April 19, 2024
By Gary Rihn, PHW Pittsburgh
Fly fishing can be hard, especially when somebody is relatively new to the sport. Having a mentor can be a big help. Actually having a qualified guide can be a bigger help.
Two Veterans from the Pittsburgh program of Project Healing Waters recently enjoyed a day fishing together, each with their own individual guide. The Veterans had traveled an hour north to fish Neshannock Creek in Volant, PA.
Jim Leone had fished the Neshannock before. Jim mused during a break,
Along with Leone was Tom Lunardi. Lunardi said that he had heard others talking about the Neshannock, and that it had a good reputation. “I was excited about coming here, being guided, I was really looking forward to the whole thing”, he commented. Neshannock Creek is a stream designated as Keystone Select by the PA Fish Commission, meaning that it is stocked with larger than normal trout. It is also a Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only project, with almost three miles of water that can be fished year-round with flies and artificial lures only.
The morning started cold, in the mid-20s, but with the stream in perfect conditions. Each angler took to their own section of the stream with their respective guide, and spent the morning and into the early afternoon fishing. Occasionally breaks were taken around the fire pit on the stone patio at the Neshannock Creek Fly Shop, which sits streamside. During these breaks, the healing part of PHWFF’s mission started to happen. Leone noted during one of the fireside chats:
Helping the Veterans were two guides: Dan Heitzenrater, the fly shop’s lead guide, along with Chris Horn. Both mentioned that the low temps presented a challenge for the day, as they never rose much above freezing. However, even with the cold conditions, they managed to put both fishermen on multiple fish. When asked why he donated his services for the day, Heitzenrater said, “It’s a small thing actually when you think about the fact that I can do this (as he swept his arm out across the stream and the Veterans) in a wonderful country that they provided for me.” Horn backed him up with, “It’s something I’ve been wanting to get involved with for a while, helping those who served our country. Today I got to do that.” Along with the guides, Mark Collier, the owner of Neshannock Creek Fly Shop, decided to donate the day’s services to the Veterans at no cost. Collier’s father was an Air Force Veteran, and said his father raised him a certain way. “We have so much in this country that we don’t fully appreciate; we have that because of those that fought for it. We need to challenge ourselves to not take that for granted. It gives me a good feeling to see everybody enjoying each others’ company, especially these guys that were injured,” as he looked out the window of the shop at the two Veterans in the stream.
As the day progressed, the Veterans kept picking up more tips from the guides. Horn noted, “They both already had enough knowledge when they showed up, they had a good base, we just helped with some finer points”. That combination of knowledge and tips all came together for Lunardi when he landed his first unassisted trout, a beautiful 14″ rainbow. He said that it was the first trout where he had made the cast, hookset, fight, and brought the fish to net all without help from anybody else. Surprisingly, he said that might not have even been the highlight of his day (or at least maybe tied for it). “Just being out here, seeing the water, I’m learning, every time you do this you learn a little more.” When asked about his highlight of his day though, Horn immediately said, “Watching Tom land his first trout on a fly! The smile on his face!”
As the day wrapped up, the waders came off, and everybody gathered around the fire to chase off the chill of being in the stream for hours, Leone thought aloud, “If somebody had told me five years ago that I’d be doing this, I wouldn’t have believed them.” Lunardi followed up with,
Project Healing Waters’ stated mission is its dedication to the physical and emotional rehabilitation of Veterans in need through fly fishing and associated activities including education and outings. Days like this go a long way towards that rehabilitation.
April 19, 2024
By Megan Stolensky, Erie News Now
One of our Pennsylvania programs, PHW Erie, have been highlighted by their local news, telling their stories of post-traumatic growth and renewed camaraderies through fly fishing, fly tying, and the outdoors!
You can read the full story here. PHW Erie Program Lead Craig Brandick and Veteran participant Benjamin Dolby do an excellent job of sharing how critical our mission remains, and how effective fly fishing, its associated activities, and the outdoors can be! Way to go, PHW Erie!
