small Town In Georgia

I was getting my every-other-Saturday haircut from Mr. Ralph one fall when the conversation turned to squirrel hunting. One of the old men sitting around the checker board said he wanted a dog that would tree squirrels. I said Hal had one and Mr. Ralph said “I didn’t know Tippy would tree squirrels.”

That is what I love about growing up in a small town and why I am so thankful for my childhood there. Not only did the local barber know which friend I was talking about by his first name, he knew his dog’s name, too.

I grew up in Dearing, GA on Highway 78 near Augusta. We had a caution light on the main highway and there were six stores in the town. You could buy everything you needed in each one, including gas, fresh meat, clothes, guns, fishing tackle and canned goods. They were typical country stores of the 1950s and the owners knew everyone that came through the door.

My house was a half mile from the center of town, right on the “city” limits. The sign was right in front of my house on Iron Hill Road and we had 15 acres. On it were seven chicken houses with 11,000 laying hens, a hog house with sows and nearby a pen to raise out the young pigs, and fields with ponies and cows.

One property line had a branch running near it and where I swam and caught fish. We also tried to dam it up every summer, working like beavers but not nearly a good at dam building as they are. I also explored that branch from end to end and knew every hole and stump in it, and could tell you where a fish would hit my home-made chicken feather flies.

That was a simpler time. There were no video games and TV was black and white with two channels available to us. Kids spent their free time outside when not in school or doing chores. We hunted, fished, shot guns, build forts and tree houses, dammed creeks and roamed the woods and fields.

No one was surprised to see a kid with a gun. Many days I would hit the woods at the creek below my house on Saturday morning and hunt up the creek with my .22 or .410. The creek crossed Highway 78 just outside of town and I would get there at lunch time. Then it was time to pick a store, go in and lean my rifle or shotgun in the corner and get a cold drink from the ice box and a can of sardines, Vienna Sausage or potted meat and have lunch. A box of saltines were always open and available to anyone buying something to go with them.

After lunch I would sometimes hunt back down the creek or hit the road and head home. Walking down Iron Hill Road with a rifle did not draw a second glance, but everyone would wave. I could stop at Harold’s house on the way. He was the only other boy in town my age. We started kindergarten together and graduated from the University of Georgia together 17 years later. Hal was two years older than me.

My father was principal of Dearing Elementary School and my class had 27 students in it. We had basically the same group from first through eight grade but then went to High School in Thomson eight miles away. Thomson High was huge after Dearing Elementary. My class there had just over 150 in it and grades nine through 12 had over 500 students!

All the kids went to church at least three days a week. Sunday mornings we were in Sunday School then church and evenings found us in Training Union and then church. Prayer meeting was every Wednesday and RA’s for boys and GA’s for girls met on Monday nights. We boys talked a lot about hunting and fishing and the highlight every summer was a camping trip or two with all the boys and three or four of the men.

I am very thankful for my youth and wish every kid could have the kind of experiences I had back then. I think there would be a lot less crime and drug use. We didn’t have time for such foolishness. The outdoors tends to do that to you, and you learn respect for others and nature when you are spending time in the woods.

Kids still have opportunities to hunt and fish but almost always have to be accompanied by an adult in today’s crazy world. Try to help them go hunting and fishing any time you can.

Thanksgiving Memories

This holiday season always brings bittersweet memories. I am very thankful for my mother and will forever remember the wonderful things she did for me and that we did together. But she died Thanksgiving week 13 years ago so all the memories are tinged with sorrow.

One of my favorite memories happened at our place at Clark’s Hill. It was the middle of a warm June day and I was taking a break after lunch. When I left our camper and walked up the hill to the bath house I saw mom fishing under the dock by herself.

A few minutes later walking back down the hill I saw mom fighting a fish. I got close enough to hear her talking, coaching herself, saying things like “Play him slow” and “Keep the rod tip up.” I stood by a pine tree for several minutes enjoying the scene before going to the dock and helping her land a nine pound carp.

