By Larry Myers, Forbes Trail Trout Unlimited

Military veterans from southwestern Pennsylvania spent May 12 at Foggy Mountain Lodge Lake in Stahlstown, Westmoreland County testing their fly casting skills against stocked trout and panfish. 

Foggy Mountain Lodge owners Jim and Karen Dunn were extremely generous hosts opening their facilities and offering services to the veterans. 

Most veterans did quite well!  Everyone caught plenty of panfish and bass, and several caught rainbow trout.  The weather cooperated and so did the fish. 

Many of the veterans, some in wheelchairs, had built their own fly rods and tied their own flies.  For others, this was the first time out in the mountains for an event like this, and the first time to fish with a fly rod.    

The event, sponsored by Forbes Trail Chapter of Trout Unlimited, was their first held exclusively for disabled veterans.  FTTU partnered with Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, Inc., Foggy Mountain Lodge and Boy Scout Troop 465 to show support for our veterans who proudly served our country.

The event was intended to introduce disabled veterans to the sport of fly fishing as a means of relaxation and healing. 

Trout Unlimited and Project Healing Waters has had extensive experience and success across the country teaching fly fishing and related activities to disabled veterans as part of their rehabilitation process.  It truly works!

Expert mentors provided one-on-one instructions and support.  All fishing equipment, lunch, snacks and drinks were provided at no cost.  The trout, stocked by Laurel Hill Trout Farm, Inc. were all at least one pound.  The veterans took home a cooler full! 

Boy Scout Troop 465 from Greensburg presented an opening ceremony, prepared and served lunch, and assisted the veterans as needed.  After their work was complete, the Scouts also received fly fishing instructions.  Many of those Scouts will be our future coldwater fishery stewards.

Several of the veterans were transported by bus from the Aspinwall VA Medical Center. 

Judy Niehenke reported, “I had tears in my eyes when I saw our son Ed being lowered from the bus in his wheelchair to go fishing.”

 Mentors worked with each of the veterans to rig their rods, cast and net their catches.  Everyone had a smile on their face and lots of fish stories to tell at the end of the day!  Our goal was to make this a truly memorable event for our veterans.  Hopefully some will decide to continue on with the sport of fishing as a means to relax and recover. 

For more information about Trout Unlimited and Forbes Trail Chapter activities, visit the Forbes Trail Chapter of Trout Unlimited website.

NewsClips:

Trout Unlimited Chapter Hosts Fly-Fishing Trip For Disabled Veterans

State Offers First Fish-For-Free Day On Memorial Day Weekend

[Posted: May 17, 2018]

5/21/2018