February 23, 2024
The Project Healing Waters Spotlight is our way of shining a bright light on those members of our PHW family whose accomplishments and contributions inspire us all.
These individuals, and their stories, are an essential part of the healing journey happening for Veterans across the country. Project Healing Waters transcends fly fishing and these Spotlights are a glimpse into what is happening throughout our programs. We are honored to return to sharing these with you each week.
PHW Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Project Healing Waters has been an intricate part of my life for 15 years. Why do I volunteer is a question I get asked frequently, and I must say, I don’t think about the why, but more about the who. Who am I helping today and how will it help them have a better life. I have chosen Project Healing Waters because Veteran have committed to protecting our country under all circumstances, even giving their life for me and you.
The fly fishing outings. What Project Healing Waters provides is an avenue of therapy that allows a Veteran to find that inner peace. There is nothing more calming to the soul than to be standing in the middle of a stream, early in the morning mist, listening to nature sounds and the gentle flow of a bubbling stream. Peace flows over the body and the Veteran begins to cope with what is troubling their mind. A volunteer is at their side to make sure they don’t fall in the water, due to balance issues. They are there to help trembling hands, or poor eyesight tie a fly on the line. But more importantly, they are there to listen to their story. Because once they trust you enough to share their story, they begin the healing journey. Many will never be completely healed of the tragedies of war, but at least now they have an avenue of hope, a helping hand of encouragement and a heart that cares.
Marilyn was the Program Lead for PHW Murfreesboro for many years and has now joined the Field Advisory Committee so that her organizational knowledge and experience can continue to benefit Project Healing Waters. While in her role as Program Lead, she was nominated for and recently received the 2024 Tennessee Governor’s Volunteer Star Award. For context: “The Governor’s Volunteer Stars Awards (GVSA) is an initiative from Volunteer Tennessee that seeks to recognize outstanding volunteers from each of Tennessee’s 95 counties. Now in its 16th year, participating counties conduct a call for nominations and recognize one outstanding youth and one outstanding adult volunteer. The Governor’s Volunteer Stars Awards also recognizes one business and one non-profit from each of Tennessee’s three Grand Regions for their outstanding community involvement and service.”
Congratulations, Marilyn, thank you for everything you do for our Tennessee Veteran participants and volunteers, and for committing to future service through the Field Advisory Committee!
The PHW Spotlight will publish each Friday morning on www.projecthealingwaters.org.
September 15, 2023
The PHW Spotlight is our way of shining a bright light on those members of our PHW family whose accomplishments and contributions inspire us all.
These individuals, and their stories, are an essential part of the healing journey happening for Veterans across the country. Project Healing Waters transcends fly fishing and these Spotlights are a glimpse into what is happening throughout our programs. We are honored to share these with you each week.
Enlisted January 11, 2010.
PHW Winston-Salem, North Carolina
I was looking to clear my mind of the things that were happening around me. My best friend asked me four years ago to check out Project Healing Waters as they teach veterans the art of fly fishing. Years later, I finally decided to give it a chance. I wanted to learn a new craft as well. I now find peace in the streams and pleasure in doing something I love and have passion for fishing in general.
One of my favorite activities is the fishing portion, but also the fly tying portion. I have learned a lot. It’s given me a chance to build a small community on my YouTube channel where I can share what I learn in fly tying class on a live segment. I get to share and meet others that are passionate about fly fishing and fly tying.
I look forward to making memories out on the stream with fellow Veterans from the group. It’s the peace on the water that brings everyone together, where there is no animosity or disruptions from the outside world.
