Veteran Anglers of New York — Spring 2008
During the spring of 2008, we met with Peter Dinoff, the recreation coordinator at the Montrose VA located in the Hudson River Valley near Bear Mountain. We posted flyers about our first “casting session”. Over twenty veterans attended! The vets, whose service background ranged from Vietnam, Panama, Haiti and Desert Storm through the current conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, were very enthusiastic and we scheduled another day to meet and practice two weeks later. We then scheduled our first event to fish the Delaware River for trout and small mouth bass in early August.
Boarding a VA bus, the 12 veterans rendezvoused on a beautiful, sunny Friday, August 8th, and met us at the Delaware River Club (DRC), beautifully situated on the banks of the West Branch of the Delaware River opposite Hancock, NY. Ben Turpin, the convivial manager of the Delaware River Club and his team of expert guide/instructors along with the VANY group and “Project Healing Waters” own Philip Krista, exotically outfitted in Scottish kilt and Spey rod, enjoyed a morning of fly casting fundamentals with the veterans. A robust luncheon of thick sandwiches and soft drinks was served by the DRC staff and, after a bit of post lunch relaxation, we headed to the river.
Comfortably outfitted in Chota breathable waders and 9 foot #5 and 6 weight graphite rods and reels provided by Albright tackle, the vets, accompanied by our experienced volunteers, dispersed over a ¼ mile of gentle riffles and placid pools. If only the trout could have matched the enthusiasm of the anglers! However, as all “veteran anglers” ultimately learn, victory a-stream is measured in achieving quality time with good friends in an unspoiled environment rather than numbers and size of fish caught. Nevertheless, it is always rewarding to bring a fish to hand and upon returning to the DRC, several of the vets accompanied the instructors to a pond on the property and were soon rewarded with some good-size large mouth bass and pickerel.
Boarding their bus for the return trip to the VA, the veterans carried with them burgeoning inspiration bourn by time casting flies upon a world-class trout river under the tutelage of anglers who communicated their passion for this sport rich in history and culture. In time, some amongst this group may squint at a stream in spring spate; mutter the Latin name of a mayfly commencing its emergence, extract from their vest an imitative fly they tied to match this hatch and artfully present it to a trout that has just begun to rise.
Dr. Tamar Martin, founder of Veteran Anglers of New York, is a specialist in rehabilitation psychology. In addition to a private practice she coordinates several projects in rehabilitation and adjustment to disability at the Research Foundation, City University of New York. Her fly fishing experience includes the pursuit of trout in the North East and Rocky Mountain West as well as striped bass off the East End of Long Island and bonefish in the Bahamas.