Mom was totally happy fishing. She would fish anywhere there was water and didn’t mind fishing alone or with others. She and another lady neighbor used to take our truck and 12 foot jon boat to the local Public Fishing Area. Both of them were in their sixties but they would go out and fish all day. Dad fixed up a winch system so they could load the boat by themselves. I have a mounted 2 pound, six ounce shellcracker she caught in 1982 on one of those trips.

Another great memory also involves the Public Fishing Area we called the “state ponds.” Mom and I had fished for several hours, me casting for bass and her fishing with live worms for anything that would bite. We took the boat out of the pond and I walked out on the dam. In the spillway below the pond I could see bream in the pool of water.

Mom and I got our rods and reels and her bait and crawled down the dam to the pool of water. For the next couple of hours we caught bream after bream. We had contests to see who could catch the most on one piece of bait and who could catch the smallest fish. That was a tough contest since none of the little bluegill were over three inches long.

That was one of the many times I totally lost track of time while fishing with her.

Mom was deathly afraid of snakes but loved fishing even more. One day as we walked down to my bass boat tied up under the dock at Clark’s Hill we saw a snake slither off the dock, onto the boat and into the hole at the transom where the controls came out. I told mom there was no way I could get the snake out.

After thinking about it for a few minutes mom gingerly got into the boat. We fished all afternoon but I don’t think she ever completely relaxed. I knew the snake was happy in its dark hole and would not come out, especially with us moving around and talking, but I don’t think mom’s feet ever rested on the deck of the boat in one place very long that afternoon.

Many nights mom went out with me to check trotlines and bank hooks. She was happy holding the light or helping bait hooks. Several times we would bait up our lines, get out on the bank, build a fire and fish with rods and reels for several hours while waiting on catfish to find our set hooks. I remember sitting by the fire with her and talking about anything and everything, but don’t remember whether we caught anything or now.

One summer I found out I could go out with a spotlight at night, find carp in the shallows and gig them. Although I thought it was legal to kill a carp any way you could I found out later gigging them, especially at night with a spotlight, was not legal. We still had lots of fun.

I would gig a carp then raise it out of the water. Mom would sit on the back casting chair and would open the live well as I swung the carp over the side. I would put the gig over the lip of the live well and she would drop the lid, letting me pull the gig out while leaving the carp inside.

One night when mom opened the live well my dog Merlin jumped as I brought a crap over the side. She jumped right in the live well. Mom and I laughed till we cried at the sight of Merlin’s head sticking out of the live well, with a look at said “get me out of here!”

I am glad I have such good memories.

Yellowjackets and Fishing

I should have killed the yellow jackets in the nest at my dock faster. A few days ago when I went to the farm and when I got near the dock I would see the yellow jackets flying around their hole. I really didn’t think it was a problem and went out on the dock to fish.

I guess my dog Rip was attracted to the noise, or he just stepped in the wrong place. I heard him “yip” and when I looked at him his black coat was half yellow. He was furiously pawing at his face and scratching. When I yelled at him he finally came to me on the dock. Unfortunately, he brought the yellow jackets with him.

I grabbed Rip and threw him in the water, which helped him but left many of the swarm of mad yellow jackets with me. They started stinging me and I took my cell phone and wallet out of my pocket and got ready to jump in the pond myself.

I guess I knocked enough of them off me and killed them that they stopped. I noticed the bream were having a feast on the bugs in the water when I realized Rip had gone back to the bank, right at the nest, and was covered with them again.

Rip hates swimming and often will not come near me on the dock. I think he remembers past trips when I helped him into the water to cool off. Anyway, this time he came running to me, like he realize getting in the water helped. I threw him in again and, again got some stings before I could kill the ones around me.

When I looked for Rip he had swam to the bank and was sitting in the water up to his neck. He knew staying in the water protected him this time.

When I got him and eased around the nest I noticed something had been digging at it. The next day I went back with a drink of gasoline for the striped stingers but they were gone. There was a much bigger hole and parts of the nest were on the dock where something had dug it up and ate the larvae. The rest of the bugs went away.

Raccoons and skunks will dig up nest like that. I guess the meal is worth the pain, or their furry coats protect them. I wonder if armadillos will dig them up, too. The armor plating on a possum on the half shell should protect them from the stings.

