Wounded Warriors & NC Handicapped Sportsmen @ Pechmann Center 6-10-09

[Al]

The 2nd Wednesday (afternoon 1-5pm) of the month is reserved for Wounded Warrior & NC Handicapped Sportsmen at the NCWRC John E. Pechmann Fishing Education Center. In order to keep the numbers up we have also expanded our invitation to include all active duty military and their families. Our latest event was on June 10, 2009.

Due to sparse attendance we skipped our usual classroom session and went right to the ponds for some fishing. Many of our participants came with families so we broke out the spin casting rods and containers of worm and let them fish the catfish ponds which are full of fish that run from less then a pound to over ten pounds. Squeals of delight and shouts of encouragement were soon heard from all sides of the pond.


This fellow proudly shows off his first fish.


Not to be outdone the whole family got in the act. (It doesn't get much better then that)


This soldier's son was having the time of his life fishing with dad once again. I bet he has often thought "Thank you God for sending daddy home to me". I know the soldier has said "Thank you God for letting me get home. I'm a little stove up but I'm home and enjoying my family again".


Here is another family enjoying some well deserved time together.


The crusty old First Sergeant (1SG) lost track of how many he caught after he had gone through all his fingers and toes. I saw several he caught which would exceed the 5 pound mark. (OK, Maybe this was not one of them)  Way to go Top!


We did have a few folks who broke out the fly rods. During the warm water season we have bass, hybrid stripers and blue gill available for fly rod fishing. All are fairly easy to fool with the correctly presented fly.


Our fly tying instructor, who is also a solider, was not pressed into service today so he took advantage of the time to brush up his fly fishing skills after several repeated tours to the war zone.


Another of our volunteers hangs into a very nice largemouth bass. (We have over 40 of them in one of the ponds. Most of them averaging 3-5 pounds with some tipping the 8 pound mark. They will be the stars when we hold our Warm Water Fly Fishing Clinic on Saturday, June 13, 2009)




One of the soldiers worked with Jeanette, our "casting coach", on his "double haul" technique.  He put it to good use in one of our multi-fish ponds and hauled out a nice bass. It might have been on the small side but to him it was a great accomplishment on a fly rod.


Big fish of the day was caught by Jeanette who quietly took a photo of it on her iPhone and slipped it back in the water.



I will close with a photo of the First Sergeant kissing his new love goodbye until we meet again. Our next event which includes Wounded Warriors, NC Handicapped Sportsmen and all active duty military and their families will be on Wednesday, July 8, 2009. (2nd Wed of each month 1300-1700 hrs)


Help us spread the word. We would love to be overwhelmed with participants and have to call in extra volunteers.