My name is Paul Bohorquez, a Marine Corps Combat Veteran from Hamilton, New Jersey. I joined the Marine Corps in 2010 and deployed to Sangin District, Helmand Province, Afghanistan in 2011. A lot has changed since those past times. It was a struggle to get my mindset to a place where I can feel “normal” after coming back from a war that had taken so much from us. I had my brother Joshua Barrett, a combat veteran as well, who helped me get back to my feet, as I had mentally declined shortly after getting out of the service. It was a struggle but I was able to get back up on top. Years later, I was faced with a couple challenges in life, where I ultimately had to restart my life again. I was able to get myself out of a situation that had brought nothing but chaos to my world. But with God on my side and the people who He had put in my life to guide me, like my family, I was able to overcome these issues. As I continue to work on building a more structured lifestyle, I am blessed to have met my Beautiful wife Angela Bohorquez, who I married 08/28/2022. A phenomenal woman who has stuck by me as I worked on rebuilding my life. In 2022 I had the opportunity to be re-introduced to Project Healing Waters in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. My Brother Josh had told me about the organization in 2019 but I kindly shrugged it off and missed out. Once I finally joined the local program in 2022, I was able to learn and meet some really great people along the way. I’ve had the opportunity to have met Vincent Taylor, who has been a positive and knowledgeable role model, as well as my fly tying mentor Rusty Berrier. PHW has played a role in my healing process, for which I am grateful. They have provided me with tools to be able to pursue a career for which I never even intended to form a passion. In the past year that I have been involved with the program, I have been able to learn how to fly fish, learn to tie flies, as well as pursue attending Sweet Water Guide School out in Montana to become a fishing guide. I also create fly fishing content for my YouTube channel (LastCast31 is the YouTube Handle) for other Veterans to see that there are opportunities like the one PHW offers. I’ve learned that with the right people and tools like PHW offers, you can move forward in a more positive mindset. THANK YOU TO PROJECT HEALING WATERS AND THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE SCENES MAKING ALL OF THIS A POSSIBILITY.
The PHW Spotlight will publish each Friday morning on www.projecthealingwaters.org. Learn more about this inspiring series HERE
September 15, 2023
The recent Project Healing Waters National Casting Competition brought together 15 regional champions from across the country. Held at Bennett Spring Park in Lebanon, Missouri, the competition was the culmination of local and regional casting competitions hosted across the country, with the winners meeting to determine who would earn the prestigious title for 2023.
In addition to a full day of practice Tuesday prior to Wednesday’s competition, there were plenty of opportunities for fishing on the Niangua River. Henry Stockman, from the Tennessee Valley region, posted impressive scores for both rounds on Competition Day to take the top spot!
It’s great to see our organization’s flagship fly casting event be highlighted by media outlets! Check out more here, thanks to the Chattanoogan and Ross Schweinforth!
September 14, 2023
July 4, 2023
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June 12, 2023
Don’t worry, we’re not about to recommend the next rod, reel, net, fishing vest, fishing pack, or exciting new fly fishing gadget to politely nudge your spouse about for your Father’s Day present. You can sneak that into the garage afterward when they drop their guard after you ask for a book for you and your child to share together…
We know that we’ve got plenty of fathers throughout our organization, including some relatively new ones! So when we heard the story of Patty the Palomino, written by our friend Artie Mabbett and with a portion of the proceeds going to benefit Project Healing Waters, obviously we had to share! A day with a young kiddo can often be full of craziness, but at the end of the day, when you lay down to read a book with the kiddo, that’s a special moment. And if you’re like us, any chance to bring fishing in is a chance we’re going to take.
And it’s a pretty cool story too, as it helps explain some common challenges to our growing kiddos. So not only can you help your kid learn about what’s so great about being unique, maybe you can inspire them to drag you out for a fishing trip to find some trout of their own! Patty the Palomino is available at a wide range of booksellers, but it looks like Amazon can get it to your door well before Father’s Day, and you’d be helping benefit Veterans’ healing journeys in the process! We’ll call it a win-win-win.
June 6, 2023
Filled with a range of vintage and modern fishing gear, boats, artwork, sports memorabilia, and other speciality goods, this auction is a great opportunity to support the Veterans in-need in our Murfreesboro, TN Program while simultaneously angling for some awesome items.