No matter what dug them up, I am glad they are gone!

What Are College Bass Fishing Tournaments?

Blast off at a college bass fishing tounament

Today’s Collegiate BASS Fishing Angler, Tomorrow’s Leader

By Danny Blandford
from The Fishing Wire

As an angler that has been involved in college bass fishing since before there was truly organized college bass fishing, I find myself in awe of how far the sport and the participants have come. Likewise, I often find myself in awe at the public perception of college bass fishing among folks that don’t truly understand competitive bass fishing, let alone the value of it at the collegiate level. Only by being close to it since I was eighteen years old (closing in on half my life) have I really come to understand the role it is playing in shaping the future of our great sport.

Over the past year we’ve highlighted what it has meant to current and future professional anglers. Guys like Brandon Card, Justin Rackley, Miles Burghoff, and several other young aspiring professional anglers have recognized and capitalized on the opportunities to develop their competitive skills while fishing at the collegiate level. Fortunately for our sport, competing at the collegiate level is also producing an influx of a different kind of talent to the “other” side of competitive fishing, the industry itself. Many anglers are figuring out how to meld their talents and education, both on and off the water, into successful careers in the fishing industry.

We caught up with a couple of entrepreneurs who fully credit college bass fishing for where they are today and their path towards tomorrow. Brooks Woodward, the founding member of the Florida State Bass Fishing Club is a great example. Brooks rolled into Tallahassee, Florida in January of 2010. He had a passion for bass fishing and a desire to grow that passion into something more. Brooks channeled his energy into creation of the Florida State University Bass Fishing Club, a collection of anglers from across the country that shared his love of bass fishing, along with his competitive drive. Over the past three and a half years, the club has grown to approximately 25 members, competes in national events all across the country, and continues to grow in both membership and experience.

During that time, Brooks’ ideas and passion grew as well. According to Brooks, “It didn’t take me long to see that there was a huge community of like-minded anglers out there; which really opened my eyes to the potential in the fishing business and the size of the market. Once I started thinking about it, I knew it (the fishing industry) was for me and I felt like I had a few options. I looked at trying to land a job with an established company, I looked at starting a company from scratch, and I looked at what existing companies may be out there available to purchase. When it was all said and done, a purchase opportunity presented itself with Nichols Lures and I jumped on it.”

In regards to Nichols, Brooks went on to add, “The company was an established brand that had been producing good products since 1989 so I felt like it was a great place to start. At the time, my opinion was that things were just a bit stagnant and a lot of what was needed was creative work and fresh perspective, both of which I felt I could add. I’m a Graphic Design Major, so things like an updated website, updated packaging, and marketing collateral where all right up my alley.”

He started his journey as a fulltime student and part-time “tackle tinkerer”, and has transitioned into a part-time student and fulltime tackle company owner. When asked about the influence of college fishing and founding a club, Brooks went on to add, “I think college fishing is in large part the reason that I’ve chosen the path that I have. The relationships and camaraderie that I developed through the club made me want to stay in the industry and the contacts I’ve made along the way are helping me to succeed. As I look to grow the ranks here at Nichols, I’ll definitely be looking to likeminded collegiate or former collegiate anglers. I feel like college fishing teaches a unique set of skills and develops traits that I want to see in my own employees. I believe the more a person has been exposed to competitive fishing at this level, the more they can bring to future employers.”

After talking with Brooks I was left with the impression he was a traditional student that took a non-traditional route to pursue his passion, which I found to be a path I completely understood. With that said, it was the common thread of college, competition, and an entrepreneurial spirit that connected us and so many others.

For more content and a different perspective, I reached out to Berkley Product Manager, Stephen Britt. Stephen is what academia defines as a “non-traditional” student, and within minutes of being on the phone, it was clear “non-traditional” was a great adjective to describe Stephen and his passion for bass fishing. Academia uses the term because after high school Stephen spent four years in the United States Marine Corps; followed by two years at the University of South Carolina Salkehatchie, before enrolling in the Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina’s main campus in Columbia, South Carolina.

Stephen’s story at South Carolina began with aspirations for a business degree with emphasis on management, insurance, and real estate. The “trifecta” for a young entrepreneurial businessman, but definitely “non-traditional” for a guy who had been thinking about life as a professional angler. Aspiration became inspiration when Britt learned that USC didn’t have a fishing team like the ones he had been hearing about at other schools. On January 26, 2009 Stephen hosted a callout meeting for a new bass club on campus and generated a total of five attendees, including him. Although small in size, that little meeting turned out to be a big step in the formation of the Anglers @ USC. The full story of their journey is an interesting one, and you can read it on their website here.

That meeting was important for the club, but it was also important for Stephen himself. It planted a seed that perhaps there are more ways to succeed in fishing other than casting for cash. The seed grew into something more when Stephen received a call from a friend. Apparently there was a guy from Pure Fishing standing in the lobby of the business school looking for people interested in angling and a potential internship. That call was all that it took for Stephen to head to the “B School” to see what was going on. That chance meeting led to an unpaid internship at Pure Fishing; the first internship at the new Columbia, South Carolina Pure Fishing headquarters to be exact. Although it was unpaid, Stephen found it very rewarding.

According to Stephen, “That internship really changed my path. I knew right away I wanted to work in the fishing industry and when it was over I changed up my courses to make me a better candidate for such work. I dropped my insurance courses, added marketing, and began looking for more ways to develop talents that could come in handy in the fishing industry. My time leading the Anglers @ USC was certainly a big part of everything.”

He went on to add, “As I wrapped up my courses and time at USC I started really pursuing Pure Fishing. I went to three different job fairs to keep getting in front of the Pure Fishing recruiter and doing my part to convince him I was the guy for the job. Ultimately, my persistence paid off. I landed the job as a Product Manager for Berkley and I oversee the fishing rods and rod and reel combo segments of our offerings, as well as some of our ice fishing products. I’ve been fortunate to spend the last two years working on something I really enjoy.”

“In summary, I’m excited to have landed where I belong. The subject of my work, the pace at which we do it here at Pure Fishing and my chance to remain involved in competitive fishing is absolutely awesome. I’ve got a career ahead of me…not just a job.”

Stephen and Brooks both spent a lot of time in the interview crediting their college bass club experience and being in the right place at the right time for where they are today. No doubt good timing was a pivotal part of their journey, but I’m convinced it was more than that which led to their early success. These young men “pushed” everything into place rather than waiting for everything to “fall” into place; which is a testament to who they are. With that said, it seems college bass fishing helped motivate them and provide a source of strength to keep moving ahead.

As someone that went through a long journey in academia, as well as the fishing industry, I can say with a fair degree of certainty that very few courses do what college bass fishing can do for a young impressionable man or woman. When coupled together, a passion for fishing and a sound education make a great recipe for success both on and off the water.

I think I can speak on behalf of everyone at the Association of Collegiate Anglers when I say we’re proud to be doing our part in making a difference in the lives of these anglers and the future of our industry.

Go Fish Georgia Fishing Education Center

Regan Green with bass

On October 8, 2010 the Go Fish Georgia Education Center opened in Perry, Georgia. This center promotes better water stewardship and increased fishing participation around the Georgia.

“The Go Fish Georgia Initiative will allow us to improve our fishing resources and boat access, drawing not only more tourists but also major fishing tournaments that will have a positive economic impact in communities across Georgia,” said Governor Perdue. “It also promotes conservation and encourages families to spend time together outdoors, making memories that will last a lifetime.”

The Go Fish Education Center features an interactive and educational journey through Georgia’s diverse watersheds. It also serves as a resource of fishing information for any level of angler, with tips on where to go, what gear to use and when to fish.

With 76 species of fish on display in tanks and ponds, the Center offers an unparalleled opportunity to learn about Georgia’s aquatic wildlife and habitats. Boating and fishing simulators let visitors test their skills on the water. And a state-of-the-art fish hatchery offers a look at the science of fisheries management. The hatchery will expand research and increase fish production to improve the quality of fishing in Georgia.

The Center also offers educational programs to school systems and to the public, including kids fishing events, on-site classroom programs and teacher development sessions. Classroom and educational programs are aligned with the Georgia Performance Standards.