All proceeds go towards supporting the recovery and rehabilitation of Veterans in-need served annually by PHW Murfreesboro. Dive right in: this auction is live now!
The PHW Murfreesboro Program has provided fly tying, fly rod building, and fly fishing outings on an ongoing basis at no cost to our veteran participants for over a decade. This auction will raise funds to sends Veterans to the program’s 14th annual Caney Fork outing!
In order to expand the number of quality fly-fishing experiences available to its participants, PHW Murfreesboro is holding an extensive online auction starting June 5. Up for auction is a wide range of fly-fishing gear, including a number of vintage bamboo rods, a Gheenoe and trolling motor package, an Outcast kick-boat, a range of art pieces, and more. All proceeds raised will send Veteran participants that are part of the Murfreesboro Program to the 14th annual Caney Fork outing. We encourage you to visit the auction and share with your friends, families and colleagues. Together we can cast a lifeline to Veterans in-need. Check out several of the items up for auction:
The auction will be open June 5 – June 12, 2023.
Filled with incredible gear, trips, experiences, and unique specialty items, this auction is a great opportunity to support the Veterans in-need in our Murfreesboro Program while simultaneously angling for some awesome items.
All proceeds go towards supporting the recovery and rehabilitation of Veterans in-need served annually by PHW Murfreesboro, TN. This auction is live now!
June 4, 2023
The American and Hickory Shad run in the Potomac River is somewhat of a bittersweet story. In my opinion, shad are not that smart of a fish, relatively speaking, and they fight pretty hard, making for an attractive combination for the average angler such as myself. The 10,000-mile journey some of these fish take after wintering in Florida is not what it once was, but the shad presence is notable in the history of the United States and the Potomac River.
In the late 1950s-1970s the history of Shad in the Potomac becomes a lot less pleasant. The upper freshwater tidal Potomac in the Washington metropolitan area receives the river’s largest wastewater and stormwater inputs, deposits that were (and are) often lethal to most fish, and particularly so to migratory fish returning to that area to spawn. Major migratory fish kills which occurred in the early 1960s are one of the major reasons that President Lyndon Johnson declared the Potomac River a “national disgrace.” Migratory fish were also subject to over-harvest and loss of spawning habitat, the latter principally through the construction of dams. Despite significant improvements in water quality since the 1970s and a river harvest moratorium in effect since 1982, the American shad stocks had not recovered in the Potomac River by the mid-1990s.
While the shad population in the Potomac watershed is not back to its former glory, some major steps have been taken to give the species a fighting chance, and some rebound has occurred. Factors contributing to the rebound include:
I realize that was more history than you expected from the regional events blog, but I collected this information for a Zoom meeting the DC Program had during the 2020 days of virtual meetings. Fast forwarding to 2023, the DC program finally organized an event to actually go shad fishing! Timing the event is a bit tough because the shad run is dependent on a lot of environmental factors. Last year, the run was still going relatively strong into May. This year, the run had slowed down significantly by May but that did not stop us from giving it a shot!
Similar to our recent successful trip to the Savage River, this event was made possible by a generous donation from the National Park Trust. I want to once again thank Ivan Levin (Director of Strategic Partnerships and Communications) and Nick Weig (Programs Coordinator) for supporting our Program. Due to the generosity of their partnership, we were able to cater the event with BBQ, and send each participant home with their own fly rod, floating and sinking line, and a box of flies with the help of our local fly shop, District Angling.
As I mentioned above we were late for the Shad run this year. We did end up catching a few blue gill in the C&O canal but that was it!
This event was also another opportunity to highlight the collaboration in the National Capital Region. DC welcomed numerous participants from Ft Belvoir and La Plata. We intentionally paired up boat teams with volunteers and participants from different programs, and everyone came away from the day making a few new friends that probably live pretty close by.
Keep an eye out for the next Capital Region collaborative events!
Sources: https://www.potomacriver.org | https://www.chesapeakebay.net