“Whether you are new to fishing, mentoring a young angler or are a seasoned professional, you will find exhibits here that educate, excite and encourage you to get outdoors and go fish,” said Chris Clark, Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources.

The Center is part of the Go Fish Georgia Initiative, a $30 million initiative that leverages $19 million in state bond financing with private donations and financial support from local communities. It includes development and improvements of mega-ramps and other access areas that improve the quality of fishing throughout Georgia and increases participation in fishing through active promotion and marketing of Georgia’s exceptional fishing resources.

Construction of the Center began in 2008 and was completed in September 2010. The Go Fish Education Center is part of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division (Fisheries Management Section). The Center is located next to the Georgia National Fairgrounds in Perry. The Center will maintain special hours Oct. 8-17, 2010, during the Fair: Monday-Saturday (10 a.m.-9 p.m.) and Sunday (12-9 p.m.). Standard hours post-fair will be Friday-Saturday (9 a.m.-5 p.m.); Sundays (1 p.m.-5 p.m.). Fees are as follows: Adults – $5, Seniors 65 and up – $4, Children 3-12 – $3; Children 2 and under – free.

Perry is on I-75 south of Macon, Georgia and would be a great trip for Georgians or a interesting stop for travelers headed south. Check it out.

Fishing and Boating with Dogs

My dog Rip loved to go fishing with me

The Boating Dog’s Days of Summer

BoatUS: Tips on Boating with Dogs
from The Fishing Wire

ALEXANDRIA, Va.,- Some dogs were born for the water, others less so. The key to boating with dogs, says Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS), is taking it slow and making safety #1. Here are eight tips to get you started:

Before you go:

Get a good fitting life jacket and have the dog wear it a few times around the home before they get on a boat. Any pet life jacket should have a handle to easily lift the animal out of the water. Here’s a buying guide for dogs of all sizes: www.BoatUS.com/doglifejacket.

Have a special ID tag with the name of the boat, marina, slip number and cellphone number on it just in case. If the dog gets lost, it’s a lot easier for the person who finds them to get them back to you quickly.

If there is any chance you’ll be going to Canada and Mexico, make sure you have current rabies vaccine and other shot documentation with you as dog tags are not acceptable proof of immunizations. It is also a good idea to check with customs because the rules and requirements often change.

Getting started:

Familiarize the dog with the boat slowly – don’t just get on the boat and leave the dock right away. Ideally, bring the dog to the boat for the first time without leaving the dock, and let give them a chance to sniff around and get their sea legs. It may help to start the engine so they are used the sound.

Plan for falls overboard, either from the boat or dock. If the dog falls overboard underway – or jumps in – you may be able to circle back and retrieve Fido just like a fallen water skiier, pulling up slowly, cutting the engine and luring the dog to the swim platform with a treat. If you don’t have swim platform, smaller dogs may be lifted over the side by their life jacket handle, but bigger dogs may require a different solution. If a dog falls off a dock, know that seawall bulkheads may prevent the animal from a self-rescue.

Bring plenty of water and make sure there’s some place the dog can get out of the sun and stay as cool as possible. Know the symptoms of dog heat stroke. While seasick dogs may vomit, that’s also one sign of heat stroke. Rapid, loud or difficulty breathing, extreme thirst, thick saliva, disorientation and a bright red tongue and pale gums are a few of the others.

If you’re going to be out on the boat for more than a few hours, plan on how your dog will relieve themselves, and pick up after your dog, no matter where they go. If you see where someone else didn’t pick up after their dog, pick it up for them. You don’t want to give any opportunity to show why dogs shouldn’t be allowed in your marina, and your boating friends will love you for it.

Does your boat’s insurance policy cover pets? All BoatUS policies do. For more information go to BoatUS.com/insurance/pets.

About BoatUS:

Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) is the nation’s leading advocate for recreational boaters providing its over half-million members with government representation, services such as 24-hour on the water boat towing as well as roadside assistance for boat trailers and tow vehicles, feature-packed boat insurance programs, money-saving benefits that include marina and West Marine shopping discounts, and vital information that improves the boating, fishing and sailing lifestyle. Its member-funded BoatUS Foundation is a national leader promoting safe, clean and responsible boating.

Dogs Really Are Man’s Best Friend

Rip loved to hunt – I really miss him

One of my all time favorite outdoor writers, Gene Hill, said “I can’t think of anything that brings me closer to tears than when my old dog – completely exhausted after a hard day in the field – limps away from her nice spot in front of the fire and comes over to where I’m sitting and puts her head in my lap, a paw over my knee, and closes her eyes, and goes back to sleep. I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve that kind of friend.”

Dogs are special. I know of no other creature that will give you unconditional love no matter how you treat them. They will protect you, be a comfort when you feel bad and make you even happier when you are in a good mood. They are loyal to you.

I have been lucky enough to have five such friends in my adult life. The only problem with dogs is they have such a short life span. You always lose them way too soon. They seem to be youthful and happy for years then suddenly they start getting old. In no time it is up to you to make sure they don’t suffer any longer.

Rip was special. He showed up at my farm uninvited and stayed around the barn. I had not had a dog in my life for about ten years and really didn’t want another one since it still hurt from having to put my first two down.

But Rip would run out and greet me, tail wagging and mouth smiling, every time I drove up. I tried to ignore him for a couple of weeks but he won my heart so I stopped and got food and water bowls, some dog food and a collar and headed to the farm.

As always he ran out to greet me but somehow slipped and fell. I felt the back tire of my truck bump over him before I could stop. When I got out of the truck he was standing there, looking at me like “uh o -I didn’t mean for that to happen.” Then he walked a few feet and blood came out with his urine when he went to the bathroom.

I was sure he would die so I didn’t even put the collar on him, but did put out some food and water. The next day I drove up and he ran out to greet me, wagging and smiling like nothing every happened. He surely didn’t blame me.

After putting on his collar I drove him to Memorial Drive Vet Clinic and had him examined. We could see the tire track across his lower stomach and hip. The vet said that was about the only place you could run over a dog and not kill it, but he might still have problems.

For the next ten years Rip lived at my house. He was rambunctious – I had to fence in the back yard to keep him from running off and getting in the highway, but he seemed perfectly happy. He was a mixture of lab and hound, and loved to chase and retrieve a ball. I had to hit a tennis ball with a racquet to make sure it went far enough so he would not get to it before it hit the ground.

Rip never barked. He also never met a stranger. I often took him to town in the back of my truck and usually someone would be petting him when I came out of the store. You could tell he was a happy, friendly dog.

The first time I got out my shotgun to kill a squirrel in the yard I was not sure what Rip would do. When I shot the gun he got excited and soon found the squirrel. In no time, if I walked out the door with a gun Rip started looking in the trees for my target. He seemed to learn to go around to the other side of a tree where I was looking for a tree rat so it would come around so I could shoot it.

Although gunfire didn’t bother him at all, he was terrified of thunder. In June during a late night thunder storm on Thursday night he dug under the fence and got out. Saturday afternoon we got a call that he had been hit by a car on Highway 19 not far from our house.

We took him to the emergency vet clinic in Fayetteville. We were real worried since he did not seem to know us and looked dazed. The vet treated him and said he was in shock.

A few hours later we called and they said he seemed to be resting comfortably but they were worried about him since he still seemed to be dazed, but they were hopeful. Then, at about 11:00 PM, they called and said he had gone into convulsions. They felt he had brain damage and said there was less than a 25 percent chance of recovery. I could barely get the words out of my mouth to put him down.

We picked up Rip’s body and brought him home. I wet the ground as I buried him under the pear tree beside Merlin and Squirt.

What Can I Do If I Get A Spider In My Ear While Fishing?

Catching bullheads and cats at night can be dangerous!

Watching a hospital show on TV last week brought back bad memories for me. On this show a guy came into the emergency room complaining about something in his ear. When the nurse looked into his ear with a flashlight he was horrified. One of his nightmares, a spider, was in the guy’s ear.

When running bank hooks at night at Clark’s Hill we usually checked them a couple of times after dark. Willow trees overhanging the water were good places to tie hooks but presented some problems. Lots of critters liked to hang out in those trees.

One night Linda was holding the flashlight while I baited a hook. When I stood up my head brushed one of the higher branches and I felt something on my ear. I brushed at it and told Linda to shine the light to see what was there.

Big mistake. It was a spider. Spiders don’t like light, so it went into the nearest dark hole it could find – my ear! I could feel it scrabbling around down in there on my eardrum, as far in as it would go.

Somehow I managed to get back to the trailer at the boat club and went inside. Mom and dad and Linda all tried to help, shining a light in my ear to see if they could do something but that just made the spider try to get away from the light, going deeper into my ear. I was about to go crazy feeling that thing moving around in there.

Finally mom poured some baby oil into my ear and the spider, not wanting to drown, popped out. It fell on the table and I hit it so hard with my fist the table jumped and made everything on it turn over. But that spider didn’t get back into my ear!

Another night I had just checked a hook and baited it up. When I stood up I grabbed a limb to steady myself and caught a glimpse of something that made my heart stop. There was a huge wasp nest about two inches from my hand and a foot from my face.

Luckily, wasps don’t fly at night and none came off the nest. But it was one of the worst scares I had running hooks.

Once while frog gigging with two friends I had a close encounter of the snakey kind. Bobby was in the back of the boat paddling, I was in the middle with the spotlight and Harold was in the front with the gig. We spotted a big frog under a willow tree and eased in toward it. I stood up so I could get a good angle with the light while Harold lay in the front of the boat with the gig.

As the front of the boat eased under the tree I grabbed a limb to steady myself and something made me shine my light on the limb. A few inches from my hand a water snake was lying on the limb, probably asleep. I didn’t scream or anything, I just told Bobby to back us out – in a very squeaky voice.

Harold figured out what was going on and later said he was afraid to move, he was expecting something to fall on his back any second. We all had a good laugh about it but went to the truck, got a .410 and sent that snake to reptile heaven.

If you fish at night you will have some exciting memories – if you survive them!

Growing Up Fishing A Branch

I miss Dearing Branch. That small branch ran across one of the property lines of the farm I grew up on and it was my summertime home. My friends and I spent many happy hours there during hot weather.

Every summer we would dam the branch trying to make a swimming hole. There was one fairly deep hole where the branch widened then narrowed down, running between two big sweet gum trees growing on either bank. That made the perfect place to dam it up.

We did things that would have made us rebel if our parents had made up work so hard. We would take croaker sacks and fill them with sand to stop the water flow. Have you ever tried to move a big sack of wet sand? We soon learned to fill them very near where we wanted to place them.

One summer dad got some cross ties to use around the farm and we managed to drag one across the field, into the woods and to the branch. It gave our dam the backbone needed to hold the sacks and that summer we got a swimming hole with enough water to come up to our chins while standing up. We could actually swim some in it a little, but the hole was only about 15 feet wide and 20 feet long at most. It was still huge to us boys.

The cool water was great and a welcome relief after the hard work building the dam. We never bothered with bathing suits, we just stripped down and went skinny dipping. But the first heavy rainstorm would wash our dam away and we would have to start all over again. We never gave up, though.

Most summers near the end of August the branch would almost dry up and we would try to rescue the fish. We had a good supply of water at the house so we would carry the small catfish and bream up to the back yard in buckets and put them in wash tubs. A hose kept water running into the tubs and we learned to place them so the water cascaded from one to another, keeping several full.

The fish never lived more than a few days. And we never thought about the conflict between trying to rescue fish one day then going to a local pond, catching fish and cleaning them to eat the next day. Such were the ideals of youth.

I loved fishing in the branch, too. My greatest thrill was getting small bream and branch minnows to hit a “fly” made out of chicken feathers that I tied on a small bream hook with some of mom’s sewing thread. I would spend hours dangling the small bait near a stump in a hole in the bank of the branch trying to lure the skittish fish out. They were great trophies but I always let them go.

I guess what I really miss are the long, seemingly endless summer days of my youth, where a small bream was a trophy, we thought we could control our world with dams and dreams, and the responsibilities of adult life were still far in the future.

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